Andy Walsh
Member
Whoops Bob Leaky's date was at Disappointment Pot NOT Simpsons Pot !!!!!
early female cavers
- Thread starter thehungrytroglobite
- Start date
RobinGriffiths
Well-known member
There's an obit and list of publications here.
davel
Active member
With regard to Disappointment Pot, presumably this was the January 1944 episode referred to in Underground Adventure (Gemmell & Myers 1952). According to Wikipedia, Leakey married Barbara Fidoe, so possibly another name to add to our list of early(ish) female underground explorers.
However, he doesn't say she joined him in the sump, just underground:
caving-library.org.uk
Her obituary was in Descent FIDOE, Barbara Obituary (243), April 2015, p5
From Eli Simpson and the BSA article:
"On 22 January 1944, while on leave
from the army, Bob Leakey visited the sump with Barbara Fidoe and no
diving equipment. He removed his clothes, filled his lungs with air, put
his torch into his mouth, and entered the sump. Probing with his feet
revealed an air space, where he refilled his lungs and proceeded to another air space. About 31 m from the point where he entered the sump,
he crossed a gravel bank into open passage beyond. By removing the
gravel he was able to lower the water level sufficiently to permit a
comparatively dry return journey. Leakey then had to return to his army
unit; so it was left to G Bradshaw, Harold Burgess, J B Clough, Ken
Gray, Katherine (?Kathleen) Halstead, Richard Hylton, A Jeeves, Molly
Lodge, Jack Myers and R H Simpson to complete the exploration and
survey."
So SAC actually gives us Kath Halstead and Molly Lodge names as well ...
British Caving Library
caving-library.org.uk
From Eli Simpson and the BSA article:
"On 22 January 1944, while on leave
from the army, Bob Leakey visited the sump with Barbara Fidoe and no
diving equipment. He removed his clothes, filled his lungs with air, put
his torch into his mouth, and entered the sump. Probing with his feet
revealed an air space, where he refilled his lungs and proceeded to another air space. About 31 m from the point where he entered the sump,
he crossed a gravel bank into open passage beyond. By removing the
gravel he was able to lower the water level sufficiently to permit a
comparatively dry return journey. Leakey then had to return to his army
unit; so it was left to G Bradshaw, Harold Burgess, J B Clough, Ken
Gray, Katherine (?Kathleen) Halstead, Richard Hylton, A Jeeves, Molly
Lodge, Jack Myers and R H Simpson to complete the exploration and
survey."
So SAC actually gives us Kath Halstead and Molly Lodge names as well ...
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He met Barbara on a train (a theme for the BSA? - see below - plus his older brother was awarded the Victoria Cross, the younger became a Major General):
www.yorkshirepost.co.uk
For some reason Bob (Robert Dove Leakey) appears in:
Descent also includes:
SWEETING, Marjorie Obituary (123), April 1995, p5 & [full] Obituary (128), Feb 1996, p25
& has other possibilities:
AUSTIN, Ann Obituary (238), June 2014, p9
BENNETT, Sarah Obituary (118), June 1994, p5
GALPIN, Mary Obituary (231), April 2013, p13
HOGBIN, Rosemary 'Bud' Obituary (261), April 2018, p7
LITTLE, Elsie Obituary (233), Aug 2013, p4 & [full] Obituary (236), Feb 2014, pp24-5
MURRELL, Ruth Obituary (133), Dec 1996, p35
Bob Leakey
BOB Leakey, who has died aged 98, was a pioneer potholer and cave diver, active mainly in the Yorkshire Dales throughout the 1940s and 1950s.
www.yorkshirepost.co.uk
Person Page
Genealogy Royal Noble Peer Duke Count Lord Baron Baronet Sir Peer Database Family Tree Europe Nobility Knight Peerage Marquess Earl
www.thepeerage.com
Descent also includes:
SWEETING, Marjorie Obituary (123), April 1995, p5 & [full] Obituary (128), Feb 1996, p25
& has other possibilities:
AUSTIN, Ann Obituary (238), June 2014, p9
BENNETT, Sarah Obituary (118), June 1994, p5
GALPIN, Mary Obituary (231), April 2013, p13
HOGBIN, Rosemary 'Bud' Obituary (261), April 2018, p7
LITTLE, Elsie Obituary (233), Aug 2013, p4 & [full] Obituary (236), Feb 2014, pp24-5
MURRELL, Ruth Obituary (133), Dec 1996, p35
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Taking a more detailed look at Steven A. Craven's article:
"It is not known how Simpson came to be interested in caves. One version of the story is that he and a girl friend went to Ingleton on Midland Railway excursion tickets. They walked up Chapel-Ie-Dale onto Ingleborough. Simpson found a cave and crawled in. At the end of the day he had ruined his suit, lost his girl friend and gained a love of speleology."
