Help Please. Book Wanted

[Douglas Denny]

Hello Speleologists.

I am trying to obtain a copy of a book I once owned:-

"Underground in Furness"  bought from the author Eric Holland in 1960 when I was 12 years old and a member of the FSG  - Furness Speleological Group.    What happened to the FSG by the way?  Anyone know?

My copy was 'lost'  when my father who lived in Barrow-in-Furness died a few years ago, and various items of mine kept in his house - including my books - were disposed of without my knowledge or permission, (long story!).

I have tried to find a copy of 'Underground in Furness - first edition 1960'  at intervals since but with no success. Not surprising I suppose as it is such a unique and narrow interest item and probably not commonly available. I have looked on EBay at intervals with nothing there.

It occurred to me someone in the caving fraternity might possibly have a copy they were willing to part with.  If so, I would be most grateful if they contacted me.

My details are:-
Douglas Denny.
email:-ddennyoptom@gmail.com
home telephone number (evenings)  01243 572162
mob: (anytime) 07770 430 660.

Thank you for reading this and, I hope of course,  someone responding ....

Douglas Denny.  Bosham.

 

[Jenny P]

We have both editions of this book in the British Caving Library and the few duplicates we did have went in our "Lucky Dip" boxes at Hidden Earth to be snapped up by others.  So there are quite a few copies still floating around which surface when someone has a clearout.

None on Abe Books, which is the usual standby for oddities like this, but Moorebooks has a copy for sale - so try Mike.  Good luck.

 

[mrodoc]

If you have difficulty I have a spare copy.

 

[Tommy]

I can send you scans or photos of the second edition (blue), if that is of use.

Also, if anyone has a spare copy of the 1st edition (red cover), I would be very grateful to be able to purchase it. 

The "Insular" Peninsula is my childhood stomping ground, and though I never sampled the underground features at the time, I have been to Henning Valley Cave since - recommended if anyone is passing through Lindal however, though don't go out of your way...

 

[AR]

I understand there was a falling out between various members of the FSG, Max Moseley mentions it in British Mining no.89 which covers the Cartmel and Lonsdale mines - Mike Moore has that in stock too.

 

[Douglas Denny]

I have tried twice now to reply to this forum, thanking those that made a reply to my request.  Once last night late from 1am to 2am;    and today just now . .  and spent nearly an hour each time writing a long message  thanking those who replied to my first posting and giving a history of my time in the FSG and caving memories.

IT  DISAPPEARED EACH TIME ON TRYING TO POST ! !

To say I'm disappointed is an understatement !  To say very annoyed - yes !    What is going on ? ?

I might try again to write a reply sometime but not today - I've had enough!; and not until I know what is happening having spent about two hours so far to no effect.

Douglas Denny.  Bosham.

 

[Pegasus]

Hi Douglas,

I'm so sorry you've had problems.  I think the issue is if you take over half an hour to post you're timed out.

(Mods, am I right on this??)

An idea might be to write your post on word document or similar then cut and paste onto here.

I've also sent a PM (private message).

All the best, Jane

 

[Alex]

On long messages like that I always copy it into notepad, just in-case.

 

[Douglas Denny]

Ok ? try again, third time lucky  - I?m not going to let a silly computer programme messing me about put me off.
--------------

Many thanks to Jenny P;  mrodoc;  Topimo  and AR  for your replies all of which were helpful.


Jenny P:
I must find Moorebooks and look at what they have on caving.

mrodoc:
you are exactly what I was hoping for: someone with a spare copy. Excellent! and thank you.  When I work out how to use personal messages later I ?ll contact you about it if I may.

Topimo: 
You have struck a sensitive nostalgia nerve which has brought happy memories flooding back.  The  ?Insular peninsular?  - you mean of course the Furness peninsular.  I must have heard it called that before, but have forgotten. Amusing but true as it is at the end of an 18 mile, tortuous, one-way ?B? road (discounting the sheep tracks through the Lakes)  from the M6 to Barrow. 

