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The Black Rose Pothole Club

 

The Oldies Page

For absent friends

who pushed the darkness just a little too far.

       Link toWho's Who List of Oldies                                        Link toThe Secret Caverns of Black Rose Jed
 

 
Sponsored by

Worldwide

Aromatiques

Click on the Man

To jog your
MEMORY

CLICK ON SONG NAME TO PLAY THE MUSIC


Remember
these in the
Wheatsheaf?

Banks of the Ohio

Battle of New Orleans

Bill Bailey

Blueberry Hill

Blue Moon

Clementine

Coming round the mountain.

Cotton fields

Down in the Mine

Happy Wanderer

Home on the range

House of the Rising Sun

Jesse James

Lion sleeps tonight

Lloyd George knows my Father.

Oh Sir Jasper do not touch me.

Peggy Sue

Rock Island Line

Rock around the clock

Unchained melody

Wabash cannonball

Will you still love me tomorrow

Wreck of the old '97

Friggin' in the Riggin'.

 

Little Drummer Boy

Richie says I sang this going down Alum Pot in 1959.

 

Dennis
and Friends

Who called this bloody meeting and who's that with cold hands

 

Big Jack Procter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

Site Admin jed.dodd@blueyonder.co.uk

-------------------------------------------------------

Anyone who actually wants to go caving should contact

Adam Cooper

adam@deepdownunder.co.uk

http://www.deepdownunder.co.uk/

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 NEWS FLASH

7'sh on Saturday the 07-08-08

 Get-together at the Craven Heifer, Ingleton.

Big Jack has arranged a get-together if you

are available and in the area, for an informal

chat and meal, if you want, or not, no sweat.

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WE LOVE BULGARIA  22-07-08

Property "ty-goons" Ged and John's  July 2008 update for Bulgaria.

John has been virtually living on the site and Ged will be there on the 28th.

click on thumbnail

 

Villas ready for occupation by the end of August 2008.

Peace Havens of Bulgaria   -   Prices fully furnished from £89,950

Click on Logo

     Peace Havens Company Stamp.

[ Peace Havens Ltd - Varna ]

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REQUEST FOR INFO   14-03-08


Eddie Hunt - 01/12/02

Hi there, My name is Cathy Tazzyman and I live in Ingleton, I am one of the many nieces of William "Eddie Hunt" who was a member of the old Black Rose team. I never ever saw any pictures of my Uncle Eddie when he used to cave and I wondered if anyone had any old photographs for me to look at. My uncle Eddie was a good man and he had a big heart, and it seems only yesterday that we used to chat, even though its now been nearly 5 yrs since he passed away. Kind regards Cathy Tazzyman

My e mail address is tazcath@btopenworld.com

Cathy - All I can suggest is to contact the Cave Rescue Organisation - Ged

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OK folks, I'm trying out a new format - comments appreciated.

Absentees poorly - John Seaton and Connie, Tommy Bowers.

Absentees because his wife knuckled him for last year - Jim.

 

please wait while loading
Black Rose Reunion - Wheatsheaf 8th March 2008

43 Photos by Big Jack Procter,  Ged Dodd  and Barbara Cumpsty

 

please wait  while loading
 

If your computer will not load you can see some pictures by clicking on the number links.
This also shows larger 800 x 600 still pictures for you to download on to your computer.
1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13

14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23

Please send me your photos in as large as possible format.

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Message from Richie in Canada    ....   Hi Ged     02-03-08
My new email is rkirby@silomail.com  or kirby.rick@gmail.com
Hope you have an enjoyable evening at the reunion, sorry can't be there again this year
Still biking, picture taken in Virginia on the way to the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2007 September
Richie -- Wisdom: We are all born naked, wet, and hungry....Then things get worse.

 

And Sletcher cant be reached at the address you have on your website !!!

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Frank Squirrel was rushed into hospital.

He's out again now and would appreciate a call on

01524 417 735  to chew the fat and tell you the latest news.

Big Jack took these photos 22-02-08 - click on a thumbnail

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New photos from Big Jack 06-02-08

Tiger camping at
Ingleton Viaduct 1957
Tiger washing at
Easegill - Ingleton 1957
Pete Cumpsty and column
Lancaster Hole 1959 ?

