1970s Singing in the back room
of Hunters' Lodge Inn.
This audio clip consists of edited lowlights of
"singing" by a massed choir of Mendip cavers and
contains what Ben Dors used to refer
to as "they words". The
recording was made in the old back room of Hunters by Black Wal sometime in the early 1970s.
The excuse for its inclusion here is that one of the verses refers to Thrupe Swallet and to Dave Berry and George Pointing who were digging there in the 1960s. Surprisingly, Norman Tuck, who was also a member of the 1960s team, is not referred to. On second thoughts, perhaps this is just as well.
WARNING: If you are not used to the ways of cavers then you might find this offensive - this is not clean, wholesome folk singing.
Persistence Pot - the entrance
squeeze
On Sunday 30th March 2003, Simon Richards (AKA Nik-Nak)
forced his way through the (then) squeeze at the head of
Persistence Pot and got into the head of the pitch.
Persistence - the pitch-head
Once through the squeeze, Nik-Nak was dangled on the life line
while he gave a description of the place, which is this next
clip. This recording also contains a few of
"they words", which seem to crop up
everywhere. Herbert Balch - the father of Mendip
caving - referred to the use of "technical speleological
terms, known to be invaluable on all such occasions".
Persistence - descent
Once the ladder was fed through and a tackle bag clipped to the
ladder to protect the life-line as it passed over the lip of the
pitch, Nik-Nak was able to start the descent.
Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, the end of the tape came
after only a few minutes of recording and the rest of the descent
is lost to posterity!