I have received news that Jim passed away today aged 85. 

Jim was the driving force behind "Wookey Hole 75 years of cave diving and exploration" and I came to know and love him through the small part I played in this.  Jim was a stalwart of the Mendip Rescue Organisation and appears below being interviewed following the Black Hole rescue in 1989: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jac8xkDeJ1k

Sad news indeed. Jim was an inspiration when I started caving. I remember a lecture he gave at Kilve Court Outdoor Centre back in 60's when I had just started caving. It was a privilege for me to be invited to contribute a chapter for the Wookey book 20 years later. Another Mendip great gone.

Jim was also an inspirational geology teacher at the Blue School in Wells. I owe him a huge debt of gratitude for enabling me to study A level geology and go onto make a career in the subject  :bow:

A good account in the latest Descent:

Witcombe, Richard 2021 Jim Hanwell: a tribute.  Descent (279) 14, 3 photos.