Letters

Dear Editor,

I was not able to attend the 1994 Dinner and thus missed the Special General Meeting.  As a loyal Club member I accept the majority decisions of the meeting, but as an average Club member I continue to struggle and argue.

I do not raise again the vexed question of women-in-the-Club, except I cannot resist mentioning the photographs of Slingsby I have recently seen, in a Norwegian publication, in which he is seen accompanied by a lady companion.  Indeed in one photograph she seems to be hauling him up a rock face, but this is no doubt an illusion of the current age.

I turn away from this controversial subject to one which appears somewhat less controversial – the name of the Club.  I say somewhat less controversial in that at least a need has been accepted for a change.  We are now to term ourselves ‘The Y R C’, followed in quick breath by the words ‘A Mountaineering and Caving Club’.  This is futile tinkering with the problem.

What was originally a touch of dry Victorian/Edwardian humour to describe ourselves as ‘Ramblers’ has now become an embarrassment.  I was reminded of this the other day when a rather rotund gentleman confided in me that he too had joined the local Ramblers.  Not only is the title an embarrassment, I see it as a serious impediment to the furtherance of the Club, probably far more so than women-in-the-Club.

We are not the only body to suffer from Victorian/Edwardian titles.  The National Children’s Homes have recently changed their title to ‘N C H – Action for Children’.  Anyone who has heard even such a skilled orator as their President, Lord Tonypandy, trying to trip that convincingly off his tongue, will know that ‘The Y R C – A Mountaineering and Caving Club’ is a nonsense to express, with an in-built failure to convince.

‘What does the Y R C stand for?’ ‘Well, it doesn’t really mean what it says, we really are…’              ‘Really?’ O recruitment here is thy sting.

I suggest that we should call ourselves ‘The Yorkshire Rock and Caving Club’ – the Y R C C for short.  Wherever we print the title we should show in close proximity the White Rose emblem, surrounded by the words, ‘Formerly the Yorkshire Ramblers’ Club founded 1892’ thereby showing in our new title more truly what we are and in the juxtaposed emblem our honourable origin.

Well, this letter could wear away a few miles on the next Club Meets which, perhaps fortunately, my doctor says I may not be able to attend for some time.

Yours sincerely

 
Ilkley, July 1995

 
 
Dear Editor,

As a member of the Meets Sub-Committee I find it very disappointing that younger, active members rarely attend meets.  I am aware of their remarkable activities outside of the meets which do not fail to impress me and to give me much pleasure to hear about.

The future of the Club depends to some extent upon the image presented to visitors at meets.  Clearly the presence of younger members give a much better impression than just a group of pensioners, albeit young at heart.

I look back to my own golden days with the Club in the Fifties and Sixties and recall that we always tried to fit in the Meets in between our regular weekly activities.

Perhaps we are not selecting the most suitable meet locations but surely Bosigran, Llanberis and Derbyshire do provide a challenge.  If not please tell us where we should arrange meets.

One other item for consideration, it would be wonderful to have younger members of officers of the Club.  Shortly we need a new secretary and treasurer.  Any Offers?  My experience has been the more one does for the Club the greater the satisfaction and the greater the pleasure derived.
 

F D Smith
Nelson, May 1995