 

That photo of Pete looks too clean - white shirt, clean jeans, clean shoes. Very odd.

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WATCH THIS SPACE

BIG JACK IS WORKING ON OTHER SMALLER GET-TOGETHERS

AND HE WILL LET US KNOW WHEN HE HAS ORGANISED THEM.
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This site is constantly being updated - please use your refresh button NOW for the latest update

 

WE LOVE BULGARIA  11-02-08

Property "ty-goons" Ged and John's January 2008  update for Bulgaria.

click on thumbnail

Our Pepi's (Penka Borisova) latest dance (number 14) is Traditional Bulgarian.

See also the points awarded for the Oriental Dance to the 8 competitors.

We will be out in Bulgaria again in a couple of weeks if anyone wants to come.

Click here for a photo/video gallery of what we are up to in Bulgaria.

Now, don't get us wrong.

We also love the UK.

But we just don't like our

 traitorous money-grubbing

trough-nosed politicians.

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New photos from Big Jack 01-02-08

Sleeping in the Snow

1958

Cave Rescue Practice

1959

Mike & Jennifer Myers,

( ? )  Pete Mately 1958

Big Jack - Breakfast

at Bull Pot 1958

Mid Winter at Bull Pot

of the Witches 1958

Long Churn 1959 with

Newspaper team

Big Jack 1959 was

not a pretty sight.

King Tiger 1959 was

our fire coal hauler?

Ingleborough, White

Scar & Scar End 2007

Mary & Jack halfway

up the Eigar Mountain

Jack & Mary on top of

Yuungfraujoch, Swiss

Big Jack in 2008

Contest Mode

 

 

Ged -- Saw on the web-site that you're always on the look out for more photos. I took Dennis up to Ingleton for a day out last week, and a trip down memory lane, as he puts it. I know he gets up to the re-union every year, but that's in the evening, and he's off the following morning back home, so he really doesn't have chance to see too much of the place, or spend time browsing. He says the happiest days of his life were spent there. We bumped into "Tiger" in the Craven Heifer when we went in for some chow. He and his wife now run the Ingleton Tourist Information Office. Just for your records, he says that Mick Eland and Jane (not Joan -as I always thought), divorced, he went to Cumbria, she re-married but her husband died, and she now lives back in the Village. On the subject of Mick -- the photo you have posted on the site, of the group in the wash shed behind the Heifer, if that was really 1962 -- then the guy on the far right would be Mick Eland.  Regards Phil K.

 

 please wait while loading

     If your computer will not load you can see the pictures by clicking on the number links.
1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13
 

__________________________________________________      

 

REQUEST FOR INFO   09-01-08

I recognise David Heap from your photo. He was head of history at William Hulme's Grammar School, Manchester from approx 1968 - 1973 and introduced me to caving which I carried on through my university days. I was sorry to learn that he had died in 1995. Are you in contact with anyone who knew what happened to him after leaving WHGS?           Regards, Mark Clegg           email       Kk558@aol.com

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Post your card here - Have a Very Merry Christmas


Pete and Barbara

Cumpsty

 


Johnnie and Connie

Seaton

 


Ged and Sandra

 Dodd


John and Angie

Kirbitson


Click below for an animated card from Phil Kendall
http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=1361509924241&source=jl999
A beautiful card and sentiment - thanks Phil.

Click here for a Merry Christmas

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Who's doing what these days?

GUARD EXTRAORDINAIRE

Rumour is that our Big Jack has a big boy's job as

a "responsible person" on the Worth Valley Rail

and is still "hamming" it up on the airwaves.

 

Click to view

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Johnnie Seaton's Quiet Weekend in Ingleton

Well, Johnnie tells me he had this quiet weekend planned for Connie and himself up in Ingleton when word got around and all of a sudden it was to be a party on Saturday night, where anyone who could would turn up. Excluding John K and myself who were out of the country on 29-09-07.

   However, on the Friday Connie took poorly and Johnnie whisked her off back home to the doctors in Bournemouth.  She is OK. More later.

