Gaping Ghyll Expedition

[Badlad]

During an attic sort out I have come across this little gem. It appears to be the 1927 handbook for British Association members taking part in a Yorkshire Ramblers expedition to Gaping Ghyll. It has some great text and an early survey of GG. Can anyone inform me about these sort of handbooks and whether this is now rare?

 

[langcliffe]

I've never across one of those. It looks like a little gem. The "British Association" in question was the "British Association for the Advancement of Science", now the British Science Association. The Yorkshire Rambler's account of the meet, and their adventures with the BA, may be found here.

May I dare suggest a home in the British Caving Library?

 

[Fulk]

Very interesting.

I wonder when 'Mud Chamber' became 'Mud Hall'?

 

[Badlad]

I've never across one of those. It looks like a little gem. The "British Association" in question was the "British Association for the Advancement of Science", now the British Science Association. The Yorkshire Rambler's account of the meet, and their adventures with the BA, may be found here.

May I dare suggest a home in the British Caving Library?

Thanks, that is a great read. I have amended my post to say 'British Association'. Cheers

 

[mikem]

If anyone else wants a copy:

British Association Leeds Meeting Handbooks 1927

Leeds Meeting General Handbook and Handbooks for Excursions 1927

www.hcbooksonline.com

Report on the meet also in:

Full text of "The naturalist"

 

[mikem]

From a later YRC journal:
"GILL OR JILE.—To the ordinary Briton spelling is a deep mystery, and any straightforward spelling is wrong as so humorously laid down by H. G. Wells. Only thus can one account for the multitude who love the rugged spelling ” ghyll.” I was never able to find any early use of ” ghyll ” and therefore stood firm against its use in the Journal except for G.G. on special pleas from founder members. That became Gaping Gill as soon as I found no trace of the rugged form in any Place-Name volume, and I was justified by finding in Murray’s great English Dictionary—GHYLL, invented by Wordsworth, used only in guide-books to the Lake District. Map makers use gill, and it is suggested that ” ghyll ” implies a charge for admission, or the sale of refreshments.

Except in two words, curious survivals of Caxton’s endeavour to introduce Dutch spellings, h alters the sound of the letter before it, usually to /, and jile is really quite a good shot at ” ghyll,” made by an unhappy broadcaster. To round off this, English g and c are only pronounced as j and s in words of foreign derivation. Welsh and Gaelic also stick to g and c, as in Precelly, Ceiriog, Gillie, Cioch."

Chippings – The Yorkshire Ramblers' Club

www.yrc.org.uk

 

[alanw]

I was justified by finding in Murray’s great English Dictionary—GHYLL, invented by Wordsworth, used only in guide-books to the Lake District.

Confirmed in the Oxford English Dictionary:
"The spelling ghyll, often used in guide-books to the Lake district, seems to have been introduced by Wordsworth"