UMIST conferences

moletta · Oct 17, 2023

Can anyone remember which were the years the Conference took place in Manchester?

moletta · Oct 17, 2023

Repetition!

There must be some way of deleting!

rm128 · Oct 17, 2023

Definitely 1987. Couldn't swear to any other particular years, but there were a few around then as I recall.

Badlad · Oct 17, 2023

I think I went to 4 or five at Umist. They were great but got a little samey towards the end. My guess 1985-9?

Bob Mehew · Oct 17, 2023

My meory has me there in the late 90s. Or am I recalling another Manchester Uni event?

moletta · Oct 18, 2023

I'm leaning towards late 80s probably start of the 90s but I only went to two maybe three at UMIST.

I can't remember where the first one was after UMIST. Was it Bristol Uni?

rm128 · Oct 18, 2023

moletta said:
I can't remember where the first one was after UMIST. Was it Bristol Uni?

My sources suggest it went to Harper Adams in Shropshire after UMIST. Can't vouch for it myself though.

davel · Oct 18, 2023

I've just had a quick look through my MUSS Journals and I think the first UMIST conference might have been a BSA conference in 1969.

Dave

mat · Oct 18, 2023

My first UMIST conference was 1976, followed by 1979. I did a few in the 80's but can't remember the years. Also did one in Bradford, again no idea of the year.

moletta · Oct 18, 2023

That's much earlier than I realised.

I believe it was moved partly because so many vehicles got broken into, but that maybe a folk story

mat · Oct 18, 2023

Vehicles did get broken into but I don't know the reason for moving the venue possibly to be more fair by spreading it around the country.

Pegasus · Oct 20, 2023

They were fantastic! The stomps were fab! As I remember was in 1988 and another in 1989.

T pot 2 · Oct 20, 2023

1976 umist then leeds 1978
76 i seem to remember the swinging sporran followed by raffters night club on deansgate
78 after the stomp at silly o'clock knocked on me aunties door and she put eight of us up in the garret, left after a full fry up

mikem · Oct 20, 2023

December 2012 issue might help as has a potted history (see below), Don't seem to be reports for 1983 or 1986

Manchester "Once again": https://www.descentmagazine.co.uk/shop/descent-103-december-1991/

& again: https://www.descentmagazine.co.uk/shop/descent-97-december-1990/

You are correct with 89: https://www.descentmagazine.co.uk/shop/descent-90-october-1989/

& 88: https://www.descentmagazine.co.uk/shop/descent-84-october-1988/

Doesn't say where, but someone could check:

Descent (079), December 1987 – Descent Magazine

www.descentmagazine.co.uk

Descent (133), December 1996 – Descent Magazine

www.descentmagazine.co.uk

mikem · Oct 20, 2023

Written in 1969: "National Spelaeological Conference Bristol, 1976 Tongue firmly in cheek, Harry Pearman writes about a conference-to-come."

Humour continues into issue 2. (This also has the 1968 DCA Buxton congress): https://www.descentmagazine.co.uk/shop/descent-1/

Will have to check it - I wonder how much actually came true?

& 1977 "It’s coming: the seventh International Speleological Congress, to be held in Sheffield." https://www.descentmagazine.co.uk/shop/descent-35/

mikem · Oct 20, 2023

Good old Grampian library confirms that rm128 is correct: "428 BCRA National Caving Conference, UMIST (1987); 429 BCRA National Caving Conference, UMIST (1989)"

Tim is right that 1985 was too: https://www.abercavers.co.uk/thrutch/011/

& their brief report on 1988: https://www.abercavers.co.uk/thrutch/015/

& Trevor Faulkner adds BSA ran from Buxton 1936 to their 11th at Trent Poly in 1973, followed by first BCRA Leeds 1974 (includes a full list of their Science Meetings and Field Trips, plus publications):

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322487657_British_Cave_Science_and_Technology_Meetings_and_Publications_Published_in_the_BCRA_Annual_Review_for_2016_29-35

More lists of symposia & field trips (this time hydrology):

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332555946_Milestones_and_diversions_on_the_route_of_CRG_BCRA_and_UIS_cave_hydrology_-but_where_next

Actually there is a full (hidden) list of BSA & BCRA, from 1936 onwards, at bottom of Hidden Earth section: https://bcra.org.uk/info.html
Nearest in late 90s was Stockport. Shropshire was a couple of years after UMIST - in 1994. davel is correct about first UMIST being 1969 (with the other not already mentioned being 1975 - mat & T Pot right about 76/78/79). Although not quite in agreement about BSA number & when BCRA took over:

1936	Buxton
1937	Bristol
1938	Giggleswick
1963	Sheffield
1964	Giggleswick
1965	Leeds
1966	Bristol
1967	Birmingham
1968	Sheffield
1969	Manchester
1970	Nottingham
1971	Leeds
1972	Sheffield
BCRA annual conferences
1973	Nottingham
1974	Leeds
1975	Manchester
1976	Manchester
1977	Sheffield
1978	Manchester
1979	Manchester
1980	Nottingham
1981	Nottingham
1982	Bristol
1983	Liverpool
1984	Lancaster
1985	Manchester
1986	Manchester
1987	Manchester
1988	Manchester
1989	Manchester
1990	Manchester
1991	Manchester
1992	Bradford
1993	Bristol
1994	Newport, Shropshire
1995	Southport
BCRA Hidden Earth
1996	Sheffield
1997	Bristol
1998	Southport
1999	Leeds
2000	Bristol
2001	Buxton
2002	Forest of Dean
2003	Upton upon Severn
2004	Kendal
2005	Churchill
2006	Leek
2007	Tewkesbury
2008	Otley
2009	Churchill
2010	Leek
2011	Monmouth
2012	Burnley
2013	Monmouth
2014	Leek
2015	Churchill
2016	BCA's Eurospeleo 2016 in Yorkshire
2017	Churchill
2018	Churchill
2019	Wrexham
2020	Cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic
2021	Cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic
2022	Cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic
2023	Portishead, Bristol

Martin Laverty · Oct 21, 2023

There was also a BSA Speleological Conference in Swansea in 1939 - https://www.nature.com/articles/144149e0 and https://www.nature.com/articles/144319a0

"In 1939 the importance of South Wales as a caving area was recognised by the British Speleological Association who held their annual conference in Swansea. This was organised by Jim Braithwaite who had taken a great interest in the caves of the Neath and Mellte Valleys. At this time the BSA was purporting to be a national body but after the war it deteriorated into a northern pothole club. This was mainly due to the antics of Eli Simpson, whose title I believe was ‘recorder’. There are stories of BSA meetings taking place with strong-arm men on the doors to keep out those who opposed “Simmy” as he was known." - Peter Harvey - https://www.swcc.org.uk/aboutswcc/history/members/piwh_1/early_days.php

CSCC Newsletter - May 2024

Available now. Includes details of upcoming CSCC Annual General Meeting 10th May 2024

UMIST conferences

moletta

Member

moletta

Member

rm128

Active member

Badlad

Administrator

Bob Mehew

Well-known member

moletta

Member

rm128

Active member

davel

Member

mat

Member

moletta

Member

mat

Member

Pegasus

Administrator

T pot 2

Active member

mikem

Well-known member

Descent (079), December 1987 – Descent Magazine

Descent (133), December 1996 – Descent Magazine

mikem

Well-known member

mikem

Well-known member

Martin Laverty

Member