In reply to Stephen Reid:
Ross's guide did not have stars or E-Gradings.
Ron James' guide had stars - the first FRCC guide with stars was the Eastern Crags and Buttermere guide in 1979.
E Gradings were (I believe) invented by Pete Botterill and first appeared in guides in 1978 with the FRCC Recent Developments (written by Dave Armstrong, Pete Botterill and Pete Whillance (what a team and what a record for the mid 1970's in the Lakes !)); the FRCC Borrowdale guide and Lake District North guide by Steve Clegg, Colin Read and Bob Wilson.