The MCRA hosts an archive copy of Roger Biddle's 'Caving Songs' website, donated to us in 2016. The original website is still being updated and maintained by Roger, and can be found here.
Donated to the MCRA by Phil Davis, October 2014. Converted to .mp3 and .wav files by Alan Gray 6 July 2018.
Cassette. Half of Side A and all of Side B blank.
(Side A, 27 minutes)
Cassette.
(Side A, 52 seconds)
(Side B, 41 minutes)
This was recorded in the kitchen after the 1968 dinner.
Side 1
| From | To | Topic | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 000 | 110 | Child talking – not transferred from tape | 3 |
| 111 | 115 | Song – Join the BEC | 1 |
| 115 | 127 | Song – Foggy Foggy Dew (poor quality) | 1 |
| 128 | 144 | Song - On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at | 1 |
| 145 | 166 | Song - Abdul Abulbul Amir | 1 |
| 167 | End | Song – Boulder have a crunch on me (poor quality) | 3 |
(Side 1 Speed 1, 9 minutes)
(Side 1 Speed 3, 2 minutes)
Side 2
| From | To | Topic | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 000 | 062 | Monolog – Headfirst down Hope | 1 |
| 063 | 074 | Song – Join the BEC | 1 |
| 075 | 090 | Monolog – Ethelbert Catapult | 1 |
| 093 | 106 | Monolog – The sad tale of a motor fan | 1 |
| 108 | 110 | Song – Thanks for the Menories | 1 |
| 111 | 115 | Song | 1 |
| 116 | 137 | Song – Foggy Foggy Dew (poor quality) | 1 |
| 138 | 153 | Song – Down Below (poor quality) | 1 |
| 157 | 188 | Song | 1 |
(Side 2 Speed 1, 22 minutes)
Note in the tape box: Thanks for the tape. I've enclosed my tape of Bob Lauder plus “Wessex Choir” this lot was recorded in the kitchen after the 1986 Dinner. All much the worse for wear. All the best Jim [Rands].
Tape 1 Side A
(29 minutes)
Rhino Rift 1971 - Sequences recorded at the head of the First Pitch. Voices include Glyn Bolt, Keith Barber, Wally Wilcocks (Black Wal), “Stan” Chappell, Tony Audsley, Rich Witcombe and Bob Pyke. NB Tedious sections of lifelining noise.
Tape 1 Side B
(28 minutes)
Rhino Rift - Sequences of climbing pitches and noisy “gardening”. Voices include Rich Witcombe, Glyn Bolt, “Stan” Chappell, Bob Pyke, Greg Pickford and Wally Wilcocks. Includes reports of the firist trip to the end of the cave.
Tape 2 Side A
(32 minutes)
1970 Westminster SG Expedition to Northern Greece - Caves: Tsepelevon Spiara and St. George's Pot. Voices include Pete Greig, Nigel Smith, Geoff Bull, Rich Witcombe and others. Some Greek folk music. Brief sequence of an interview with John Cornwell at Upper Pitts about his breakthrough at Rhino Rift 1971. Some misc folk music.
Tape 3 Side A
(15 minutes)
Rhino Rift 1971 - A spoof interview in the style of Fyfe Robertson (a well known TV journalist of that era) with John Cornwell reluctantly disclosing details of the Rhino breakthrough. Brief appearances by Trevor Carp and Tony Audsley. Followed by extracts of recordings made in the cave taken from Tapes 1 and 2.
Tape 4 Side A Part 1
(30 minutes)
Thrupe Lane Swallet 1973 (pre-breakthrough). Cast - Tony Dingle, Simon Meade-King, Terry Baker, Will Edwards, Rich Witcombe. Digging in the now back-filled timbered shaft and laying a charge. Mention of Luke Devenish's bang at Cow Hole (“The biggest we've ever had on Mendip” according to Will Edwards), and recent work at Reservoir Hole. Ends with the bang.
Tape 4 Side A Part 2
(24 minutes)
Thrupe Lane Swallet 1973. Cast as above with farmer Nelson Butt towards the end. Aftermath of the bang and more routine digging.
Tape 4 Side B Part 1
(28 minutes)
Charterhouse Warren Farm Swallet 1972 - Surface. Cast – John Cornwell, Jenny Cornwell (nee Murrell), Rich Witcombe, Glyn Bolt, Richard “Stan” Chappell, Clive North. Winching up spoil and general chatter.
Tape 4 Side B Part 2
(27 minutes)
Charterhouse Warren Farm Swallet 1972 - Surface and in the shaft. Cast – as above. Winching, chiselling and breaking rock – very tedious (i.e. boring!)
Tape 5 Side A
(27 minutes)
Charterhouse Warren Farm Swallet 1972 - In the shaft. Cast – John Cornwell, Alice Audsley, Tony Audsley, Rich Witcombe, Dave Mitchell, Clive North, Glyn Bolt, Greg Pickford. Digging and discussion. Mention of archaeological material in the fill. Discovery of the Iron Age Kimmeridge shale bracelet – identified by John Cornwell as a modern curtain ring!
Tape 6 Side A
(29 minutes)
Charterhouse Warren Farm Swallet 1972 - Surface and in the shaft. Cast – John Cornwell, Alice Audsley, Tony Audsley, Rich Witcombe, Dave Mitchell, “Stan” Chappell, Clive North, Glyn Bolt and some unidentified voices. General digging and John Cornwell laying and firing a charge.
Tape 6 Side B
(32 minutes)
Charterhouse Warren Farm Swallet 1972 - Surface and in the shaft. Cast – Largely as above. Starts with two bangs, followed by an examination of the aftermath. A larger bang and afterwards mention of charcoal and bone finds. Finishes with a very large bang and inspection of the results with much crowbar work.
Thrupe Swallet 1
(1 minute)
30 March 2003 - First descent of Persistence Pot. Present – Simon “Nik-Nak” Richards, Rich Witcombe, Rob “Tav” Taviner.
Thrupe Swallet 2
(6 minutes)
30 March 2003 - First descent of Persistence Pot continued. Present – Simon “Nik-Nak” Richards, Rich Witcombe, Rob “Tav” Taviner.
Thrupe Lane Swallet 1
(3 minutes)
2 March 1974 - Tony Dingle investigates the newly entered Ferret Run. Also present, Simon Meade-King and Rich Witcombe.
Thrupe Lane Swallet 2
(1 minute)
16 March 1974 - Clive North and Rich Witcombe. First descent of Slit Pot.
Viaduct Sink
(2 minutes)
1978 - Rich Witcombe and Simon Meade-King. Exploration upstream from Bridge Junction.