Club Proceedings
Club Proceedings, 1907-1908.
The Committee deeply regret to record the loss the Club has sustained by the death of our President, the late Rev. L. S. Calvert, which took place suddenly at Eastrington on the 20th July, 1909.
Elected a member in 1895, he took a deep interest in the welfare of the Club, and his many good qualities of heart and head enabled him to render it valuable service in various capacities for fourteen years.
A devoted Rambler and a sincere friend, his frank and generous nature won for him the regard and respect of his fellow members. Calvert was an old member of the Alpine Club and spent his holidays for many years amongst the Alps. Saas Grund was perhaps his favourite centre, and he was popularly called the “King of Saas,” with whose advent the local season was supposed to commence. He recounted some of his experiences and adventures in several papers read before the Club and printed in the Journal. An excellent speaker, his breezy humour illuminated the driest subject, and a lecture or a speech after dinner by Calvert was always eagerly anticipated and highly appreciated. The Yorkshire Ramblers will indeed miss him and grieve sincerely for one who by his simple manly goodness and kindly wisdom had endeared himself to them, and whose death comes to many as a real and personal sorrow.
The Annual General Meeting was held at the Club Rooms on 27th October, 1908, when the Committee presented their 16th Annual Report. The Club then consisted of 10 Honorary and 99 Ordinary Members.
During the winter the following five lectures were given:
1907 – November 8th. “Some Alpine Indiscretions,” by Mr. Geoffrey Winthrop Young.
November 26th. “Vesuvius in Eruption,” by Dr. Tempest Anderson.
December 13th. “The Evolution of the Rivers of Yorkshire,” by Professor Kendall.
1908 – March 10th. “Some Caves and Pot-holes in Co. Fermanagh,” by Mr. Harold Brodrick.
March 20th. “Exploration in the Japanese Alps,” by Rev. Walter Weston.
On Friday, November 8th, Mr. Geoffrey Winthrop Young gave us a delightful and amusing lecture entitled “Some Alpine Indiscretions,” which was illustrated by numerous fine lantern slides.
The Rev. Walter Weston for the second time paid the Club a visit. His lecture, full of interest and charm, entitled “Mountaineering in the Japanese Alps,” was illustrated by a unique series of beautifully coloured slides.
The committee wish to acknowledge gifts of books, journals, etc., to the Club Library, and invite members to use the Library, and when possible, to make additions to it.
Representatives of the Club were invited to attend the annual dinners of the Scottish Mountaineering Club, the Climbers’ Club, the Rucksack Club, and the Fell and Rock Climbing Club.
The Sixth Annual Club dinner was held at the Hotel Metropole on the 18th January, 1908. The President, the late Rev. L. S. Calvert, was in the chair, and seventy eight members and friends were present. The Club was specially honoured by the presence amongst its guests of the President of the Alpine Club, Mr. Hermann Woolley; the President of the Scottish Mountaineering Club, Mr. Gilbert Thomson; the President of the Climbers’ Club, Mr. R. A. Robertson; a Vice-President of the Fell and Rock Climbing Club, Mr. George Seatree, J.P.; and Mr. J. W. Whitworth of the Rucksack Club.
The usual toasts were proposed and replied to in a series of admirable speeches, and an excellent musical programme greatly added to the evening’s enjoyment.
Two Club Meets were held during the year, in the spring and autumn. The spring meet on the 16th and 17th May, 1908, took place at Middlesmoor, and was well attended. The unsettled weather interfered to a certain extent with the pot-holer’s programme, but otherwise the meet was thoroughly successful. The autumn meet at Kirkby Lonsdale on 26th and 27th September, 1908, was not so well attended, but was favoured with beautiful weather, and those members who were fortunate enough to be present had a very good day amongst the pot-holes on Leck Fell.
The committee have with sincere regret to record the loss by death of two of the Club’s oldest honorary members, the late Duke of Devonshire and the late Mr. Horace Walker.
The late Duke of Devonshire was one of our first honorary members, and the Yorkshire Ramblers always appreciated the sympathy with rambling he showed by granting such liberal access to the beauties of his Yorkshire estates.
By Mr. Horace Walker’s death the Club has lost an old and sincere friend. In the year 1899, Mr. Horace Walker came to Leeds to lecture for us, and the Yorkshire Ramblers well remember his kindly words of encouragement and the deep interest he expressed in the fortunes» of the Club.
CLUB PROCEEDINGS, 1908-1909.
The Annual General Meeting was held at the Club Rooms on 26th October, 1909, when the Committee presented their 17th Annual Report. The Club then consisted of 11 Honorary and 104 Ordinary Members, an increase of 1 Honorary and 5 Ordinary Members during the year.
Six lectures have been given during the year as follows:-
l908 – October 13th. “Rambling in the Himalaya,” by Dr. T. G. Longstaff.
November 10th. “Alpine Flowers,” by Mr. Geo. Yeld, M.A.
November 24th. “A Mountaineer’s August,” by Mr. E. E. Roberts, M.A.
December 8th. “Camping and Climbing in Skye,” by 43 Mr. R. A. Chadwick, M.A.
