Maxwell, Bill

Bill Maxwell 1928-2013

Bill sadly died on Sunday 24th March 2013 after a fight with bowel cancer.

Bill was a founder member of the Chelsea Speleological Society at its formation between the older London Speleological Group and the scouting group who formed themselves into the CSS.

Harry Pearman in his article "A History of the Chelsea Speleological Society Part 2" wrote; "A quiet lad from the LSG called Bill Maxwell came along”.

So Bill was around in September 1959 at the founding of the new "Chelsea Speleological Society", as it is known it and remained a member all his life.

Bill continued the early founding members' exploration of the Llangatock Escarpment and used to have regular trips using the Old Darren Sunday School as a base. Bill explored the far reaches of Aggy when Terminal Chamber and the Forth Choke were beyond many cavers abilities. He had his own May Pole in Aggy which he would take the joining clips in and out in a haversack so other cavers could not use his poles! He discovered and surveyed many upper meander passages. He did lots of dye testing of the streams in Aggy with many interesting results.

Bills expertise as an administrator served the Society well during the national caving politics of the mid 1960's. He wouldn't say much at the time but his powerfully worded letters afterwards were noted in high places and the CSS grew in stature from his good council.

With lots of work and discoveries going on in Agen Allwedd it was felt time to get the CSS an established base to keep up with this urgent work. The Sunday School was getting booked by many other groups as was the Hereford Caving Club cottage, which we sometimes used but was a long way from the caves.

Over many months in 1963 A small band of Bill's pilgrims, search the Llangatock area for dwellings, hovels and ruins and researched the ownership and whether they might be up for sale and costs and so on.

Then the obvious struck us, the ruin next to the Traveller's Rest above the Sunday School which we later found out was named White Walls, and although needing masses of work done on it, would be ideally place for the Society's caving activities.

This is where Bill was at his best and negotiated with the owner and the Duke of Beaufort Estate to sign and purchase the lease hold and the freehold of White Walls for the Society in 1964.

The members threw themselves into the renovation and rebuilding of White Walls, all project managed by Bill Maxwell until Roy Musgrove took on the task of the first Hut Warden.

Bill was a great influence in the early development of the Society and his good work and memory should be preserved.

Bill also helped with Dr.Antony Sutcliffe to establish The William Pengelly Cave Research Centre in Devon in 1969.

Bill had a hand in the book Caves and Caving / a little guide in colour by Marc Jasinski with English adaptation by Bill Maxwell 1967 160 pp over 100 colour photos.

Reference

Fletcher, Geo 2013 Bill Maxwell [Obituary] Chelsea Speleological Society Newsletter Vol 55 Nos 5 & 6 May/June 2013 page 38 photo.