[S(cott),HJ, 1936. Yorkshire Evening Post, 28 Aug. p. 10.
M(itchell), A, 1962. Vale: E. Simpson. Journal of the Craven Pothole Club, Vol.3, 96-97.]
"Lilac Farm [rearing poultry], like many enterprises at that time, was not profitable. To keep it going, Mrs Simpson sold off her property in Leeds house by house. When she had sold her last house in 1928, Simpson sold Lilac Farm, left his wife [he had married Lily Ellison in 1912], and returned to Leeds with his lady banjo player [Mrs Ellis] to keep house for him."
Having not caved since 1912, he was made president of, but didn't last long:
"However, the Leeds Cave Club had lady members, and was more concerned with socializing than with speleology. Simpson disapproved strongly of their whist drives and other non-speleological activities."
He also didn't get on with Tot Lord at the Craven, but SAC does show that the aunt wasn't Miss B.D. Binns (who is named further down):
"Thereafter he caved more or less independently of the clubs, often with Peter B Binns and F Peter Longbottom. They were pupils at Silcoates School near Wakefield. Binns' aunt, Harriet Byles, lived in Austwick, and she had introduced the boys to Simpson."
"Eli Simpson was one of those rare gifted self-taught people who, like Christopher F D Long of Stump Cross Caverns and White Scar Caverns fame, had a brilliant speleological brain. He had the happy knack of bbeing able to select the best place to dig for a cave, and he usually produced results. His one great error of judgement was at Easegill and Casterton Fell. After surveying Bull Pot of the Witches in 1932, and after prospecting there with Mabel Greenwood and Bill Fairbank in 1935 and 1936, Simpson concluded that he "did not think there were any extensive caverns in the neighbourhood left undiscovered". On BSA field meets Simpson decided when and where to dig. His assistants, commonly schoolboys who were unlikely to question his
direction, did the work."
"Of the Association's war-time discoveries, the first was Christmas Cave on Giggleswick Scar. Bob Leakey, Harry Shaw, Dorothy Stone and Jean Wright were about to eat their 1939 Christmas dinner at the Royal Oak in Settle, when the local poacher asked if they would please rescue his ferret, which was trapped in a cave. Leakey obligingly crawled into the hole indicated by the poacher, followed by Dorothy Stone. The ferret was rescued from a small, decorated cave. The entrance was sealed on the way out, and has not been rediscovered since."
[Dove, R (pseudonym Leakey, RD), 1974. The Discovery of Christmas Cave. The Dalesman, 36(9), 693~94.]
Hull Pot 1940: "On the following weekend Leakey and Gemmell descended and surveyed, while Barbara Binns and J H Greenwood worked the lifelines"
[Simpson, E, 1949. BSA Explorations 1939-1947. Cave Science, Vol.l , 280-283 ; 290-302.
(Roberts E E), 1949. Penyghent, Hull Pot. Journal of the Yorkshire
Ramblers' Club, Vol.7(25), 268-269.]
1941:"They failed to find the shaft [Old Turf Pits]; but D Comer and B G White did report Mossdale Scar, at the base of which the largest stream in the area, Mossdale Beck, sinks. On 11 May 1941 Bob Leakey, D Comer, Bessie Grey, Ken Grey, Dorothy Stone, B G White and Jean Wright tried to force their way through several possible entrances. Success came to Leakey, who accidentally dropped his pipe through a fissure. While retrieving it he found the way through the Scar into Mossdale Caverns. From May to September that year Leakey made many visits with the above members and with Marjorie Beasant, Harold Burgess, Peter Elsdon, H Gray, Mollie Lodge and Harry Shaw."
[(Simpson, E), 1947. The Caverns of Mossdale Scar. Cave Science, Vol.l,7-8.]
