Geoff Workman.

richardg

Active member
Well known and a legend of a caver in our region Geoff Workman has died, others will have known him for longer than I, so could say more about him.

Several years ago I was visiting Stump Cross Caverns Show Caverns, and could not help but notice a guy stood in the cafe area, rather distinguishable in a tweed jacket over a woollen jumper with frayed cuffs, instantly recognisable as someone with a good number of life's stories to recall,so I went over introduced myself and I was delighted to meet Geoff who i had read about, many years earlier, in books about caving.

We both had had an interest although generations apart, in digging in the swallet caves of Perryfoot near Castleton.

His advise on digging for caves "as long as you followed the water you wont go far wrong".

I would ask and tease Geoff on why he hadn't relocated the lost Pounders Cavern with its great underground lake, hidden beneath the slopes of Greenhow Hill, his favourite digging area..
 

langcliffe

Well-known member
Sad news, indeed. A nice guy who conned me into helping with a couple of his digs:

geoffworkman.jpg
 

mch

Member
Sad news indeed, and unexpected even though he was 91 years old. Geoff was Chair of DCA for a spell in the 1960s and also DCA Newsletter Editor from Feb 1962 to Dec 1963. For an extract from his caving diary regarding his solo exploration of Starvehouse Mine see The Derbyshire Caver no 137 Summer 2015 (https://thedca.org.uk/publications/newsletters). Best known, of course, for his 105 day solo sojourn in Stump Cross Caverns. R I P.
 

pwhole

Well-known member
Thanks for the refresh on the Starvehouse article - I'd forgotten about that one. Probably still worth a look. And an impressive bit of solo exploration too, though he was clearly very comfortable with it - did folks bother with 'call-outs' in those days, there being no phones handy?
 
Sunday 29th September 1963

I remember it well... 2 days later I had Pneumonia!
 

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skippy

Active member
Richard, Ric Halliwell and John H is wanting an article in the Craven Herald about Geoffs life and achievements. Get in touch if you can help.. Or anyone else if they can help with an article.
 

Fishes

New member
Geoff was associated with OP Mole B Section that was based in Matlock Bath for a while.

He Also spent some time in the 1950's trying to work Jug Holes for Lead alongside Jim Roberts. They worked out of the upper hut (by the entrance to the second water cavern) but never really made any money out of it. At the time Geoff was travelling to the area by bus and carried explosives in his pack.

I didn't meet him until the 1970's when I visited him with my father. I didn't meet him again until the late 1990's but he made me feel very welcome.

Another legend has gone.


 

rhychydwr1

Active member
Brief obituary in Descent (277) 11.

Has a cave named after him in Leigh Woods, Bristol Ogof Artisan, later renamed Skeleton Cave.

https://ukcaving.com/board/index.php?topic=27444.0
 

rhychydwr1

Active member
The latest Descent has an appreciation of Geoff Workman:

Halliwell, Ric 2021 105 Days Below.  Descent (279) 30, 3 photos.
 
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