Bull Pit

Moose

Moose

New member
Does anyone out there have any information/ report about the digging activities in Bull Pit by the Stockport CC back in the 1950's.

We have tried and tried to find any information and so far failed.

There was reputed to be small breakthrough to a chamber containing a stream down one of the digs but nothing to back this up.
 
mch

mch

Member
The British Caving Library online catalogue shows that they have some of the Stockport club journals from the 1950s. They may contain some info.
 
Pitlamp

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Dave Elliott's Caves of Northern Derbyshire Part 4; Rushup Edge Swallets (February 1976) devotes page 22 to Bull Pit. This gives two references; one is the standard Caves of Derbyshire entry but the other is:

Ford T D, 1966, Cave Science Vol 5 No 39 page 386.

Trevor Ford always tried to include good reference lists in his writings, so a glance at this article may give some leads? (He may even refer to the activities of the Stockport diggers as his article was written in the decade following the one of interest - i.e. not too long afterwards.)

Does the Stockport Caving Group have any links to the former Stockport Caving Club? There's several SCG members still about (one of whom uses this forum and may see this?). Or did any of the SCC get absorbed into the Derbyshire Caving Club (which was traditionally from the Manchester area)?

Of course, this is exactly the sort of query which the late and sadly missed Keith Bentham would have loved to have got his teeth into for you . . . .

By the way Moose - I have this Elliott reference here and the text isn't too long. If you want me to type it & email it (or even photograph the page) - send me a direct email.
 
S

steviet_scg

Member
Pitlamp said:
Does the Stockport Caving Group have any links to the former Stockport Caving Club? There's several SCG members still about (one of whom uses this forum and may see this?). Or did any of the SCC get absorbed into the Derbyshire Caving Club (which was traditionally from the Manchester area)?
Click to expand...

Well, I'm here - but can't directly help with this one. I'll ask about but am not hopeful.

If he doesn't spot this thread you might want to pm Mrs Trellis who has a longer association with Stockport than I do and may be able to help.

Steve
 
Mrs Trellis

Mrs Trellis

Well-known member
Afaik the Stockport Potholers & Climbers Club became the DCC when it split from the OCC. There is no connection between them & the SCG.

The best thing I think would be to contact Nigel Dibben of the DCC as they have probably got the papers - or he may know who has them now.

Alan "Todge" Burgess was recorder for a long while from the '50's onwards. I guess the names of those who worked on the project would be Alan Burgess, Stan Gee, Bernard Chandler, Jimmy Lovelock et al. and they've all passed afaik.

 
richardg

richardg

Active member
This maybe of a bit of useful information.
Frank Brown  (derbyshire caving club)did a lot not work in Bull Pit digging

Richard.
 
Mrs Trellis

Mrs Trellis

Well-known member
Yup - I should have mentioned Frank - he probably lived there before moving to Nettle. Sadly he's passed also. I don't think Nigel is in any danger at the moment but you never know - so best contact him sooner rather than later!

email:- Nigel@dibben.org.uk
 
mch

mch

Member
Mrs Trellis said:
Alan "Todge" Burgess was recorder for a long while from the '50's onwards. I guess the names of those who worked on the project would be Alan Burgess, Stan Gee, Bernard Chandler, Jimmy Lovelock et al. and they've all passed afaik.
Click to expand...

Although Bernard Chandler has passed away his son Paul is still caving - posts on here as "Spires". He may have inherited some info from his dad - I know he has old photos as he recently sent me some of Bagshaw.
 
T

TLH

Active member
Hi Moose,
  We have a few newsletters in our archives from the 50's of SPCC. 1940,1951,1954,1956 and 1959. I'm struggling to open all of them (poor internet tether). The majority of the ones i've opened mention Bull Pit and the area if that's any use to you. 1954 seems to have a lengthy article related to it. 

Like 'Mrs Trellis' says Nigel Dibben is our Webmaster and has a vast collection of info from the early days, these are his scans. So it may be worth contacting him still.

I have tried to attach some but they failed due to size. I could try share via email?

Hope this is some form of help.

Tom.
(Derbyshire CC)



 
Moose

Moose

New member
TLH, these are the articles I'm looking for, at least I think so. I've been led to believe that the majority of the digging was done in the 50's although it's interesting to hear that Frank Brown was involved, which must have been much later.

If you wouldn't mind informing Nigel that if he's got a link to the scans online somewhere that would be good. Failing that email or PM me to make some contact.

Once we've got some facts together we will be able to hopefully make some firm judgement on what's happened in the past and how it may effect the prospects for the future.

Appreciate all the input here, bravo to UKCaving
 
W

Wardy

Active member
Moose, the later stuff that included Frank was a pet project of Phil Boardman.
Phil was pretty good at writing things up and may at the time have been the DCC librarian.
Nigel should be able to help, but whilst they did a lot of work much of it was regaining old ground and they certainly did not find a streamway.
 
Moose

Moose

New member
Wardy,

When I mention a 'streamway', I'm not under the impression it was of any size. The fact is that if there's an inlet  it's significant and we'd just like to find out a bit more detail.

It may have also been a figment of someones imagination.
 
W

Wardy

Active member
Moose
Understood that, I just remember it being a lot of work removing rotten wood and debris, before starting work proper.
I have put a message for Nigel via the DCC website, so hopefully he can find Phil's notes
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top