19th – 20th April 1952
Present: J.R.Hastings, Carr, Sissons, Horner, Wood, Davies, Chatburn, Chantry, The Professor, Slack and guest Barnett.
The camping party, consisting of the Leader, Carr and their guest Barnett, foregathered at the hole on Saturday afternoon. The hole was laddered and a certain amount of work was done clearing away the results of the last blow at the bottom, then about 100 feet. The position at the bottom being such that it was impossible to dig any further without enlarging the hole, it being rather tight, charges were laid and the party came out to find that Barnett, who had been acting as top man, had been joined by the Tackle Master, who was very busy brewing a welcome cup of tea. Having made the hillside shudder in a most satisfying manner, the party then did justice to the Tackle Master’s brew, stowed the tackle in the entrance of the hole and covered it for the night.
Horner, who must have been suffering from insomnia, arrived at the camp in the morning whilst the party was still at breakfast and, although he had already had according to himself, a good breakfast at home, managed to sink two more eggs and a cup of tea.
Camp was struck and the party moved over to the hole where they found Wood and Davies half way down with the ladder belayed to a rotting piece of timber! After much ribaldry, order was restored, the hole re-laddered, and the party then descended leaving Horner to act as top man.
Davies was lowered as far as possible, but jammed firm, it being too tight, and so was hauled up again. His report was that another blow was necessary, but due to it being impossible to bend down, someone must be lowered head first to lay the charges! It was then that the Leader learnt of yet another of the many disadvantages of being a leader of a meet. Dangling like a sack of coal at the end of a rope, he was lowered to perform his DUTY amidst curses, laughter and witticisms, which he failed to appreciate, such as, “Wont it be funny if the rope breaks…” The operation completed, the body was extracted and the party surfaced to find Horner with Sizzy, and his inevitable but very welcome cups of tea.
Once more the mighty thud which brought forth cheers and shouts of joy then a hasty clear up, tackle stowed into the cars and all away to the Castle for tea.
The working party, arriving at the Castle, were met by a motley crew complaining of being kept waiting for tea, but once settled with a plate of ham and egg before each, they soon mellowed and having eaten their fill, adjourned to the bar to discourse over jars of ale.
Derbyshire Pennine Club 