1909 – January 26th. Club Evening. Short Papers:- “Almescliff,” by Mr. J. H. Buckley and “Caves of Padirac,” by Mr. W. Parsons, F.R.G.S.
February 9th. “In Old Tracks,” by Mr. W. A. Brigg.
A large audience assembled in the Philosophical Hall, Leeds, on October 13th, 1908, to hear Dr. T. G. Longstaff’s lecture on “Rambling in the Himalaya.” Dr. Longstaff, who is a Yorkshireman and one of the few men who have reached a height of over 23,000 feet, gave an extremely interesting account of his climbing amongst the mountains of Garhwal.
The lecture was illustrated with numerous excellent lantern slides, amongst which were a number of fine panoramic views.
On November 10th, 1908, Mr. G. Yeld, editor of the Alpine Journal, read a paper before the Club on “Alpine Flowers.” Mr. Yeld, who is an authority on Alpine flora and an enthusiastic collector, dealt very ably with his subject and showed many charming slides. He pointed out how a climber might add a great delight to the joys of climbing by interesting himself in the many beautiful flowers which abound on the mountains.
The committee wish to acknowledge gifts of books, journals, etc., to the Club Library, and invite members to use the Library, and when possible to make additions to it.
Representatives of the Club were invited to attend the annual dinners of the Scottish Mountaineering Club, Climbers’ Club, Rucksack Club, and the Fell and Rock Climbing Club.
The seventh Annual Club dinner was held at the Hotel Metropole, Leeds, on February 20th, 1909. The President, the late Rev. L. S. Calvert, was in the chair, and seventy-four members and friends were present. The Club was honoured by the presence amongst its guests of Mr. G. Yeld, the editor of the Alpine Journal, Mr. Haskett Smith of the Climbers’ Club, Mr. Harold Raeburn, Vice-President of the Scottish Mountaineering Club, Mr. Minor, of the Rucksack Club, and Mr. G. Seatree, J.P., President of the Fell and Rock Climbing Club.
The usual toasts were proposed and replied to in a number of excellent speeches, and these, combined with an enjoyable programme of music, made the dinner as successful as any of its predecessors.
Three Club meets were held during the year. The Christmas Meet at Dungeon Ghyll, from December 26th to 28th, 1908, was attended by a number of men, who enjoyed some good winter climbing and ski-ing.
The Easter Meet at Coniston was a great success. A good many members met at the Sun Hotel, and others camped in the neighbourhood. The weather was favourable for rock climbing and hill walking, and both were greatly enjoyed.
The Autumn Meet was held amongst the Yorkshire Dales at Buckden on September 18th and 19th, 1909. The weather was beautifully fine, and the Ramblers were further rewarded by finding a considerable number of additional bones belonging to the “Lady of Scoska,” which have been added to those in the Museum of the Leeds Philosophical Society. Members who have not yet seen the remains of the skeleton should do so at the first opportunity.
The Eighth number of the Club Journal has been issued during the year, and your Committee have, with very great regret, to report the resignation of Mr. T. Gray, who has so successfully edited the first two volumes. Those who have been most closely connected with the work of the Club will most appreciate the valuable services of our late editor. Mr. Gray has skilfully directed the fortunes of the Journal through its early and most trying years, and has obtained for it an honourable position amongst publications of a similar nature. Your committee are pleased to report that Mr. W. A. Brigg has accepted the office of Editor, and hope that members will send him plenty of interesting matter to fill the pages of the Journal.
New Members
The following Members have been elected since the issue of the last number of the Journal:-
Honorary Member.
Collie, Dr. J. Norman, F.R.S., 16, Campden Grove, Kensington, W.
Ordinary Members.
Addyman, Oscar J., 9, Alderson Road, Harrogate.
Albrecht, W. H., 60, Avenue Hill, Leeds.
Goodman, Professor John, The University, Leeds.
Hazard, John De Vars, 55, Clarendon Road, Leeds.
Lloyd, G. W., M.A., J.P., The Hall, Stockton-on-the-Forest, York.
Palmer., W. E., 23, Wedderburn Road, Woodlands, Harrogate.
Thomson, A. R., M.A., Beech Bank, Bowdon, Cheshire.
Wilkin, W. R., B.A., 43, Gloucester Square, London,W.
For some time the Committee has had under consideration the advisability of publishing a book dealing with the Caves and Pot-holes of Yorkshire.
The Committee are of the opinion that if the necessary matter can be got together the book may be successfully issued. They therefore invite the co-operation of all the Club’s members in this – the first and most important portion of the work.
They venture to make the three following suggestions:-
1st. That members submit any information on the subject they may possess, or are able to obtain.
Special care will be taken in the book to recognise fully all individual work.
2nd. That members notify the Committee of projected expeditions, so that special directions may be supplied to all parties with regard to the data to be obtained.
3rd, To ensure immediate and satisfactory progress, it is desirable that all members who are willing to undertake explorations should place themselves without delay in communication with the Secretaries.
The Committee will cordially welcome members’ further suggestions with regard to this matter and give them most careful consideration.