The Chronicler ties up some loose ends ...

Dr Phillpotts stirs again in his garret and shares the following wisdom:

"The Giant JP originated I believe in the mysterious CH78, with a character called Bill who only dug with us that year. I don't remember much about Bill, except his wet weather gear, which comprised a bin liner tunic, a bin liner skirt, and a sample bag wrapped over his head and clamped into his beard with a large bulldog clip, making him look like a punk battleaxe granny. He did bring us the Giant Parrot joke (What noise does a giant parrot make - SQUAWK!!!). He liked to gather a group of 6 or 8 people and tell this at high volume in the porch of the Air Balloon, in order to provoke the locals. This then developed into the Giant JP, which had a variable text decided by committee.

I was present when the great man, on rising one day, uttered the immortal words: "Sod this for a lark; I've just found a piece of limestone under me foreskin". [I remember this bit. Ed] Not only was this incorporated into the Giant JP, but the piece of limestone afterwards became the trophy in the Personality of the Year contest. [I don't believe you - Ed.]

I was present for quite a lot of CH78, but had no camera. I only acquired my first puny point-and-poke in 1979, and it took very narrow film, hence the soft focus effect of my early shots. I only really learned to take proper photos in about 1984, way behind the Pentax-Brandisher [Mr Boden. Ed]. The person who never returned JB's slides was Sandra the Cook.

An American lady asked about CH78 (might she be Naomi Jackson?) [No, it was Amy Cay. Ed]. From my notes towards a social history of Crickley Hill I can report the following highlights:

JP and I prepared the kitchen at the start of the season by scraping it down with table knives and repainting ('You make very nice!' said Lofty's mother, looking through the window). Ken and Dave were the cooks.

There was a contingent of Phil's students from Nottingham Uni, and an even bigger group from Leicester Uni. There were also some Poles, who were contacts of John Howell. Wonderful section drawings resulted, but labelled in Polish and Russian.

We removed vast quantities of backfill, and took huge soil samples. Baling out the cuttings.
We made a raid on Cheltenham Ladies College summer fête (Penny may remember that one, as she was running a stall). [I'm sure it is engraved on her heart. Janet Douglas will have imperishable memories of it too. Ed.]

Visits to the Golden Heart.

Late night visit from Fachtna McEvoy and P J Pikes, with their customary crate of booze.

Several of us dressed in drag for one of the dinner times, though I recall that Arwel looked more like a French curé in a long dress and straw hat.

Coach trip to Gloucester, Kingscote and Uleybury, with Lofty at the wheel.

John Howell gave a lecture about something.

An excellent dinner at Major Birchall's house.

Attempts to cram lots of people into small spaces (phone box, Mike the Whale's tent etc).

[A passage has been redacted here on the advice of C-H-M's lawyers - it was salacious, if not scurrilous and has no proper place on a family blog of this type. The usual fiver buys the details. Ed.]

Randal Motkin's first visit, I believe. I have missed out some of the lowlights, as it was in some respects a quarrelsome year. You may wish to edit some of the above. [Alas, I had to. Ed]

On Boden's shop steward speeches, I remember one from CH82, when he was exposed to some light drizzle whilst planning (I believe I have it verbatim): 'I don't think we should work in the rain. People don't work properly in the rain, they just piss about. (pause) I take myself as the prime example'.

I think we need Richard Savage to confess to the Great Bap Mountain and the Furry Turkey."

[This last paragraph, I think needs some illumination from the Chronicler: I will interview him on Saturday, if I remember. Ed.]

Welcome to Kate Cole, Bess and Daisy

A warm hello to Kate Cole (now Dumycz) who sends this picture of herself on the Hill.  "The dogs were my mother's - muts called Bess and Daisy."  She also writes: 

"I lived in Stroud - Richard [Savage] had put up posters for the dig in my local library where I saw one.  My first stint at Crickley was my school's work experience (and what an experience - don't think it'd be allowed these 'elf-and-safety conscious days!).  

If this was in 1980 (rather then the 1979 you have), then I rather fear that the 17 year old was me. I do recall Richard being there to greet myself and my parents and I was deposited in the very far end female dorm. [Dorm 4. Ed.] I was actually only 16 and very scared and nervous about what I'd let myself in for!  The next day the very first person I met was JP... I'm pretty sure that I must have been the person that Richard hid you all from.  I do remember shortly after being left in the dorm by my parents that Ros [Cleal] turned up and was in a very giggly mood and was looking at me in a strange way.  Now, 28 years later, I know why!!!  [So that I don't hear from Dr Cleal's solicitors, I'd like to make clear that she was not part of the collection of wet diggers in the back of the Land Rover. I expect she gave me a strange look too, doubtless well-merited! Ed.]

