Part 1 out of 3
The First Belay
Bergers of Middleborough Outflow of Stickle Tarn 1930’s
As a child my mother showed me this old suitcase, inside it contained faded black and white photographs, a book with the words BERGENSTEIGERN (German for Mountaineers) written on the cover and some card menus with words like, One for all, and all for one, second man on the rope, and fanciful names for food, Collin Cocktails, Sandwiches au salmon de loch Stafin and Scottish Mountaineering eggs!. It all seemed very strange, these pictures of men in trilby hats with ropes around their waists, and so it remained as a suitcase mystery some twenty years more, well after my mother had died until I moving to Norway and rediscovered it.
The club diary and some climbing appurtenances of Army’s
The Characters of the Bergensteigerns 1938:
F.C.Barker (Skim) Skipper (underneath written President)
J.Gash (Squiff) Hon treas & Hon Sec
T.A.Hanson (Otto Von, later to become MacDuff - Camera, Underneath is written Hon President
A.Barker
H.Pybus (Bros)
J.Brown (Doc) (Hon Doctor)
A.C.Allen (ACA)
H.Allem (Grapefruit)
Wal.Harper
F.C.Stainthorpe (Mactav) Hon Scav
Associates: C.W.Saunders, C.Barker, G.Hall (Hon Muscish / Bandmaster), A.Buckley
My grandpa, Armstead Hanson, known as Army or Otto Von to the friends and club members, was just this old man, quiet, that lived with his wife Mille in the house called Kern Knott’s next to ours above Lake Ullswater. Then he was gone.
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=79271Armstead Hanson (Nick name: Otto von and then during the 2nd WW he became Mac Duff)
Membership Conditions of:
1) Each member must by his own effort have climbed, crawled up or arrived at by any other means the top of one of the heights of the Cullins.
2) Each member must be a decent guy, bloke, feller, chap and companion (Gentlemen admitted in certain cases)
3) No member must on any day of the club (or that ruddy matter on any other day either) leave, deposit, drop or scatter orange peel, broken bottles, loose limbs or other litter amongst nature.
4) No new member may be admitted without unanimous approval of the other members.
The First Belay of the Rock and Fell - May 3rd 1938
Minutes of the rock and Fell meetings, held 3rd of May 1938 in the Ayton Fish shop, a short traverse from the Filesheds Inn, present A.T. Hanson. F.C.Barker, A.Barker, Jack Brown, Henry Pybus, Fred Stainthorpe, H.b.Allen and Jack Gash. Long letters of apology were read from A.C.A.W Tattersal and Stan Pearson, after a short sojourn in the canyons and a much longer one in the pub the meeting commenced its first pitch.
The first belay held the usual stance. They were inebriated, in part or fully, and as they went through the usual committee routines things got worse or better depending on how you saw it. First the election of a new skipper, F.C. (Skim) Barker, proposed by Doc and Ottovon. This was toasted with beer and followed by Stainthorpe toasting absent friends nine times, before Doc Brown was proposed as Doctor for another year. Doc Brown quickly raised the question of his little black bag cost and so forth and this was referred to the finance committee, as the meeting continued, the question of the Hon Sec arose, and Jack (Squiff) Gash was appointed as he was considered the only gentlemen in the room, for which is quickly responded We have no money, and his keen observations were rewarded by offering him the position of Honoree finance and again he replied That it looked like a job for life and so the belay commenced pitch after pitch of discussions and toasts, some longer than others, and according to the diary The next trip to the Lakes was fixed July 24th to do Pillar, Bros (H.Pybus) expressed his sorrow at not been able go that day owing to him being in Switzerland knocking them off and another meeting set May 31st in the Jet Miners Broughton, Ice axes to be worn was fixed. Finally the diary tells, The question of the Hon Sec. Honorarium arose, the meeting decided to let this lay on the table, as by now most of the members were under it.
There was nothing unusual about this Belay, the name they gave to meetings, after all they were young men in the 1930’s who liked to climb, drink beer and have fun. Through the whole of the diary there is this sense of comradeship between the fellers, nick names and jokes, and the style of writing is playful, frivolous and almost naïve. They played out the committee meetings as if present at a boardroom, but with the joviality of comrades in arms. You need to read between the lines to see the full story, but isn’t that what all climber’s stories are like? To tell a story about climbing without some over subscription or slight exaggeration would render most climbing stories a bit dull. Stretching of the truth ( if only just slightly) makes the tale of the simplest of route become in that very moment more adventure than possible: a balance between life and death, with the crux of such stories not measured in success, but in the ability to hold the audience in a trance-like state of adventure wonderment. But only for a moment as you did, after all, survive to tell the tale.