1942: "On Newby Moss in August, T C Bilsbury, Nellie Kirkham, J Parkes and G M Taylor dug out the 31m-deep Lever Pot." & in Quaking Pot: "T C Bilsbury, Barbara Binns, D M Boothman, W W Brown, Harold Burgess, J B Clough, Robert T
Clough, J Firth, Ken Gray, Nellie Kirkham, J Parkes, H Procter, Harry Shaw, R Simpson and G M Taylor worked their way through narrow fissures and large avens to a constricted stream passage 65m below the surface."
[Simpson, E, 1948. Quaking Pot. Cave science, Vol.l , 130--131.]
"The summer of 1943 was very wet; and the amount of fieldwork done by the Association therefore declined. Molly Lodge, in a solo effort, dug out the right-hand branch in the upper reaches of Great Douk Cave. She crawled through, and emerged on the surface through a narrow slit very close to Middle Washfold Cave"
[Simpson, E, 1949. BSA Explorations 1939- 1947. Cave Science, Vol.l , 280-283. - covers Quaking Pot as well]
"In 1943 Arthur Gemmell drew it [what became Grange Rigg Pot] to the attention of the BSA, and Bob Leakey, D M Boothman, Harold Burgess, Ken Gray, Richard Hylton, Molly Lodge and Jack Myers did the exploration and
survey. In the initial stages the going was narrow; farther in it was wet."
Barbara Dixon Binns was Peter's sister, she married Frank Butterfield (they also fell out with Eli):
archives.bcra.org.uk
She was involved with sell gill as well:
Dorothy Stone became Dr Shaw:
www.ilkleygazette.co.uk
Christine Rawdin was Eli's housekeeper at the time of his death and also featured in Descent:
OAKES, Christene [nee RAWDIN] Fatality & obituary (150), Oct 1999, p39
Molly Lodge was indeed at disappointment pot & we have further details for Nellie Kirkham. Did Marjorie Beasant become Dr Sweeting?
"It is not known how Simpson came to be interested in caves. One version of the story is that he and a girl friend went to Ingleton on Midland Railway excursion tickets. They walked up Chapel-Ie-Dale onto Ingleborough. Simpson found a cave and crawled in. At the end of the day he had ruined his suit, lost his girl friend and gained a love of speleology."
[S(cott),HJ, 1936. Yorkshire Evening Post, 28 Aug. p. 10.
M(itchell), A, 1962. Vale: E. Simpson. Journal of the Craven Pothole Club, Vol.3, 96-97.]
"Lilac Farm [rearing poultry], like many enterprises at that time, was not profitable. To keep it going, Mrs Simpson sold off her property in Leeds house by house. When she had sold her last house in 1928, Simpson sold Lilac Farm, left his wife [he had married Lily Ellison in 1912], and returned to Leeds with his lady banjo player [Mrs Ellis] to keep house for him."
Having not caved since 1912, he was made president of, but didn't last long:
"However, the Leeds Cave Club had lady members, and was more concerned with socializing than with speleology. Simpson disapproved strongly of their whist drives and other non-speleological activities."
He also didn't get on with Tot Lord at the Craven, but SAC does show that the aunt wasn't Miss B.D. Binns (who is named further down):
"Thereafter he caved more or less independently of the clubs, often with Peter B Binns and F Peter Longbottom. They were pupils at Silcoates School near Wakefield. Binns' aunt, Harriet Byles, lived in Austwick, and she had introduced the boys to Simpson."
"Eli Simpson was one of those rare gifted self-taught people who, like Christopher F D Long of Stump Cross Caverns and White Scar Caverns fame, had a brilliant speleological brain. He had the happy knack of bbeing able to select the best place to dig for a cave, and he usually produced results. His one great error of judgement was at Easegill and Casterton Fell. After surveying Bull Pot of the Witches in 1932, and after prospecting there with Mabel Greenwood and Bill Fairbank in 1935 and 1936, Simpson concluded that he "did not think there were any extensive caverns in the neighbourhood left undiscovered". On BSA field meets Simpson decided when and where to dig. His assistants, commonly schoolboys who were unlikely to question his
direction, did the work."