Henning Valley cave has been in my mind since I was that 12 year old schoolboy in the FSG many moons ago, and is partly one of the reasons I wanted to replace my lost copy of Underground in Furness which has a survey map of the cave in it.  It is the only ?real? cave in Furness, is quite dry, and probably insignificant compared to the large ?proper? caves but it was magical to me at the time ? and still is in my memory.

My caving experience was brief, about a year or so started when at school with friends who were associated with caving through their learning geology and there was a extra-curricular club.

I joined the FSG when at Barrow Grammar School which had a thriving geography and geology department,  the teacher having been there many years and built it up into a successful facility with his enthusiasm for his subject.  Geology was not a common subject for A level then but there were a number of students who obtained geology A?s at Barrow Grammar school and went on to university geology departments.

But as always happens, only a few years later,  life became more distracting, as it does, with many other pursuits getting in the way, moving away from Barrow to go to Uni in Cardiff, and caving stopped, but it has always had a place at the back of my mind.
I should perhaps try it again now I am retired. I?m still fit and can climb metal wire ladders and now have something I always drooled over possessing but couldn?t afford when that 12 year old schoolboy  - a ?Premier?  acetylene cap lamp !  No doubt carbide is unobtainable in this mad world of ?elf and safety?, and I know, - cheap, powerful LED lamps are ubiquitous, but there is nothing like that small flickering pure white light of an acetylene lamp and I would want to resurrect it if possible as a working lamp. Nostalgia again ...


I explored Henning Valley cave three times with the FSG and remember the first time when Eric Holland and members were trying to extend the known cave length, digging clay through a very small and tight passage then only a foot or so in diameter from a chamber at the back of the cave with another small chamber just visible beyond.  Being small and skinny (still am), naturally it was my job to try to get through and then dig from the other side.  I got my head and an arm just through but got firmly stuck and had to be forcibly hauled out by my feet.

I can only remember Henning Valley cave and a few other mines explored at that time. Exploring two mines spring to mind, they too were very near Lindal.  There was ?Ding Dong?  mine with the threatening  pool at it?s entrance, and another who?s name I can?t remember in a field,  in a line between Henning valley cave and the main road on the Barrow side of Lindal.

AR:
Personal difficulties / animosities in clubs are always regrettable and can lead to the break up of clubs. I have observed it before.  Pity about the FSG then.

I have not heard the name  Max Moseley.  The only other name I recall, excepting Eric Holland who started the FSG when he lived in Ulverston,  was another schoolboy, a friend of mine, with the surname ?Wigmore?  (?Wiggy?).  I think it was him who suggested I join the FSG.

He was obsessively interested in the mines of Furness and lake District area, and even then as a schoolboy had amassed survey maps from the public records office and other sources of every mine possible.  He was certainly an expert in the field of mining in the Lakes then, and I wouldn?t be surprised if he went on to become an historian in the subject, as did Eric Holland.

Douglas Denny.  Bosham. W. Sussex.

 

[AR]

Mike's site is at https://www.moorebooks.co.uk , a search for Furness should bring up all of the above volumes.

 

[moorebooks]

Mike's site is at https://www.moorebooks.co.uk , a search for Furness should bring up all of the above volumes.

Thanks for the link - I have supplied Douglas with a mint first edition copy. I have a couple of second editions too and of course the British Mining volumes

Mike

 

[andys]

I have not heard the name  Max Moseley.  The only other name I recall, excepting Eric Holland who started the FSG when he lived in Ulverston,  was another schoolboy, a friend of mine, with the surname ?Wigmore?  (?Wiggy?).  I think it was him who suggested I join the FSG.

He was obsessively interested in the mines of Furness and lake District area, and even then as a schoolboy had amassed survey maps from the public records office and other sources of every mine possible.  He was certainly an expert in the field of mining in the Lakes then, and I wouldn?t be surprised if he went on to become an historian in the subject, as did Eric Holland.

A number of people from the Furness area who had/have an interest in mines went on to join the Cumbria Amenity Trust or, as it is now, the Cumbria Amenity Trust Mining History Society (CATMHS or just plain CAT). Their website is at http://www.catmhs.org.uk/ and they are still active. You might find a few old familiar faces amongst their members.....