Covid Update, Feb 2022

BSA: 1953 Rushes, Reel 1.11

Back to the Eli Simpson film rushes page:   In 1953 The British Speleological Association initiated a project under the leadership of Eli Simpson to make a 16 mm film about limestone caves in the Yorkshire Dales called "Birth of a Yorkshire River". They had a number of sessions filming both on the surface and underground, experimenting with both monochrome and Kodachrome film. The project was eventually abandoned, but the rushes were discovered in the Eli Simpson Archive held by the BCRA. These Kodachrome rushes show surface shots of the Malham area including the area around the Tarn, Tarn Sinks, Watlowes Valley, the pavement above Malham cove and the view of Malhamdale from the top, and views of the Cove from the side. Of particular interest is a view of an active dig at 2:05s, which is probably the Craven Pothole Club dig "Waterfall's Folly", which reached a depth of 30 metres before it was abandoned.