The Committee of MCG regret to announce that Malcolm Cotter, founder Member of the Mendip Caving Group, has sadly died.
Malcolm Cotter, together with a few friends, first suggested forming a club in 1953 and the Mendip Caving Group was duly born in 1954. After a short occupation of one of the old lead-mining buildings at Charterhouse, the club moved into an ex-army hut at the Stirrup Cup before building a new headquarters, Nordrach Cottage. This was soon destroyed in a gas explosion, but rebuilt in 1981.
In 1968 MCG were digging Blackmoor Shaft and Blackmoor Swallet at Charterhouse when the Great Flood opened up a new cave – Upper Flood. Malcolm was convinced this would lead to the Cheddar mastercave, and spent the next 37 years encouraging all and sundry to help him find the way on. Progress was slow at first due to massive calcite blockages but on 13/04/85 the breakthrough happened, and a fine steamway (Midnight Passage) was entered. As luck would have it, it was another MCG member who made that breakthrough, but it was Malcolm's determination that made it possible.
The breakthrough was not, of course, his Cheddar mastercave, and as digging became harder, interest waned. But Malcolm never gave up. In Aug 1986 the next breakthrough came – a fine, high rift called Hannah's Grotto. Malcolm didn't approve of personal names for cave passages and always called it the Rift. Beyond this rift, a horrible sump called the Lavatory Trap held him back from his discovery of the matercave. Eventually, he passed this obstruction and another called Sludge Duck leading to The Canal. This was passed in Aug 1987 and the Red Room was discovered. By now, Malcolm had lost his aversion to personal names and called one of his discoveries Andrew's Grotto for his son. Another, I believe, was named for his daughter Sonia.
After 1987 progress was hard won, until Golden Chamber was discovered in 2004. This rekindled interest and very recently a new passage was discovered with a narrow rift and a stream clearly audible beyond. Could this be the mythical Cheddar mastercave at last?
Malcolm visited the dig yesterday on one of his innumerable digging trips, with his daughter Sonia and other members of MCG. It is unclear at the moment what happened, but apparently Malcolm was taken ill in the Canal beyond Sludge Duck, and died. He was 73.
Without Malcolm Cotter, there would be no Mendip Caving Group, and possibly no Upper Flood. We are forever indebted to him.
Our thoughts are with his family.
Malcolm Cotter, together with a few friends, first suggested forming a club in 1953 and the Mendip Caving Group was duly born in 1954. After a short occupation of one of the old lead-mining buildings at Charterhouse, the club moved into an ex-army hut at the Stirrup Cup before building a new headquarters, Nordrach Cottage. This was soon destroyed in a gas explosion, but rebuilt in 1981.
In 1968 MCG were digging Blackmoor Shaft and Blackmoor Swallet at Charterhouse when the Great Flood opened up a new cave – Upper Flood. Malcolm was convinced this would lead to the Cheddar mastercave, and spent the next 37 years encouraging all and sundry to help him find the way on. Progress was slow at first due to massive calcite blockages but on 13/04/85 the breakthrough happened, and a fine steamway (Midnight Passage) was entered. As luck would have it, it was another MCG member who made that breakthrough, but it was Malcolm's determination that made it possible.
The breakthrough was not, of course, his Cheddar mastercave, and as digging became harder, interest waned. But Malcolm never gave up. In Aug 1986 the next breakthrough came – a fine, high rift called Hannah's Grotto. Malcolm didn't approve of personal names for cave passages and always called it the Rift. Beyond this rift, a horrible sump called the Lavatory Trap held him back from his discovery of the matercave. Eventually, he passed this obstruction and another called Sludge Duck leading to The Canal. This was passed in Aug 1987 and the Red Room was discovered. By now, Malcolm had lost his aversion to personal names and called one of his discoveries Andrew's Grotto for his son. Another, I believe, was named for his daughter Sonia.
After 1987 progress was hard won, until Golden Chamber was discovered in 2004. This rekindled interest and very recently a new passage was discovered with a narrow rift and a stream clearly audible beyond. Could this be the mythical Cheddar mastercave at last?
Malcolm visited the dig yesterday on one of his innumerable digging trips, with his daughter Sonia and other members of MCG. It is unclear at the moment what happened, but apparently Malcolm was taken ill in the Canal beyond Sludge Duck, and died. He was 73.
Without Malcolm Cotter, there would be no Mendip Caving Group, and possibly no Upper Flood. We are forever indebted to him.
Our thoughts are with his family.
