Gascgoine, Bill

Bill Gascoigne

by Paul Tarrant

Members will be saddened to hear that Bill Gascoine passed away last week after illness. Bill was a Brynmawr Caving Club member who contributed massively to the South Wales caving world with his water tracing of many cave systems and limestone massifs. He helped establish and extend the understanding of the hydrology of the region, especially in the Llangatwg area where he was particularly active.

Bill was one of the original explorers of Ogof Craig y Ffynnon, putting in a great amount of time in digging its Second Choke with John Parker, Kingsley Hawkins, Jeff Phillips and Anne Frankland in the 70s. He also dug in the Carno Adit which led to the incredible finds there in the late 80s & early 90s. Bill did a tremendous amount of water tracing work for Welsh Water^ principally in eastern Wales but also in places like the Black Mountain in west Wales. His work involved the use of Lycopodium spores which obtained more consistently accurate results than the then use of optical brighteners such as flourescein dyes and without the pollution of the latter method. It is likely that Welsh Water only tolerated caver access to Carno adit due to the excellent work Bill did for them and his lobbying to be let loose down the place!

Bill had a good interest in all underground things and reopened old iron stone mines and surveyed them. His most notable find of that type of mine was Waenfelen Tranch which he published a short book on. Bill was also a key figure in the Gwent cave Rescue Team, now sadly defunct, and was one of the main controllers during the Tim Flannagan rescue from Southern Stream in Aggie which commenced one Saturday and ended on the Monday lunchtime. He was an unflappable person and a good calm head to have available for serious incidents. Bill also got involved in the then nascent Pwll Ddu Cave Management Committee before emigrating to Spain in the mid 90s returning to Wales just 2 years ago. I believe Bill attended last year's Hidden Earth conference with Steve Pedrazolli, although I did not manage to see him.

I understand Bill did not want any fuss when leaving our world but a service is to be held 10.30am at Croesyceiliog Crematorium on Weds 12 December. Welsh caving is the poorer for his passing.

There is a much longer Obituary in the latest Descent Feb 2013 (230) 28-29 by Clive Gardener [TO]