Club Anecdote: He must have fallen off the end of the rope
The diary of the Bergensteigern climbing club of Middleborough is no exception to this rule. We hear very little about climbing directly but what we do see are faded photographs of young men and a club diary with the minutes of meetings written in pencil by many different hands. This Yorkshire humor is rare and hard, and the casual observer could find this harsh, with no slack given to anybody.
The meeting that was arranged at Ayton Fish Shop commenced as planned on May 31st, and again an almost prudish set standards ensue, with the minutes being approved, and confirmed before apologies given, this time by the Skipper Who was believed to be again maudlin with the Mayoress. It was also noticed that the Chief Guide had not attended and this was attributed to being caused thro him being second man in our opinion on a rather ordinary pitch. The meetings always started with a brisk walk before the pub and on this day walk, to Wain Stones via the old road from Clay bank followed by a good supper at Jet Miners. Beer did flow and as Otto von who had recently been scrounging in Skye was appointed to get some quotations for a club tie. The club name changed to Bergensteigern via election, and was toasted with much gusto. The diary was signed by Otto von, and written underneath his signature by an unknown person is the following: Otto signed the minutes with tomato sauce, what a state they must have been in.>/p>
Climbing at the Wain Stones, Otto von (Army) belays.
In the minutes held June 21st 1938, Otto von Hanson presents a report on Skye and a date is set for an attempt on Pillar Rock: Further it was agreed that July 24th should be spent on the Pillar leaving the rugby field at 5.am, breakfast, route via Aarons Slack and the High level to Pillar.
The expeditions of conquering of Pillar rock played a pivotal part in the club diary and it would seem a challenge that had thwarted them several times. This time was no different, as recorded in the minutes of the meeting held in the Jet Miners July 19th just before closing time. The meeting to Pillar was postponed to September as people were on holiday, however they did get out climbing prior to the committee formalities: Small but strong party with ropes spent greater part of the evening on some of the more advanced pitches on The Wain Stones, the Two heavy parties proving valuable for performing of belay.
Throughout the rest of 1938, the Bergernsteiners continued on trips, local and to the Lakes, with little detail until a discussion occurs in the Jet Miners whether or not the club should join the hostel movement dated Sept 16th After much discussion this was turned down as we thought it rather infra dig to associate ourselves with a movement for furthering the growth of these brothels and sinks of integrity. This was not the first time the Bergers felt they were better or different to other outdoors people, but there was always a sense of joviality with the comments which is seen in the next diary entry Meeting held Oct 3rd in the Low haunt of women of easy virtue, rogues, thieves and vagabonds, the Scottish Tea Rooms and then a recollection of the evening, Early part of the evening was spent at the Seala viewing a picture called "The Challenge" while enjoying the scenery and the acting the actual climbing left much to be desired especially to men of our intellect and prowess. Do all mountaineers consider themselves to hold the high ground? It’s arrogant to think so, but even modern mountaineers who often like to consider themselves to be part of a classless activity, have a complex in-depth hierarchy. Many traditional climbers would not consider their activities the same as Sport climbing but to the casual observer it’s all lunacy the same. It’s snobbery , we are all ‘punters’ in someone eyes, and forbid the thought that even the boldest climber would be considered a tourist, even if on rainy days they are seen buying tea in The Scottish tea rooms before the long drive home. It is true, many consider themselves different, and the Bergers felt the same and recorded it with a sarcastic wit. The year drew to a close, occasional meetings recorded, with the usual walk to the Wain Stones, but there is something else: a mist of political uncertainty crossing Europe.
First meeting January 3rd 1939 at the Jet Miners, where Doc Brown (The Doctor had been ill for several months) was present and they went sledging and ate a stupendous meal. A few days later on Jan 5th they had By common consent of the Bergensteigern this evening appears in the minutes, the Annual Ladies Night. Mr & Mrs Chas Barker invited the Bergensteigerns and its wives round to their home for an evening of enjoyment. And so after all these years I see recorded in the diary the names of those fanciful food I had seen as a child, Collin cocktails, Sandwiches au salmon de loch Stafin, Scottish Mountaineering club eggs and more Pastries au Pilatus, Grindelwald girdles and Tricuni Trifles!
The next meet was held sometime in February; Doc Brown had been posted to Glasgow and was elected by the club to the prestigious position of Ambassador of Scotland. The year drifted on with minutes of meeting recorded on Bowfell, Langdale March 26th: Getting away early about 6am in the cars of Skim Barker and Otto von. Fine morning, uneventful run to Dungeon Ghyll Hotel for Breakfast , where they found: Bowfell via Hell Ghyll, snow and biting wind on the high parts.