   Much frantic phoning ensued by Big Jack to cancel the party but I understand stragglers Frank Squirrel, Mike and Mary Myers, Jimmy Borsey and Brian Lewis ended up having a bit of a get together.

------------------------------------------

ANOTHER NEW PICTURE

 

Taken by Colin Enright in 1962 in the Wash House behind the Craven Heifer Pub in Ingleton. This is where the lads from Barrow ended up after the takeover by the NSG.  Big Kim is the drunken one under the blanket. One of the others may be Jeff Squires. As there were about a dozen lads staying there at the time it makes identification difficult. Any ideas?

07/09/07 Phil Kendall says the lad on the right is Mick Eland

--------------------------------

WE LOVE BULGARIA - August

Property "ty-goons" Ged and John's August 2007 update for Bulgaria.
We go Sinbad's at Golden Sands, every night, for the variety show with

Bulgaria's most celebrated belly dancers, Gina, Julia, Pepe and Mimi.

On to Mimi's birthday party where everybody, young & old, join

in the dancing. We get invited because Ged and Mimi are old

friends ?  and we thought our man in MI5 was Johnnie Seaton.

Click here to go to Mimi's Birthday Party

 
T
he exploits of Steve Manly in MI5.
Tel 01202 514 722  -  johnseaton@supanet.com

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Blast from the Past

Mary Brown, John Kirbitson, Sandra Dodd August 1972

 

--------------------------------

E-mail from Alan Edmonds requesting info

CAN ANYONE HELP ???  alansinfo@sky.com

 

07-05-07           Hi Ged
 Just thought I would let you know what a great night I had at
the Dinner. It was great to meet up with all the old guys again
after all those years,
  And also seeing you again after such a long time. I hope to
make it next year, There was not enough time to get around
everyone last time,
  Can I ask a question are you still in touch with Colin Enright
I read his letter that you put on the site and have tried to get
in touch with him to no avail.
  Hope you find time to get back to me
     Best Regards
            Alan J Edmonds ( ex Newton near Barrow. Now in Kendal )
            Bye

-----------------------------------------------

 

SCORCHER UPDATE

john.winterburn@hotmail.co.uk  - Mon, 30 Apr 2007 14:53:39 +0100

To paraphrase a very old statement
 
"Reports of my illness are greatly exaggerated" I am back home having

 escaped the clutches of the NHS.  It would seem that a heart attack

may not have been the cause of my incarceration.
 
Thanks to all who got in touch and to JK for the visit.

 To Ged, May the gods smile upon your venture into the Balkans.
 
All the best   Scorcher.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

 

WHITE SCAR CAVES

In the afternoon prior to the Reunion Dinner on the 24th March 2007

Brian Lewis, an official tour guide, organised a trip down White Scar.

 Brian Lewis,  Jonnie Seaton,  Jack Sletcher,  Mike Myers.

Also with the party were: Mary Myers, Barbara (Cumpsty), Jonnie Seaton's two sons, Andrew and Stuart, plus two grandchildren, Helen and Adam and their mother Karen. Thanks to Brian and White Scar owners for a free trip.

------------------------------------------------------

 

BLACK ROSE

REUNION DINNER 2007

Wheatsheaf, Ingleton

on the 24th March 2007

A great time was had by all thanks to

Organiser Brian Lewis - Tel 01524 241 541

bwlewis@tiscali.co.uk

 

Pete Cumpsty was unable to attend because they needed him

urgently up in Scotland at the Dunrae Nuclear Facility - hmmm !!!

 

PLEASE SEND ME MORE PHOTOS OF DINNER

jed.dodd@blueyonder.co.uk

 

Ged arrived as a Father Christmas look-a-like

but it's back to just moustache again now.

 

 

Click on a photo to enlarge the thumbnail.

photos by Ged Dodd excepting the last one by a kind anonymous onlooker.

 

photos by Big Jack Procter

 

 

photos from Johnnie Seaton

 

PLEASE SEND ME MORE PHOTOS

jed.dodd@blueyonder.co.uk

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bulgarian Cave Monastery

( Ged Dodd) 18th Feb 2007

The nearest I got to caving this year was visiting the Cave Church of Aladzha Monastery near Varna on the Black Sea Coast of Bulgaria.

click to view photo gallery

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

To anyone who didn't get a Christmas card we apologise.