"Of the Association's war-time discoveries, the first was Christmas Cave on Giggleswick Scar. Bob Leakey, Harry Shaw, Dorothy Stone and Jean Wright were about to eat their 1939 Christmas dinner at the Royal Oak in Settle, when the local poacher asked if they would please rescue his ferret, which was trapped in a cave. Leakey obligingly crawled into the hole indicated by the poacher, followed by Dorothy Stone. The ferret was rescued from a small, decorated cave. The entrance was sealed on the way out, and has not been rediscovered since."
[Dove, R (pseudonym Leakey, RD), 1974. The Discovery of Christmas Cave. The Dalesman, 36(9), 693~94.]
Hull Pot 1940: "On the following weekend Leakey and Gemmell descended and surveyed, while Barbara Binns and J H Greenwood worked the lifelines"
[Simpson, E, 1949. BSA Explorations 1939-1947. Cave Science, Vol.l , 280-283 ; 290-302.
(Roberts E E), 1949. Penyghent, Hull Pot. Journal of the Yorkshire
Ramblers' Club, Vol.7(25), 268-269.]
1941:"They failed to find the shaft [Old Turf Pits]; but D Comer and B G White did report Mossdale Scar, at the base of which the largest stream in the area, Mossdale Beck, sinks. On 11 May 1941 Bob Leakey, D Comer, Bessie Grey, Ken Grey, Dorothy Stone, B G White and Jean Wright tried to force their way through several possible entrances. Success came to Leakey, who accidentally dropped his pipe through a fissure. While retrieving it he found the way through the Scar into Mossdale Caverns. From May to September that year Leakey made many visits with the above members and with Marjorie Beasant, Harold Burgess, Peter Elsdon, H Gray, Mollie Lodge and Harry Shaw."
[(Simpson, E), 1947. The Caverns of Mossdale Scar. Cave Science, Vol.l,7-8.]
1942: "On Newby Moss in August, T C Bilsbury, Nellie Kirkham, J Parkes and G M Taylor dug out the 31m-deep Lever Pot." & in Quaking Pot: "T C Bilsbury, Barbara Binns, D M Boothman, W W Brown, Harold Burgess, J B Clough, Robert T
Clough, J Firth, Ken Gray, Nellie Kirkham, J Parkes, H Procter, Harry Shaw, R Simpson and G M Taylor worked their way through narrow fissures and large avens to a constricted stream passage 65m below the surface."
[Simpson, E, 1948. Quaking Pot. Cave science, Vol.l , 130--131.]
"The summer of 1943 was very wet; and the amount of fieldwork done by the Association therefore declined. Molly Lodge, in a solo effort, dug out the right-hand branch in the upper reaches of Great Douk Cave. She crawled through, and emerged on the surface through a narrow slit very close to Middle Washfold Cave"
[Simpson, E, 1949. BSA Explorations 1939- 1947. Cave Science, Vol.l , 280-283. - covers Quaking Pot as well]
"In 1943 Arthur Gemmell drew it [what became Grange Rigg Pot] to the attention of the BSA, and Bob Leakey, D M Boothman, Harold Burgess, Ken Gray, Richard Hylton, Molly Lodge and Jack Myers did the exploration and
survey. In the initial stages the going was narrow; farther in it was wet."
Barbara Dixon Binns was Peter's sister, she married Frank Butterfield (they also fell out with Eli):
BCRA Online Archive: The Frank Butterfield's collection
British Cave Research Association - online historical archive for UK speleology, caves, and caving: The Frank Butterfield's collection
Dorothy Stone became Dr Shaw:
Courageous Wharfedale pot-holer dies
ONE of Wharfedale’s most intrepid former residents has died at the age of 86.
www.ilkleygazette.co.uk
Christine Rawdin was Eli's housekeeper at the time of his death and also featured in Descent:
OAKES, Christene [nee RAWDIN] Fatality & obituary (150), Oct 1999, p39
Molly Lodge was indeed at disappointment pot & we have further details for Nellie Kirkham. Did Marjorie Beasant become Dr Sweeting?
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langcliffe
Well-known member
Marjorie Sweeting began life as Marjorie Sweeting, and was never married.
Thanks, there appear to be no other online references to Marjorie Beasant caving.
