Click for each image, then hit your BACK button to get back here
These were all taken with a cheap, folding old "bellows" Kodak with two shutter speeds, 1/30 and 1/60 and, needless to say, no autofocusing or built-in flash. Scanned in from small prints in albums, the quality is not great. This was all before the days of electronic flash or plastic. With no Ziploc bags or a range of waterproof Tupperware boxes, it required some ingenuity to transport photo equipment through wet caves and sumps like Stoke Lane and then take photos with flash powder. The warning "Keep your powder dry!" had real meaning back then...
Several people have helped me identify the names and places below but there may still be errors - if so, please let me know.
1.
Dizzie & George on a bike 1949
2.
The mob, Hunters Lodge, Easter 1949. Paul (by the car). Back row: Johnny,?, Angus,
Geoff (?), Tony. Middle row: Sett, Postle, Sybil, Mac, ?. Front row: Dizzie, Ron
Gollin, ?, Tess, Alfie, Don Coase, ?. Lying down: George Lucy.
3.
Cooks (some of the Nottingham crew?) at work in typical 1948 Belfry conditions
4. Les in the Old Grotto, Swildons 1949
5. Tony Bamber (hand tinted) 1948
6. Original Belfry 1948
7.
Yours truly, illegally beating up the Belfry in a Harvard, 1949 - photo credit
to Alfie
8. Ladies washing up
under supervision 1949: ?, Dizzie, Mac, Jean(?), Ron Gollin, Postle
9.
Johnny, Sett and George rolling out the barrel, Hunters Lodge 1949
10.
Mac 1949
11. Jean, Angus and
Sett helping to fix my bike 1949
12.
Dan and Angus 1949
13. Sett and
"Dracula"
14. Half-Pint and ?
15. Five up on a bike after trip to Cheddar
1949: Tess, Tony Jay, Jean (or Di Beaumont), Alfie, Johnny Bindon
16.
Angus in Mineries pond 1949
17.
George splitting logs on "he-man Hal" 1949
18.
Margaret in Eastwater 1949
19.
New Year's Eve in the Belfry 1950: Johnny, ?, ?, Angus, ?
20.
Ron Gollin in "top of Swildon's" 1950
21.
Harry & Geoff, Swildons 1950
22.
Johnny Shorthose 1950
23. Hal
in GB 1950
24. Belfry 1950: Pongo,
Woody, Betty Shorthose with young Mary, Don Coase, Rod Settrington, Jack, Sybil,
Dan and Johnny Shorthose
25.
Biker molls! Sybil & Betty Shorthose 1950
26.
Cross dig 1949 - who is the structural engineer?
27.
Dolphins Pot, Eastwater 1949. Johnny Ifold? and ?
28.
Hunters Lodge bar New Years Eve 1950
29.
The Belfry tackle room 1950
30.
Paul, 1950 in August Hole Series, Longwood Swallet (?)
31.
Tess on the front of my first car - a heavily reconstructed 1928 Swift
32. Don Coase and Dan Hazell. They had
good cameras - I didn't!
33.
Kids at the Belfry were rare. This is Mary Shorthose who I sometimes used to babysit
34. After a trip down Stoke, 1948. Names
please, someone?
35. Bone Chamber
in Stoke Lane 1948
36. "Willie"
- skull and bones found in Stoke Lane 1948. Has been reported as now in Wells
Museum, Shepton Mallet or Bristol.
37.
Harry Stanbury testing diving gear at Mineries Pool 1949