chriscastle46
Member
My old copy of Barrington and Stanton has some advertisements for businesses of long ago. Casswells of Midsomer Norton, The Bivouac of Matlock Bath, Ellis Brigham - I think we've had that one, and Clam Products of Liversedge.
Caving shops no more
- Thread starter Badlad
- Start date
David Rose
Active member
The Bivouac was owned by Jim Ballard. His second wife, the mountaineer Alison Hargreaves, killed on K2 in 1995, met him when she became the shop Saturday girl when she was just 16. She went to live with him on her 18th birthday. Their son Tom was killed on Nanga Parbat a year ago.
A place with sad connotations. We used to stop there on OUCC trips to Derbyshire in the late seventies and early eighties. Alison and Jim started a gear manufacturing business, Faces, but it and the shop went bust in the recession of 1991 - 2.
At this rate, there will be nowhere left!
A place with sad connotations. We used to stop there on OUCC trips to Derbyshire in the late seventies and early eighties. Alison and Jim started a gear manufacturing business, Faces, but it and the shop went bust in the recession of 1991 - 2.
At this rate, there will be nowhere left!
Pitlamp
Well-known member
A glance through the "Speleologist" magazines of the 1960s will (from memory) reveal quite a few adverts relating to shops selling caving gear which aren't around any more.
Without looking back through the various posts above, has the Penyghent cafe shop been mentioned? That closed last year (I believe due to ill health in the family) but I think the long term aim is to re-open it, eventually. I have happy memories as a child of buying carbide spares there and rummaging through the impressive collection of specialised caving publications and surveys which Peter Bayes always stocked.
David Rose makes an important point above - we all need to buy as much as possible from our few remaining caving shops, even if some stuff is available elsewhere. If we don't support them, they'd not be viable.
Without looking back through the various posts above, has the Penyghent cafe shop been mentioned? That closed last year (I believe due to ill health in the family) but I think the long term aim is to re-open it, eventually. I have happy memories as a child of buying carbide spares there and rummaging through the impressive collection of specialised caving publications and surveys which Peter Bayes always stocked.
David Rose makes an important point above - we all need to buy as much as possible from our few remaining caving shops, even if some stuff is available elsewhere. If we don't support them, they'd not be viable.
Love the photo.
ZombieCake
Well-known member
Back in the day I quite liked going to BAT Products and buying some of the various old books and journals he had on offer as well as other stuff. Also, the grocers next door - Spencer's - did a nice ham, tomato, and mustard sandwich along with a can of full fat Coca Cola. Nicer than the big plastic supermarket opposite.
When looking at things on eBay and Amazon I look at the seller and if a smaller business will buy from them for the sake of a few extra pence.
When looking at things on eBay and Amazon I look at the seller and if a smaller business will buy from them for the sake of a few extra pence.
Graigwen
Active member
paul said:
I still sometimes use a framed rucsac and down sleeping bag, both their own brand, bought from there in the 60s.
They were also the first place I found selling Textured Vegetable Protein (in 7lb expedition bags).
They also sold a small selection of caving and mining books. After they moved to somewhere near Covent Garden the caving items fairly quickly declined.
.
Graigwen
Active member
chriscastle46 said:
Ah yes, Caswells:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/11409438@N06/48259128087/in/album-72157679947221496/
.
That was 4th & final edition (1977), it also included Caving Supplies & Rocksport. 2nd (1972) had Bryant's, Colston St, Bristol (which had become Blacks [of Greenock] by 1977); The Boat Shop and Outdoor Life, The Boulevard, WsM & 2 ads for Aquaquipment wetsuits of St Albans!chriscastle46 said:
Original Mendip Underground (also 1977) has different Rocksport ad, Lyon (at Whernside Manor), Jo Royle (Buxton & Hanley), Troll, The Bivouac, Whernside Manor itself (although presumably Lyon's), Caving Supplies, Blacks, Clam Products & a certain book supplier - along with Buxton Caving Products & Cavecraft (in Halifax & Chesterfield).
The early South Wales, Peak & Furness guidebooks don't seem to have carried adverts.
tony from suffolk
Well-known member
We used to buy our wetsuit kits from Aquaquipment who, IIRC, used to advertise in The Speleologist (and probably Descent too). The first one I made, from 3/16" single-skin neoprene, had little dart marks to show where to align the edges for sticking. So I religiously cut out the dart shapes...
Great fun putting the blessed things on.
Great fun putting the blessed things on.
Duncan Price
Active member
Graigwen said:
Caswells still had stock of new Premier cap lamps in the mid '80s. I bought mine from there. The box still had the price in lsd on it but they had more up to date price list. When the local coal mines were still going one could buy bang there. Closed a few years ago sadly.
Pitlamp
Well-known member
Tony mentioned Aquaquipment in St.Albans (Herts) which sold wetsuit kits. They weren't very reliable wetsuits. Back in the day a certain CPC member wrote a whole song about them, which often got sung in the GG communal tent. I can't remember all the words but the chorus was:
"My wetsuit, is made of neoprene,
The hole in the back is quite obscene,
The outside's filthy brown and the lining's turning green,
It's the tattiest wetsuit I have ever seen."
Aquaquipment also sold their own pre-made wetsuits under the brand name "Dolphin". I had one of those as well and it lasted be for quite some time. (Well, a lot longer than the home made equivalents from kits!)
"My wetsuit, is made of neoprene,
The hole in the back is quite obscene,
The outside's filthy brown and the lining's turning green,
It's the tattiest wetsuit I have ever seen."
Aquaquipment also sold their own pre-made wetsuits under the brand name "Dolphin". I had one of those as well and it lasted be for quite some time. (Well, a lot longer than the home made equivalents from kits!)
David Rose
Active member
I had an Aquaquipment kit wetsuit hen I was a teenager. It did the job!