There are links to photos of (plus 5 more of Kath Gilbert already mentioned elsewhere & a couple of Jane Dow, but no evidence of latter underground):
1013 Page 5 Cave Ha No.3. 7th day’s dig with Barbara Burns {looks like it's actually Binns}
1069 Page 17 High Hull [Pot, entrance] Dorothy Stone, Leo Brown, Christine Rawdin, Molly Lodge
1278 Page 54 Christine and Kath at Hubberholme Church Sundial
1328 Page 63 Peak Cavern [Group] Arnold Scowcroft, Dolly Balance and Kath Gilbert
earthwise.bgs.ac.uk
From ancestry:
"Barbara Dixon Binns
Birth 19 May 1920 - Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales
Death 11 January 1990 - Austwick, N, Yorkshire, England
Mother Minnie Dixon
Father Frederick Maurice Binns"
www.thebinnsfamily.org.uk
There are links to photos of (plus 5 more of Kath Gilbert already mentioned elsewhere & a couple of Jane Dow, but no evidence of latter underground):
1013 Page 5 Cave Ha No.3. 7th day’s dig with Barbara Burns {looks like it's actually Binns}
1069 Page 17 High Hull [Pot, entrance] Dorothy Stone, Leo Brown, Christine Rawdin, Molly Lodge
1278 Page 54 Christine and Kath at Hubberholme Church Sundial
1328 Page 63 Peak Cavern [Group] Arnold Scowcroft, Dolly Balance and Kath Gilbert
Eli Simpson Archive - MediaWiki
From ancestry:
"Barbara Dixon Binns
Birth 19 May 1920 - Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales
Death 11 January 1990 - Austwick, N, Yorkshire, England
Mother Minnie Dixon
Father Frederick Maurice Binns"
Barbara Dixon Binns - I15429 - Individual Information - PhpGedView
The Binns Family
www.thebinnsfamily.org.uk
Molly Hall (UBSS obituary) was caving in the 1930s and at one time engaged to E.K. Tratman (see also 1998 Descent obituary 142 p.7). She also gets a mention in 1940 GB Cavern on p.69 of "The History of Mendip Caving".
Ruth Murrell free dived swildon's sump 1 in 1936/7 with Margaret Griffin (who married Bill Bruce) - she was quoted in Descent (131) p.21 [50 years beneath the surface] "I must say, it was very exciting and thoroughly nice and we just enjoyed it. Ruth and I didn't think of it as being anything unusual. It's fun!"
Ann Austin was in Crewe CPC late 1950s.
Sarah Bennett (BEC & CSS) was born in 1959.
Barbara Fidoe's only adds that her middle name was Mary.
Mary Galpin just says she was a long time member of SWCC.
Rosemary Hogbin was known for her cave art, rather than being "a tiger in terms of caving".
Elsie Little (nee Wilcox) was born in 1947 and started caving in 1973.
Marjorie Sweeting (123) suggests she was born c.1920, (128) is actually just a request for photos of her to be used in 2nd Jamaica Underground.
Ruth Murrell free dived swildon's sump 1 in 1936/7 with Margaret Griffin (who married Bill Bruce) - she was quoted in Descent (131) p.21 [50 years beneath the surface] "I must say, it was very exciting and thoroughly nice and we just enjoyed it. Ruth and I didn't think of it as being anything unusual. It's fun!"
Ann Austin was in Crewe CPC late 1950s.
Sarah Bennett (BEC & CSS) was born in 1959.
Barbara Fidoe's only adds that her middle name was Mary.
Mary Galpin just says she was a long time member of SWCC.
Rosemary Hogbin was known for her cave art, rather than being "a tiger in terms of caving".
Elsie Little (nee Wilcox) was born in 1947 and started caving in 1973.
Marjorie Sweeting (123) suggests she was born c.1920, (128) is actually just a request for photos of her to be used in 2nd Jamaica Underground.
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Unfortunately P.F. Foley's obituary does not mention his wife, just:
"My brother was not a great cave explorer; in fact Lost Johns' was one of very few caves he ever entered, but ... in September 1923 he was leader of the "party"..."
S.A. Craven's earlier histories don't include anything of relevance here either.
"My brother was not a great cave explorer; in fact Lost Johns' was one of very few caves he ever entered, but ... in September 1923 he was leader of the "party"..."
S.A. Craven's earlier histories don't include anything of relevance here either.
Somehow "The History of Mendip Caving" managed to change the only other female mentioned, Penelope 'Mossy' Powell, to Phyllis! She was recently added to the women divers hall of fame:
divernet.com
Her grandson responded to this post:
www.facebook.com
Picture of Ruth Murrell with her husband and Herbert Balch:
wessex-cave-club.org
In 2013 Elsie Little "hoped to produce a written celebration of Mary [Galpin]'s life containing anecdotes, pictures and memories." - did that ever happen?