It is because Sandra and I have been living it up at

the Sonesta Saint George Hotel in Luxor, Upper Egypt.

 

Sunset from our balcony

 

Did I mention the owner is a friend of ours?

 

On board his latest 5* cruise ship.

 

Up before dawn for a balloon trip over the Nile and the Colossi of Memnon.

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Email from Dave Newsholme on 12-10-06

  davenews@blueyonder.co.uk

Hi Ged

To the best of my knowledge we have never met but round about 1959 onwards I was caving regularly in the Dales. I do remember sneaking on Leck fell one night and going down Easegill (County?) with a couple of lads one of whom was called Dave who only had 1 arm. I think the other one was called Pete, who told me about pushing Spectacle pot. I think we met in the Marton. Could this Dave be the one in some of your photos? I was also in a Rose pothole club but mine was WHITE. Another coincidence is that I first went caving in a small way, Dow, Sleets etc with a few mates when I was in the ROC. Living near Leeds though I was in the HQ at Headingley pushing markers round on the big map. I remember enjoying the exercises tracking the Canberras etc flying in from Germany. That didn't last long though when the caving bug took over. I started caving again in 1985 with my teenage sons. I found the SRT absolutely brilliant and the fact that the three of us could bottom some deep pots really quickly. Happy days.  Regards  Dave Newsholme

-------------------

BLACK ROSE

REUNION DINNER 2006

Wheatsheaf, Ingleton

on the 25th March 2006

A great time was had by all thanks to

Organiser Brian Lewis - Tel 01524 241 541

brian@limb.demon.co.uk

 

PLEASE SEND ME MORE PHOTOS

 

Photos courtesy of Connie Creighton

 CLICK ON THUMB NAILS TO ENLARGE

 

Photos courtesy of Big Jack Procter

 CLICK ON THUMB NAILS TO ENLARGE

2006 Dinner at Wheatsheaf.

MORE PHOTOS PLEASE - EMAIL TO GED

jed.dodd@blueyonder.co.uk

--------------------------------------------------------

 

Jonnie Seaton's new book is now available April 2006
 

Action packed political thriller of the exploits of Steve Manly in MI5.
Tel 01202 514 722  -  johnseaton@supanet.com

Or write to John Seaton, 139 Kinson Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH10 4DG

--------------------------------------------------------

 

Hi folks, I've been off-line for a long time ( months) and am just catching up, Connie is  fairy godmother in Cinderella, yet again!. Hope you are all well and hope to see you at the Wheatsheaf 25th March?  Cheers   Johnnie Seaton. 13-12-2005.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY

click on pic for a Merry Christmas message

 

---------------------------

New Photos 07-05-05

from Dave Shaw (One-armed Dave)

80 Hawes Road, Little Horton, Bradford BD5 9AU

Dave was one of the Marton Arms Group

 

Jack Sletcher in Patterdale

 

Jack Shore at the Institute Dance

 

Goliath above Hobson's Choice

before it was broken.

 

Jack S and Dave on Helvellyn

 

Jack S on Helvellyn

 

Big Kim Alderton in centre

 

Dave (before accident) at the Marton Arms

 

Vicky/Dave (before accident) at the Marton Arms

 

Marton Group on day trip to Morecambe

 

Keep them coming

 

=======================

Cairn Cavern

(New Discovery 21st April 2005)

          So, Pete Cumpsty collars Ged at the Dinner and tells him about this rock shelter he had stumbled on whilst out walking, near the Roman Road, and plans were made to have another look, complete with Ged's metal detector, on the first available sunny day, it being out in the wilds.

     It had rained the previous day, leaving an inch of water over much of the floor inside the shelter, about 10 feet square and 3 feet high, so we had a dabble outside and found a horseshoe, well, more a small pony shoe, and an Olde tent peg, and a ring pull off a sardine can. Wow.

