Gilbert Boldock enquiry

[Stu]

My neighbour approached me yesterday as he knows I cave. He told me about Gilbert Boldock (his uncle by his mother) and if I'd heard about him. It seems that his mother had some correspondence from Graham Proudlove asking for any information re: a book he was writing.

The letter was from a while back as my neighbour was clearing stuff out and happened upon it and me being a caver it piqued his interest.

It seems that Gilbert Boldock was contemporary with Eli Simpson, a couple called Gilbert? (surname) and a few others that I recognise from old books and articles.

Gilbert passed long ago (he'd be over 100) but was caving upto about 40 years ago as Tony (neighbour) remembers going caving somewhere around Castleton and being told he'd have to dive a sump... (he didn't - caver humour!).

Wondered if the book ever happened or if anyone has anything I could tell Tony?

Thanks.

 

[Stu]

I forgot to add, he was caving a lot with Les Salmon

 

[langcliffe]

I have had a quick scan through the BSA records, but the nearest I have a found is that J. Bullock descended Gaping Gill on June 9th 1947 on the BSA Winch Meet. Unfortunately, we still don't have the BSA membership lists digitised.

The "Gilberts" refer to John and Kath Gilbert who were active in both Derbyshire and Yorkshire post-war. Kath was the Treasurer and Distribution Officer of the British Speleological Association, and John Clifford Gilbert was its Chairman.

"Kath's Way" in Lancaster Hole is named after Kath.

 

[Stu]

Thanks Langcliffe.

John and Kath are the Gilbert's he caved with.

 

[Martin Laverty]

Langcliffe must be getting forgetful...his BCRA Online Archive even includes a photo of Gilbert Boldock (bold and bald, I note) in 1946 here: https://archives.bcra.org.uk/archive.php?level=document&collection=clarke&document=burtonmine

 

[Stu]

Martin, that's brilliant! Thanks.

 

[Mark]

Here he is in Long Churn

 

[Stu]

Thanks Mark. Found quite a few of Gilbert in the Clarke collection.

On the BCRA archive is it just a case of open a collection and 'look' or is there a search function (that I can't see)?.

 

[Mark]

Thanks Mark. Found quite a few of Gilbert in the Clarke collection.

On the BCRA archive is it just a case of open a collection and 'look' or is there a search function (that I can't see)?.

This was from an album of photographs given to me by John Clarke, (he was my accountant for quite a few years) he talked about Gilly Baldock a lot

It's been sat in the cupboard gathering dust, this post prompted me to dig it out.

Its not one that is in the archives, I suppose it really should go to a better home?

 

[langcliffe]

Langcliffe must be getting forgetful...his BCRA Online Archive even includes a photo of Gilbert Boldock (bold and bald, I note) in 1946 here: https://archives.bcra.org.uk/archive.php?level=document&collection=clarke&document=burtonmine

Thank you for that. Unfortunately, I am a bear of little brain, and I am unable to remember the details of all the fifty thousand images or so that I have added to the online archive.

 

[langcliffe]

Its not one that is in the archives, I suppose it really should go to a better home?

I would be very happy to add them. Any chance of getting good quality scans to me, with any pertinent details?

 

[Martin Laverty]

This was from an album of photographs given to me by John Clarke, (he was my accountant for quite a few years) he talked about Gilly Baldock a lot

It's been sat in the cupboard gathering dust, this post prompted me to dig it out.

Its not one that is in the archives, I suppose it really should go to a better home?

That particular photo is this - https://archives.bcra.org.uk/archive.php?level=image&collection=clarke&document=miscyorkshire&item=2 - isn't it? But it would be well worth checking that not all of your album is duplicated, or if there are extra captions...

 

[Pitlamp]

Yes, Gillie Boldock was a prolific caver, mostly associated with the Peak District. He co-wrote some good articles with Les Salmon. There isat least one senior TSG member who knew him fairly well.

 

[Stu]

Thanks Pitlamp. Re: the articles you mention, do you know any references I could look for?

 

[Pitlamp]

Try:

BSA Cave Science 1 (6) 186 - 189 (Gautries, 1948).
BSA Cave Science 2 (9) 15 - 20 (Perryfoot Caves, 1949).
BSA Cave Science 2 (11) 118 - 122 (Peak Fault Swallets, 1950).
BSA Cave Science 2 (16 331 - 338 (Nettle Pot, 1951).
BSA Cave Science 3 (17) 13 - 19 (Oxlow, 1951).
BSA Cave Science 3 (18) 87 - 88 (Nettle Pot, 1951.

All co-authored with Les Salmon.

 

[Jenny P]

Try:

BSA Cave Science 1 (6) 186 - 189 (Gautries, 1948).
BSA Cave Science 2 (9) 15 - 20 (Perryfoot Caves, 1949).
BSA Cave Science 2 (11) 118 - 122 (Peak Fault Swallets, 1950).
BSA Cave Science 2 (16 331 - 338 (Nettle Pot, 1951).
BSA Cave Science 3 (17) 13 - 19 (Oxlow, 1951).
BSA Cave Science 3 (18) 87 - 88 (Nettle Pot, 1951.

All co-authored with Les Salmon.

Hi Stu,

All of these will be in the British Caving Library so, if you don't have them to hand, email us and ask for scans of these. Check out our website www.caving-library.org.uk and you'll find the contact details for the Librarian.

 

[Stu]

Hi Stu,

All of these will be in the British Caving Library so, if you don't have them to hand, email us and ask for scans of these. Check out our website www.caving-library.org.uk and you'll find the contact details for the Librarian.

Thanks Jenny.

 

[2xw]

If Mark gives the album to my family in Eyam I can scan them, same with the BSA lists - eventually! (Still scanning the SUSS library)

 

[langcliffe]

If Mark gives the album to my family in Eyam I can scan them, same with the BSA lists - eventually! (Still scanning the SUSS library)

Thank you, 2xw, but Alan Jeffreys and colleagues have the scanning of the BSA material (200 volumes + miscellaneous material) in hand. They have put in an incredible amount of work into the project and are doing a fantastic job.

The main problem is that we can't make the images generally available as they are being copied using BGS equipment, and the BCRA haven't yet finalised an appropriate agreement with the BGS. The same goes for the Jack Myers and Leslie Pill collections. About half of the BSA material and both of the Myers and Pills collections are currently waiting to be released - something that will take less than three minutes given the word.

Unfortunately, I am not expecting to see the word given in my lifetime (but I am very old).

 

[langcliffe]

On the BCRA archive is it just a case of open a collection and 'look' or is there a search function (that I can't see)?.

Sorry - I missed this very valid question.

Unfortunately, in the main, it's a question of, as you say, opening a collection and having a look. However, Alan Jeffries and company have put in a good deal of hard work into providing a brief description of all the BCRA, Myers, and Pills volumes and images, and I have developed a mechanism for listing these. This is very much work in progress, as I have as yet just been provided with the metadata for a couple of volumes.

Here is an example. You will that there is a button to list the individual photographs. It's not a perfect solution, bur one where the creation can be automated for the 200+ volumes.