Mountbatten

June 20th & August 1948

June: Leaders – Grainger & Howes
August: Leader – Chantry

Present: GR Pryor, F Colley and visitor, HE Chatburn, HG Sissons, MH Chantry, BM Grainger, RC Jewell, GL Travis (plus son and visitor), GD Hide, J Holtom, RS Howes, AA Thrippleton, KW Wood, D Breakey, R Hastings.

The June meet was the first serious attempt to tackle this new pot at which there appears to be a possibility of fresh information as to the vadose flow in the Peak Cavern/Speedwell system being obtained. On the other hand, for all the Club pundits know behind the mass of verbiage, the water may well be phreatic. If indeed any water is found at all.

The hole has two entrances. In June the obvious one was laddered and found to be both thin and muddy. Two victims having been lowered head first to clear chock stones, Howes and Hastings forced the narrows and found a pitch below which lands on a choke, the depth of which is presently estimated at 80 feet below datum. When the present writer followed he found it impossible to climb out and allowed himself to be hauled out by the surface party. This experience was felt to be humiliating as well as excruciating on the way up, but self esteem was restored when it was found that the Tigers had also used that means of ascent.

Meanwhile, the other hole had been attacked vigorously by HG Sissons and lowered about 20 feet. At this point verbal communication with those in the other hole had become possible and the rash assumption was made that once through the choke, the mud slide could be by passed. Work was therefore suspended in the first hole.

Before the August meet, an unofficial visit was paid to the pot in the hopes that the remaining choke could be cleared. In spite of valiant efforts by BM Chantry, whose bulk being less than that of the others present, left room for her to operate, the route was unsuccessful in spite of the vociferous encouragement of RC Jewell, RS Howes and her husband who lay supinely in the sun above, a form of caving eminently in the DPC tradition.

In August, the two Tigers were promptly at work and the discovery was made that the two holes did not in fact communicate practicably. Hole A was therefore concentrated upon, mud and stones being cleared and the narrows eased. An attack was made on the lowest choke and a partial opening made, down which stones have a free fall estimated at between 6 and 60 feet, depending of the reliability of the mathematician estimating.

These meets were noteworthy for the scientific bias observed. Such terms as ‘relapsing chamber’, ‘stigma’, ‘phreatic’, and ‘passerine’ were bandied about with the utmost degree of blasé familiarity. The strains of Mozart and Holst beguiled the ear and unstrained tea the belly.

At the Nag’s Head, the meals were taken in great concord and good table manners were observed. In fact the Club is becoming house trained. An affecting farewell was taken of AA Thrippleton on his departure for Caledonian wilds and the proceedings terminated.

In the interests of Historical Accuracy it must be put on record that the afternoon disappearances of the Secretary caused some little umbrageous comment. It is not yet clear whether these departures were for the private practice of yoga or for the operation of the powerful emetic which he is wont to use.