      Pete had brought a powerful lamp which revealed an inner dry cavern, at least as large as the outer, which we didn't enter, because it meant getting muddy, and we weren't kitted up for caving. We will return.

Click on photos to enlarge.

Pete detecting outside, holding pony shoe and enjoying the view. (Photos by Ged)

 

5th May 2005

    Pete Cumpsty and Adam Cooper had a good day at the shelter. No obvious finds apart from a old fence post left inside the cave at the back, but they did find 3 or 4 round house remains, about 1/2 a mile away.

----------

BLACK ROSE

REUNION DINNER 2005

Wheatsheaf, Ingleton

on the 16th April 2005

 

Congratulations to Organiser Brian Lewis

for an excellent venue - Tel 01524 241 541

brian@limb.demon.co.uk

 

  A toast to Absent Friends (photos Ged Dodd)

 

More photos needed please.

 

====================

Anyone remember this oldie?

email 28-03-05 from TEnright3@aol.com

Hi. Have just been looking at a web site of the Black Rose Caving Club Oldies !
My name is Colin Enright originally from Liverpool. I seem to remember your name from the past. Do you remember me ? Other names of Scousers in Ingleton in the early 60s were Johnny Martin. Ken Bradley. Also we were good friends with Meesh who I think came from Barrow. Also I remember Mike Myers and Alan Edmundson and Kim Alderton.
If you are the one I remember, did you have an ear ring ? Also your friend had one. Very unusual for that time. You worked in the Barrow Ship Yard. And I remember seeing your photo in an advertisement for Vickers in a barrow handbook ? There was also a guy who knew you ,forget his name, he said he was from the Kendal Mint Cake Family, did not believe him !  He never did any caving.
We first met you when you had the coal or wash shed behind the Craven Heifer Pub ! We stayed there many times. Most memories have faded ! I have a photo of Meesh when he stayed at my house in Liverpool,.
It would be nice to hear from you if you remember me.

Regards Colin Enright

Hi Colin, please send photo of Meesh by snail mail or email, and get yourself to the reunion at the Wheatsheaf. Always room for another oldie. Regards Ged.

-----------

Meanwhile back at the ranch an email from Richie

  Hi Ged, unfortunately couldn't make the last reunion and not sure about the next one either, retirement does put a dent in ones finances and limits the things that one would like to do.

Hope you and yours are keeping ok, myself recovering from a shoulder replacement which is improving day by day and faster than I was expecting although it will be many moons before it regains it normal strength if ever. However can't complain if it isn't painful.

Hopefully by next spring it should not prevent me from carrying on my normal functions riding my motorcycle.

I visit the Black Rose site from time to time and every time it  brings back happy memories from times long ago.

Thought I would include a pic of me by my motorcycle, this was taken North of Toronto in September. You will notice that my facial hair is removed I thought I would start my retirement of with a clean slate so to speak :) This was my first full year of retirement so the bike sure got a work out. Next year I start my OA Pension 65...Jees its hard to believe.

Anyway talk later,  Richie

Richie 2004 click to enlarge the photo

 

========================================

 

 

Big Jack Procter

Thanks to Big Jack for working miracles on our 3rd reunion dinner by getting the Marton Arms again. Next year's reunion will be organised by Brian and Pete. A hard act to follow....

 

BLACK ROSE

REUNION DINNER 2004

Marton Arms

on the 3rd April 2004

 

I gave my apologies in advance for not attending because

I was working although I arrived later on to take these photos.

Click on a photo to enlarge it.

PLEASE SEND ME YOUR PICS ASAP

The following pics from Big Jack

 

PLEASE SEND ME YOUR PICS ASAP

----------------

Sandra Dodd with Big Kim Alderton

at Loch Lomond 1960 - photo by Ged Dodd

ANYONE KNOW WHERE HE IS ??????

---------------------

William E.G. (Eddie) Hunt of Ingleton,

 passed away suddenly at the

Royal Lancaster Infirmary on

Tuesday 12th August 03 aged 69 years.
 