The regulars seemed to be so sophisticated to my 16 year old mind!  They all seemed to know what they were doing and were smooth operators with it!  I was terrified of some of the more seasoned regulars and the caustic remarks and nicknames!  I remember Training and I also remember the lad nicknamed Leatherhead (because that's where he came from).  But I loved it enough to do 3 seasons - the 1980 season I was only supposed to do one week but came back for the final two weeks.  I did the entire 1981 season and 2 weeks in 1982.  

I remember you dashing around on the dumper trucks. And weren't you the Elsan king too? [Yes, indeed - I held that honourable office, Kate: someone had to do it &  my mother was an operating theatre nurse during the war, so she brought me up to have a strong stomach! Ed.]  The Elsans were still there and in use in 1980 (and possibly 1981?).  I was working on the section that was the furthest away from anything. I recall that there was a choice of a 10-15 min there-and-back walk to the toilet block or a quick couple of minutes dash to the Elsans. I remember the supervisor's glares as I choose the former option... The smell of that wretched chemical - I can still recall it nearly 30 years later!  

On the poster you have of the sponsors is the name Major Birchall.  That must be the same major who (rather foolishly I always thought) invited the diggers to a summer party at his pad, which was an amazing Cotswold (manor?) house with extensive gardens.  He let us roam freely throughout his house and grounds - I can't remember if the food was up to much but the setting was amazing.  I remember trying to desperately scrub up and get myself clean and reasonably presentable for his party - not easy with those terrible showers! 

Amazing memories - some of the happiest times of my life." 

Welcome to the blog, Kate.

Roll of Honour - Sponsors and Trustees 1988

The annual feat of organisation of the logistics of the excavation was a phenomenal achievement by Philip Dixon, Richard Savage and their helpers. The inside cover of Richard's 1988 booklet lists the major sponsors amongst the many who helped.  Where are they now? Well, I've done a bit of hunting about to see what I can find: Gloucs County Council, Cheltenham Borough Council, Tewkesbury Borough Council, GCAT, Nottingham University, St Paul & St Mary, Crickley Trust, Dulverton Trust, Mcfarlane Walker Trust, Not much sign of Dowty Trust, Major Peter Birchall, Budget are no longer in Cheltenham, Mira has changed hands, Mike Cuttell had a little bit of local difficulty a few years back, H W G Elwes's honorary degree page has a biography of him, no trace of P J Kerr, Cherry Lavell's books are on Amazon, Lloyds Bank is about to own half the UK financial system, Tom Morris DLC MIBE was the original owner of the land which he gave to the County Council that now forms the Country Park, no trace of J R Newbury, Spirax Sarco make steam systems, the Spurgin Trust appears to have sunk without trace, Imperial Trident Life is now part of Lincoln Assurance and had trouble with the FSA, Tungum, Warner Fairfax get a mention here, but seem to have disappeared, Westbury were bought by Persimmon, and Whitbread no longer brew beer ...

The original appeal by the Crickley Hill Trust ...

Amazing what you find advertised for sale on eBay. I acquired this, together with a copy of "Crickley Hill and Gloucestershire Prehistory" ISBN 0904950107 for the princely sum of £0.99. Antiquarian booksellers on the web are offering a copy of the booklet at £5.00 for a first edition and £4.50 for a 1979/1977 reprint. I was amused to find 4 used copies on Amazon for between $61.55 and $125.00! All in all, I think I got a bargain.

The original trustees included Major P D Birchall CBE (former Chairman of Gloucestershire County Council) and Tom Morris DLC MIBE (the original owner of the land which he gave to the County Council that now forms the Country Park) together with Professor Stuart Piggott CBE D Litt, Jeffrey May MA, Richard Walker OBE, Richard Savage MA, and two Glos CC representatives, H W G Elwes and P M Robins. The Secretary was R E Burke.

The original charity's registered number was No. 271625: it no longer exists. The current Crickley Hill Trust No. 292920, dating from 1985, can be found here on the Charity Commission's website.