Vale - Harry Stanbury, 1916 – 2006.

Harry Stanbury, c.1946

The BEC has lost not only a great friend but also the personality who created the Bristol Exploration Club all those years ago in 1935.  Harry died on the 16th December, 2006 at his home in Bude, Cornwall. He was 90 years old.

Harry Stanbury is a legend in the caving world, none less so than on the Mendip Hills. It was here that Harry learnt his caving skills.  Born in Bude, in the same house in which he lived until his death, he moved to Bristol in his 'teens and it was then that he undertook his earliest caving trips on Mendip albeit he had already whetted his appetite by exploring the numerous sea caves that are found on the north Cornish coastline in his formative years.

Following a number of trips to Burrington and other small caves on Mendip Harry and his mates decided to form themselves into a club, which was to be known as the Bristol Exploration Club.  However, there was a problem. How could they get into the larger and deeper Mendip caves, which were controlled by the larger clubs? They decided that they would disband their group, and join the newly formed Wessex Cave Club comprising mainly members from the professional and middle classes.  Harry, having approached a Bristol member of the Wessex, was told that he and his friends were not suitable for membership of that club, as Harry was later to write ' … because we were just working class lads.'

Harry, amazed and annoyed, went away and together with his mates continued to develop the Bristol Exploration Club, with a bat as its logo.  This small group, with a membership of never more than 15 remained active right up to the outbreak of the 2nd World War.  These pioneering members gradually gained their practical experience and joined other caving club members for trips into the larger caves.

At the outbreak of war in 1939 all young men under the age of 30 were called for military service unless they were working on essential war effort at the home front.  This reduced the club to a skeleton membership.

Harry, never one to give up, with the existing members and a few new friends, including Dan Hasell and Roy 'Pongo' Wallace, reformed the then dormant BEC in 1943 and slowly managed to get a few caving trips in during their spare time. By the end of the war the club membership began to expand dramatically and within a short space of time reached about 100.

During the first 21 years of the Club's existence Harry, steered the club as Hon Secretary and helped create the Club Journal, the Belfry Bulletin, with Dan Hasell and Don Coase. With others he located and built the early Club headquarters which contained sleeping and cooking accommodation.

On the caving scene he was involved in the exploration of Stoke Lane II and was an early member of CDG working in Wookey Hole during 1947-1948 either involved with the Operation Muckment series of dives or acting as surface controller.  In the late 1950s he was involved with the re-opening of Pen Park Hole.

Harry let go of the reins in the middle 1950s but kept a watchful eye on the activities of the Club and was always interested to know of the latest discoveries made by members.

One of the reforms brought about in 1943 included a membership numbering system.  Harry was member No. 1, a fact that is well-known to members today. Many of the younger members, though having not met him, are well aware that Harry Stanbury was the founding father of the BEC.  We have lost a great friend.

The Club sends their very sincere condolences to Glenys and the family.

'Wig'

Diver Harry Stanbury being dressed by Don Coase
and Stan Herman at the Mineries Pool, 1946.

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