Eddie Hunt - Profile

from the Black Rose Story by Ged Dodd


Eddie Hunt - 01/12/02 - photo Ged Dodd

   When I finally tracked Eddie down after 40 years he maintained that he never was in the Black Rose as such, but he had always knocked around with Jed, Jim, John and Just, or the FOUR JAYS as he used to call them. That was Ged (Jed) Dodd, Jim Varey, John Kirbitson and Frank (Just Courting) Squirrel.

     As it happened, when we left the Scar End Hostel it was Big Eddie Hunt,  the blaster at the local quarry who immediately got us the key to this dry ex-quarry building up on Storrs Common which we could use as a hostel, and although we were no longer in the old club we still regarded ourselves as the true Black Rose and carried on regardless.

  When I say Big Eddie, I don't mean tall, I mean wide. He was built like a Sumo Wrestler, the proverbial brick outhouse. Whoa.

     Eddie was just larger than life. A true Yorkshire man, blunt spoken, generous to a fault, plus a built-in habit of giving his friends an affectionate bear-hug that could break ribs, a painful fact, to which his girl-friend would testify. He broke two of her ribs in an affectionate embrace, but by the same token I can not recall him ever doing anything out of anger, although he did have this wicked sense of humour.

     As Eddie tells it, "When I were at t'Quarry we had five pound sticks (dynamite) and you had to drop them down the hole, you see, and if the hole were too tiny the middle went and you were left with t'carton in your hand. So I thought, well, I'll stuff that full of paper, I'll go up to t'hut, and I'll get that lot up, somehow or other, so, put a dud fuse in and lit it, slung it in and there were all sorts coming out of t'hut then ... ha ha ha."

    Almost as funny as when he would stand on top of the quarry throwing live sticks of dynamite at me saying, "Catch 'em, you gret softy, they can't go off, there's no detonator in 'em ... ha ha ha".  Oh happy days, they don't make fear like that anymore.

   Eddie, being a local from Ingleton, was the door-man who stamped your hand with an indelible blue pass-out on the Saturday Night Dance at the Institute.

    He remembers this was done to stop the local girls from smuggling us potholers into the dance via the lady's toilets round the back of the Institute. Money was in short supply those days. A pint or the dance? No contest - make mine a pint. We lads had this curious priority code of Caving > Drinking > Girls ... but the girls had another code of Boys > Boys > Boys.

    He says, "That was a horrible job on t'door, 'cos they all come up Kay-lied, Pee-eyed an' all sorts. (The dance was on the first floor, up lots of steps.)  I use to stamp them anywhere they wanted stamping, an' I wasn't bothered, lifting skirts up, stamp their boobs, one bloke took his willie out an' I stamped that an' all.... ha ha ha."

     Eddie was later featured in Sid Perou's film A Wet Sunday at Sunset which promoted the Cave Rescue Organisation. He supported the CRO whole-heartedly for many, many years with his ready jovial attitude, and his ability to sober up rapidly on a Saturday night when Dodger Brown came a' knocking on his door. Most rescuers were shouted out on a Saturday night. One would think potholers could be more considerate and wait until Sunday afternoon when the effects of Hartley's Ulverston Best Bitter had worn off.

    Eddie's strength was legendary and if you got tired humping those heavy ladders then he would more than likely take them off you, put them under his arm... and then he'd grab you and put you under t'other one ... just because he could ....  ha ha ha.

     Oh happy days, they don't make them like him anymore.

     Privileged to know you Eddie - take care mate - Ged

-----------------------------

----

John Sandham located

by Pete Cumpsty

Tel 01476 670 661

email sandham@aol.com

------------------------------------------------------

A belated photo from the Dinner

courtesy of Dennis Moorhouse.
 

Duncan, PD, Jan, Ged and Adam


------------------------------------------------------

 

We are still doing a bit up on Great Knoutberry Scar

(pictures by Ged)

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

 Black Rose Pothole Club 2nd Reunion of 2003

29th March - Marton Arms - Ingleton

A good time was had by one and all thanks

 to Big Jack for the arrangements.

MORE PHOTOS NEEDED PLEASE

These are courtesy of Big Jack Proctor

 

These are courtesy of Richie
 
 

These are courtesy of Bix

This is courtesy of Dennis