First Woman Cave-Diver Enters Hall of Fame
Powell, who died in 1965 at the age of 60, has been recognised posthumously as the first woman cave-diver, and co-author of the first cave-diving book, The
divernet.com
Log in to Facebook
Log in to Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family and people you know.
www.facebook.com
Picture of Ruth Murrell with her husband and Herbert Balch:
History – Wessex Cave Club
wessex-cave-club.org
In 2013 Elsie Little "hoped to produce a written celebration of Mary [Galpin]'s life containing anecdotes, pictures and memories." - did that ever happen?
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One of Ruth's paintings was used as the frontispiece for one of Balch's books (certainly in 1947, not sure about 1st edition):
& there are various articles about Marjorie Sweeting setting up Oxford uni cave club in 1957, but she was active before that:
https://www.ogg.rocks/marjorie-sweeting
en.m.wikipedia.org
Mendip - Cheddar, Its Gorge And Caves by Balch, H E: Very Good (1947) 2nd edition. | Eastleach Books
2nd edition. - Soft cover - John Wright & Sons, Bristol - Simpkin, Marchall, London - 1947 - Condition: Very Good - Dust Jacket Included - Paperback, dj, VG/G+. viii+102pp, colour frontis, 25pp b/w plates, 19 b/w illustrations, index, upper flap of the dustjacket missing, small chip to the base...
www.abebooks.co.uk
& there are various articles about Marjorie Sweeting setting up Oxford uni cave club in 1957, but she was active before that:
https://www.ogg.rocks/marjorie-sweeting
Marjorie Sweeting - Wikipedia
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From Wessex journal no.78 Feb 1961:
"The foundation meeting was held at
Ashley House, Croscombe, on September 29th 1934, just 25 plus one years ago. Those present were C.W. Harris, J.W. Duck, H. Murrell, N. Clark and K. Griffin. Of these, two were unable to come but we welcomed J.W. Duck, H. Murrell, K. Griffin and his sister Margaret, now Mrs. Bruce, who joined the Club at its second meeting... Griffin had done little caving since the war, but had been one of those active in re-opening Lamb Leer in 1935. His sister had the distinction of having been the first to enter Cow Hole."
In No.55 Mar 1956 'Fifty years of the MNRC':
"Another successful trip to the sump was made in 1922, when it is recorded that Mrs. Dobson was the first lady to make the descent."
By 1965 she had been elected a vice president of the Wessex, having also been the first woman in eastwater (as well as first down the 40ft pot. She was also a member of UBSS and axbridge):
en.m.wikipedia.org
"The foundation meeting was held at
Ashley House, Croscombe, on September 29th 1934, just 25 plus one years ago. Those present were C.W. Harris, J.W. Duck, H. Murrell, N. Clark and K. Griffin. Of these, two were unable to come but we welcomed J.W. Duck, H. Murrell, K. Griffin and his sister Margaret, now Mrs. Bruce, who joined the Club at its second meeting... Griffin had done little caving since the war, but had been one of those active in re-opening Lamb Leer in 1935. His sister had the distinction of having been the first to enter Cow Hole."
In No.55 Mar 1956 'Fifty years of the MNRC':
"Another successful trip to the sump was made in 1922, when it is recorded that Mrs. Dobson was the first lady to make the descent."
By 1965 she had been elected a vice president of the Wessex, having also been the first woman in eastwater (as well as first down the 40ft pot. She was also a member of UBSS and axbridge):
Dina Portway Dobson-Hinton - Wikipedia
Including some pictures of Dina Dobson: https://womenshistorynetwork.org/re...archaeologist-educator-and-radio-broadcaster/
Mrs Foley did get several mentions, but no other name, in Innes' write up of Lost Johns' for YRC posted earlier.
Anyway, Lillie Ellen May Johnson at Eldon hole May 1904 seems to have the best claim - although the photo only shows her on the surface,we know she went down Gaping Gill later in the same year.
Mrs Foley did get several mentions, but no other name, in Innes' write up of Lost Johns' for YRC posted earlier.
