Anyone recognise these cavers?

Rachel

Active member
I found this old photo in the charity shop, of what looks like a hauling party, and wondered who they are. Surely not Martell's era, but maybe a long ago club meet?
1663850175978745203541810709443.jpg
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Reckon this is a YSA or YRC meet at Gaping Gill; one of the very early winch meets. Date would be just before or just after the turn of last Century.

It's very similar to (or the same as) one of a series of framed prints which appeared in the Castle Hotel in Castleton over 20 years ago, when the pub was given a makeover. Does anyone know if these still hang on the wall of the Castle? (There; you've now got the perfect excuse to nip in for a pint!)

If it's YRC, the bloke at extreme right (with the sou'wester hat and long beard) could be Frank Ellett. Can't see a young Eli Simpson on here; he normally featured in YSA pictures, which may suggest this is a very early YRC winch meet (rather than YSA). Very late 1890s probably.

Did you buy it? If it's an original it's probably worth a bob or two.
 

langcliffe

Well-known member
Second left could be Lieutenant Colonel Charles Ralph Borlase Wingfield, in which case it would be a YRC meet 1909-1912.
 
Reckon this is a YSA or YRC meet at Gaping Gill; one of the very early winch meets. Date would be just before or just after the turn of last Century.

It's very similar to (or the same as) one of a series of framed prints which appeared in the Castle Hotel in Castleton over 20 years ago, when the pub was given a makeover. Does anyone know if these still hang on the wall of the Castle? (There; you've now got the perfect excuse to nip in for a pint!)

If it's YRC, the bloke at extreme right (with the sou'wester hat and long beard) could be Frank Ellett. Can't see a young Eli Simpson on here; he normally featured in YSA pictures, which may suggest this is a very early YRC winch meet (rather than YSA). Very late 1890s probably.

Did you buy it? If it's an original it's probably worth a bob or two.
Was just going to say, that picture used to be up in the Castle when I worked there 25 years ago!
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
I've been told that a couple of the cavers are the same as those in the YRC photo from 1897 in this article,
https://www.yrc.org.uk/journal-and-...c-journal-1947-vol-7-no-24/journal-v7n24p105/

I've no idea if it's original or not but I'd love to know if it did come from the Castle and what journey it took to get to Settle

1. Almost certainly.

2. First thing to check is whether the GG pictures are still there in the Castle. Please could some local caver pop in and have a look? If they're not there, maybe ask Mine host if they know what became of them?
 

wellyjen

Well-known member
2. First thing to check is whether the GG pictures are still there in the Castle. Please could some local caver pop in and have a look? If they're not there, maybe ask Mine host if they know what became of them?
And what the crime number was and if they want it back?! :)
 

mikem

Well-known member
The two guys with flat caps and beards (Gray & Mason) do appear to be in both YRC journal & this pic... (Slingsby is famous for his eponymous Chimney!)
 

langcliffe

Well-known member
Brilliant. Is the picture he took on the ledge knocking about somewhere?
It's in one of the YRC journals, but I'm away from my files and decent web browsing facilities at the moment, so cannot provide a proper reference.
 

mikem

Well-known member

Pitlamp

Well-known member
The two guys with flat caps and beards (Gray & Mason) do appear to be in both YRC journal & this pic... (Slingsby is famous for his eponymous Chimney!)
. . . and, as an aside, Cecil Slingsby was made even more prominent in the 1980s when former CPC member and acclaimed jazz musician Matthew Coe honoured Cecil with his chosen stage name "Xero Slingsby". Matthew died prematurely 34 years ago but there is a picture of him here: https://www.leedsinspired.co.uk/blog/shove-it-story-xero-slingsby This was no doubt taken during one of many encounters with police officers, which characterised Matthew's busking days. He still looks like a potholer.
 
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