UKC

I read in a climbing magazine not so long back that somebody was putting a book together on Pete Livesey. Does anybody know if he or she is making good progress. Looking forward to purchasing and reading it

In reply to grizz:

Me too. He was a colourful character.

Mick

In reply to Mick Ward:

Hmmmm..........

In reply to grizz:

I'd like to know more about the guy. All you ever hear is that he pushed standards and 'invented' training. Travels With a Donkey is one of the funniest bits of climbing writing I've ever read and it isn't even about climbing.

In reply to grizz:

I've forgotten who it was but he asked me for some info and I passed a bit on to him and directed him to an article I wrote called Pete Livesey remembered, I think the book is close to being finished.

In reply to Mike C:

Care to elaborate Mike.

In reply to grizz:

A book of Pete livesey articles might be worth a go as well. Some great stuff.

In reply to Slugain Howff:

Met him once & he went out of his way to be very unhelpful when I was asking for help locating a route in Ilkley Quarry. He didn't win any brownie points from me that day.

In reply to Mike C:


Thank god you told me that! To think I'd looked up to the man and all of it a tissue of lies...

In reply to grizz:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=276412

In reply to grizz: My uncle Pete eh?

In reply to Nicholas Livesey:

If he's your uncle do you know how things are going with the book. Was one of his brothers called Graham. If so are you his son.

I actually thought he was one of the best dressed and best looking people in climbing. He continued that in orienteering turning up to national events in shorts with everybody else in shin guards and tracky bottoms.

I was at Ilkley college when he was there. Non of the other students from a football, rugby etc background could understand why I thought he was a great person. Quite comical really.

In reply to grizz: I knew Pete but had never climbed with him, we both ended up at The Count House and I ended up climbing with him most of the week. I was in awe of Pete's ability, and we did some first ascents and early repeats of things like Deja Vu etc.
One day Pete announced that he had a description of a recent route by Pat Littlejohn, America on Carn Gowla that was awaiting a second ascent, Did I fancy it?
Well I didnt know anything about it so I said yes and we took the long drive up to Carn Gowla, When we got there there was a thick mist clagging the crag, we peered over the top and my heart sank as Pete pointed out the bright green glacis below us in an awesome position and dripping with the moisture from the sea mist. I just knew he would still want to do it anyhow so I silently said my prayers. Pete turned to me and said with a smile
"What do think to a pint and a pub lunch instead"
Pete became a friend from that moment

In reply to grizz: His brother as I remember is called Alec or Alex?

In reply to grizz:

Shin guards? Really?

jcm

In reply to johncoxmysteriously: John, they are called bramble bashers and are quite different to shin guards really. More like nylon gaiters.

That is a priceless anecdote.

Thanks.

In reply to Al Evans:


Cheers. That sounds a bit more familiar. Still no news on the book yet.

I would have liked to have got my hands one of the pictures that he had in the cafe in Malham. Maybe Nicholas if he is your uncle you could give me some pointers!?


jcm sorry of getting the fine details on 'O' wrong

In reply to Nicholas Livesey:

Livesey was my maiden name - don't think we're related though!

In reply to grizz:

I'm working on the Pete Livesey book. Have been offline for a few weeks - busy. Think I should have draft complete before year end, but will take some time to do proper edit and so on.

In reply to seamonster:

Sorry folks - hit the button too fast - don't want to sound grumpy! I have had a great deal of help from loads of folks on this project over the last couple of years - runners, orienteers, fell-runners, cavers, climbers.

Was in Huddersfield last month tracking down some of Pete's caving buddies including mentor from the late 1950s Bob Leakey who at 95 is still going and some character - the caving side of things is a compelling story in itself. Pete moved on from caving expeditions after Mossdale and a bad trip down Gouffre Berger with Ken Pearce in 1967, apart from a trip to Epos in 1969 and Ghar Parau in 1972. After a spell canoeing, he took climbing increasingly seriously.

If you were student of Pete's I'd be very interested to hear from you with any stories about Pete's attributes as teacher/mentor and any anecdotes from that time.

Rob

Pete's widow Soma, brother Alec and sister Janet are helping me on the project.

In reply to seamonster: Ken Pearce was one of the people I mentioned in the Mossdale/Neil Moss thread, that I had worked with at The Safety In Mines Establishment when I left school I worked as a lab tech there for a couple of years. Him and Harry Lord were both involved in cave rescue and both worked at SMRE on mines rescue, though of course I didn't know Pete at that time.

In reply to seamonster:

Rob. I will get in touch with Ashley Hardwell who could put you in touch with Frank Kew and John Capenerhurst...if you haven't spoken to them already. They were close colleagues of Pete's at Ilkley College. Ashley may also be able to come up with some good stuff from a students perspective.

I did my SPA assessment with him. When I'd finished I asked if I'd passed. His short reply was 'I haven't told you, you've failed'

Well done for your efforts.

In reply to grizz:
Thanks Grizz. I interviewed Frank Kew last summer - July I think - in Ilkley. I am still writing up notes frantically from that and others who I met in the same trip. Pete's widow mentioned John Capenhurst as a colleague of his who came every day during his last illness and I would be very interested in speaking to him if you can make an intro. She also mentioned Sadie Pearce and Ken Robinson in the same context so maybe there is a further contact point to that - were they also on the staff at Ilkey, do you know?
As to SPA and anythnig else as a student on the course, I would be very interested to hear from you about your experience of learning under Pete and his teaching style.
Al, thanks for further prompt. In investigating the caving side of this I have heard a biography is potentially in the offing on Ken Pearce - someone from Lancaster Uni. I have some interesting stories about him which I am weaving in and around Pete's only trip down Gouffre Berger (1967) which was I think Pearce's third after he had led trips in 1962 and 1964. Bob Leakey and Bob Toogood have both told me various things about caving, cave diving, cave rescue and also Leakey and Pearce's formation of BSAC. By all accounts Pearce was "quite something."

In reply to seamonster:

pm'd you