Anyway, Lillie Ellen May Johnson at Eldon hole May 1904 seems to have the best claim - although the photo only shows her on the surface,we know she went down Gaping Gill later in the same year.
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Missed Jack Myers' 1999 letter in Descent saying "Christene Oakes (nee Rawdin) ... was the widow of Wesley Oakes, one of George Cornes' caving companions during the early exploration of Lancaster Hole in 1946... (spelled here in the way that she did while I was in the BSA in the 1940s)... I do not know how active a caver Christene ever was, though I think she appears in a number of Simpson's underground photographs. In one, of the Colonnades in Lancaster Hole taken in October 1946, she appears quite unconcerned to be wearing a knee-length skirt, wool sweater, beret and lightweight shoes. At that time descents of the 100ft entrance pitch were made using an old BSA rope ladder, the steel ladder not being fitted until nearly a year later, so this seems to be good evidence that she had quite a bit of previous potholing experience."
Some we've missed were mentioned in 2017, especially those around Leeds (For some reason I changed Winifred Hooper to Cooper, and robjones' link works if you delete topicseen):
ukcaving.com
Photos suggested by pitlamp are now at:
earthwise.bgs.ac.uk
Mrs C Speight and Mrs S Waller (with her husband) in sell gill: https://www.arbarama.com/cave/cpc/record41.html#early
Miss M M Hardy only comes up on Google as a historical researcher, whilst Mrs M H Chantry was wife of Maurice, who wrote several reports about Nettle Pot:
derbyshirepennineclub.co.uk
Other 'new' info includes Ruth Baker (daughter of E.A.) who went to swildon's once, with her sister in law, Gwendolen K G Coote gains a first name, & Rev. William Paul (although mentioned as George) Black's photos include his future wife (plus apart from Barbara Butterfield nee Binns there might be some others in the rest of the albums featured):
archives.bcra.org.uk
Bull pot of the witches - "In April and May of 1932 five visits were made by Eli Simpson, Miss M. Greenwood, Messrs. E. Clarkson, W. Fairbank and [Mr] S. Waller":
More recent examples were covered in 2021, with a few of those from later in this period:
ukcaving.com
Info about women caving before World War 2
I'm doing some research around caving. I'd like to hear about women who caved with their families and friends, or clubs from the late nineteenth century up to 1939. There must be so many small stories that won't make it to books, but are still part of caving history. I'd like to know how they...
ukcaving.com
Harold Wadsworth Haywood - Leeds Cave Club photograph albums - MediaWiki
Miss M M Hardy only comes up on Google as a historical researcher, whilst Mrs M H Chantry was wife of Maurice, who wrote several reports about Nettle Pot:
Archives
Climbing, Caving and Hill-Walking trip reports from the Derbyshire Pennine Club
derbyshirepennineclub.co.uk
BCRA Online Archive
British Cave Research Association - online historical archive for UK speleology, caves, and caving
Bull pot of the witches - "In April and May of 1932 five visits were made by Eli Simpson, Miss M. Greenwood, Messrs. E. Clarkson, W. Fairbank and [Mr] S. Waller":
More recent examples were covered in 2021, with a few of those from later in this period:
Inspirational women cavers in Britian
I've been asked by a journalist I was working with on another project about quote: "Just researching for a different story. You mentioned there were some amazingly accomplished female cavers in the UK. Can you suggest a couple who might make good interviews for a possible story on female...
ukcaving.com
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Margaret Griffin (Bruce) and Ruth Johnston (Murrell) going through sump 1, contemporary report from Graham Balcombe:
archives.bcra.org.uk
The association membership lists also include various names we've already met and some we haven't, but difficult to know from that which were active cavers and who had academic interests.
BCRA Online Archive: The British Speleological Association Records
British Cave Research Association - online historical archive for UK speleology, caves, and caving: The British Speleological Association Records
The association membership lists also include various names we've already met and some we haven't, but difficult to know from that which were active cavers and who had academic interests.
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Eli Simpson's will leaving everything to Christine Margaret Rawdin (his spelling), rather than his wife, which caused all the problems about what belonged to the BSA, followed by his birth and later death certificate, plus newspaper reports and condolences:
archives.bcra.org.uk
BCRA Online Archive: The British Speleological Association Records
British Cave Research Association - online historical archive for UK speleology, caves, and caving: The British Speleological Association Records
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