The mist of political uncertainty drifting across Europe now builds to darkening clouds as recorded in the following minutes of the meeting April 11th; Starting by the usual walk to Wain Stones, when our near relationship with Hitler were discussed, that was, in the event of war should we disclose our identity to him or adopt isolation, after much discussion it was decided to let the world adopt its own course and we would generally abide by it. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but they really didn’t know what was about to happen. They could guess and postulate, but that was it. The rest of the evening continued as usual in the Jet Miners with a date set for annual general meeting: Next it was agreed we hold the annual general meeting in the Lakes on May 14th Saturday night to be spent in Keswick. Sunday on Napes Ridge when the various appointments will be made. Clearly the fret of war did not dampen their desire for adventure. The diary also records a special meeting: Special meeting April 18th in honor of a visit of Doc Brown, the Skipper of the Bergers could not attended, which resulted in the following diary entry. Owing to his usual ‘affaire le amour’ with the Mayoress - his explanation was not accepted. Due to this, and their great friend Doc Brown being present, a new Chieftain was elected, this being MacTavish. By this time the Bergers were increasingly calling themselves by Scottish names, and referring to the Bergers, not as a club but as a Clan, only Army retain his original nickname (that of Otto von) even thought any associating with Germany now was getting dangerous. During the same meeting a discussion about conscription and car tax took place but always in reference to the Clan Bergers: and agreed it was a fine thing as we are all too old to go, also things were said about the tax on cars and it was agreed that Chamberlain could under no circumstances become an Honorable Bergensteigern but could associate himself with the spawn who inhabit the brothels of the hikers following. Clearly once again the Bergers wanted no association with the hostel or hiking movement. Finally the meeting drew to a close with the following statement. At ten thirty the party was still sober. This was a very rare thing!
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=78914
On Great Gable near Kern Knott’s Chimney 1930’s. Army is on top of the boulder.
Club anecdotes: In his rightful position at the rear
As planned, the annual general meeting was held near the foot of Napes Needles May 14th, Present the MacNav in the chair, Skim Barker, Chas Barker, Art Barker, Otto von Hanson, Stan Pearson, Chas Saunders, Arch Buckly, C.H.Allan and Gash. It was wet and so there was much wandering about, until: A letter was read out from the McDonald causing much mirth at the expense of our worthy Chieftain who threatened a climb of Napes Needle with his left foot in his right pocket! Needless to say he just resumed his rightful place in the rear. The content of the letter was not disclosed and this was not the first time their claymores had crossed, over some undisclosed letter MacDon who has a blood feud with the MacTav dating from the time when boulders were only mole hills. The style and tone of the writing indicates this was an imaginary feud and not real. It would seem most mountaineering clubs enjoy banter, politics, and ‘the dreaded clique’ be it real or be it imaginary, with some individuals having an axe to grind for years. The weather must have improved as it is recorded: After this we spent an enjoyable afternoon on Ravens Crag with Grapefruit bringing Otto Von Hanson up on a belay known as the ‘Myth’. It is also recorded Ten men had a bath at Seathwaite in the same water, the last man bathing in six inches of silt and a few inches of water.
Great Cable 1930’s Army (Otto von)sits in the middle with his Brother James (MacDon) sitting just behind him. The two other men are unknown.
The next entry in the diary is about climbing in Cleveland on crags above Kildale July 18th: Scrambled about on these rocks all evening the bowline knot being tied in at least forty different methods. The Saunders special safety knot was in evidence, as very good knot to use, as you always get your rope back. It was also noted that Army was preparing to visit Skye again, and On the same day, a member of the club was insulted by a women, who seemed to take offence at his car parking skills. The next meet was held on the Aug 14th, The Clan Bergers headed out climbing before the pub: The early part of the evening was spent on the Wain Stones with a rope, the party being in absolutely rotten fettle on the rock, but still nothing attempted nothing gained, this somewhat helped as it were to ‘guild the lily’. A trip was planned to conquer Pillar Rock in the Lakes Aug 20th. This weighed heavily on the very honor of the Clan Berger: Honorable Bergensteigern must this year make the assault and conquer Pillar this year owing to our defeat last year. Army must have visited and returned from Skye, as the minute’s record Army brought greetings from Doc Brown at the Northern Belay
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There is no record if they were successful in conquering Pillar Rock and by Sept 3rd 1939 Britain declared war on Hitler. Those dark clouds that had been drifting over Europe had arrived with thunder.
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