The Modern Yorkshire Cave Book that took Three Decades to Appear

S.A. Craven

At the beginning of this century there were few books about the Yorkshire caves and potholes. John Hutton’s “Tour to the Caves” was first published in 1780, ran to a second edition the following year, and soon went out of print^[1]. There followed a century’s hiatus until Martel’s “Irelande et Cavernes Anglaises” was published in 1897^[2]. It was concerned more with Ireland than England and, being written in French, was inaccessible to most Englishmen. In 1907 there appeared a chapter on Stump Cross Caves in Baker and Balch’s “The Netherworld of Mendip”^[3]. There was clearly a gap to be filled; and the Yorkshire Ramblers’ Club attempted to fill that gap.

At the YRC committee meeting on 10 March 1908 a letter was tabled from Past President George Lowe, “suggesting that a book be written and published by the Club, on Yorkshire Caves and Potholes. Mr. Lowe said that publication had appeared on a similar subject dealing with other parts of the country, & that there was a rumour that the Yorkshire Caves were to be similarly dealt with. Mr. Lowe suggested that if this was true, we ought to be the first in the field, and take up the matter without delay.

This rumour would not have been without some foundation. Lowe was clearly referring to Ernest Baker who, in 1903, had written a book largely about caves in the Peak District^[4]. His second cave book, “The Netherworld of Mendip”, has been mentioned above, and may have prompted Lowe to have written to the Committee.

Past Presidential recommendations have to be taken seriously. The committee responded, as all bureaucracies are wont to do, by appointing a sub-committee of the Rev. L.S. Calvert and Messrs. James Buckley, Thomas Booth, Samuel Cuttriss, Thomas Gray, George Lowe, Lewis Moore and Walter Parsons to consider the matter and report.

The sub-committee met on 7 April and recommended, “that such a book be published & that steps be taken to collect the matter & to invite the cooperation of the Club members”. A further meeting was held the following month at which two quotes were tabled for printing 500 copies of 500 pages in a format similar to that of the YRC Journal, viz. 7s. 1d. and 5s. 11d. per copy to which would have to be added the costs of illustrations, blocks and authors’ corrections. Committee accepted the recommendations, and resolved to solicit contributions from members.

It is, of course, easy to make such a decision. The problem lies in persuading the members of a voluntary organisation to make the necessary effort. Fourteen months later letters from Harold Broderick and Arthur Dwerryhouse about the proposed book were tabled. There is nothing in the minutes about the content of these letters; but it is not unreasonable to postulate that they expressed concern about the failure to make any progress.

On 12 January 1909 Thomas Gray wrote to the committee that he wished to discuss the proposed cave book with the sub-committee. The following month he, and Arthur Dwerryhouse, were appointed joint editors. In July 1909 there occurred another delay: Dwerryhouse resigned from the Club. The President wrote asking if he were still prepared to edit the book. On 21 December 1909 was tabled a reply from Dwerryhouse. He was unable to oblige because he was no longer resident in Leeds. At the same time Gray resigned from the Club for an unrecorded reason, but was subsequently persuaded to withdraw his resignation.

The loss of one editor, and the disaffection of the other, did nothing to expedite publication of the book. Two years later, on 23 May 1911, “a letter was read from Mr. Slingsby & enclosure, one from J.H. Bennett & Co. of Sheffield, with reference to publishing a book on caves & potholes.” J.H. Bennett & Co. were publishers of 99 Broomspring Lane, Sheffield^[5]. Correspondence with a publisher suggests that some manuscripts may have been forthcoming.

It was decided to let the matter lie on the table where, to this day, the matter still lies as far as the YRC is concerned.

The story now moves to 20 November 1928 when, “a letter was read from Mr. A. Mitchell of Skipton, asking for information with regards to joining the YRC The Secretary reported that he has sent this information to Mr. Mitchell from whom however no further reply had been received.”

Albert Mitchell had just left Ermysted’s Grammar School in Skipton where, in one of the classrooms, there had been a large photograph of Gaping Gill Main Chamber by Cuthbert Hastings. It had been given to the school by William Cecil Slingsby in 1908^[6]. This, and a complete set of YRC Journals in the school library, prompted Mitchell to take a serious interest in caves. Mitchell used to say that the YRC members did insufficient cave exploration to satisfy his enthusiasm, so he formed his own club – the Craven Pothole Club – in 1929.

After leaving school Mitchell joined the Craven Herald as a junior reporter, and remained with that Skipton newspaper until Hitler’s War required his services elsewhere. The combination of journalism as a profession, and cave exploration as a hobby, ensured that the literary gap was eventually filled.

Mitchell’s “Yorkshire Caves and Potholes No. 1 North Ribblesdale”^[7]  was published by the author in 1937, and reprinted in 1938 and 1948. The 1948 edition sold for 3s. 6d. His second (and last) book appeared about 1948: “Yorkshire Caves and Potholes (2) Under Ingleborough”, selling for 4s. 6d^[8], again published by the author. Thereafter Mitchell moved to the south of England; and he never completed the intended series.

The honour of writing the first modern comprehensive guide to the caves and potholes of the northern Pennines went to Norman Thornber of the defunct Northern Cavern & Fell Club in 1947^[9]. In his “Pennine Underground”, published by Dalesman, he listed all the known caves in the area. This commenced the continuing publication of cave guides by Dalesman, which continues to the present day.

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