UKC

I am looking for help in finding some of the following for my slate film project:

1. Ex-Dinorwig Quarryman to interview about the quarries and their closure.

2. A historian with good working knowledge of the quarries from the enclosures act to the closure in 1969 to interview.

3. A contact for Pete Crew (this is a long shot but he did second ascent of Opening Gambit) to try and get an interview out of him.

4. Loan of a copy of rock climbers in Action in Snowdonia for the Gideon Photo.

5. Loan of a copy of Perry and grog’s green guidebook to photocopy for illustration purposes in the film.

6. Loan of a copy of the black slate guide (i need a hires shot of the cover)

7. Loan of a copy of the guide with Leo on the cover for a cover shot)

8. Any slides or photos from first ascents or early repeats of slate routes ( can scan these for you and give you the digital images in return)

I am sure there will be more requests, but just thought I’d fire these out for now. For some it would be best to send me an email through UKC.

Re 4 above) I can bring a copy of Rock Climber In Action to the Beacon this evening.

Call me on 07786 075682 if that works

Gary

Cheers Gary, thanks for the chat and see you later...

I have Rock Climbers in Action and (I think) all of the guidebooks although I am not sure which one has "Leos photo". If it is the one previous to current, the cover may not be in a good state (it has come off) but the surface may be OK?

I have a copy of the HB North Wales Slate guide with a shot of Leo Houlding on Bungle's Arete on the cover. Do you need the guide or just a shot of the cover?

Are you in touch with Peter Goulding, who did research and made interviews while writing his recent publication 'Slatehead'? It's a good read. especially for anyone who's climbing in the Llanberis quarries.

I have read Slatehead, and one of the reasons I started on this film project is I found Peter's narrative and research has certainly been different to mine based on the first 5 interviews I have done.

However, I am still working on my research and will be for several months, as where I am finding the old legends are diverging from the common held narrative/belief I am trying to then interview others to confirm these new revelations. Sadly there are parts of Slatehead, which  appear to rely on one source and arguably there is a different story or at least opinion to be told in places.

This is why I am trying to interview on camera as many Slate activists as possible, as rather than me try to tell their story, I am trying to work on a principle where each person tells their little piece of a much larger story and then weave these together. It is very involved and time consuming but really great fun talking to these people.

I am also using it as an opportunity to update the Historical F.A. List, which I will publish online at some point. As I am aware that we didn't put one in the last guidebook, but in the back of my mind I always thought doing this online in some way would work better.

Hi Harold, Thanks. I have found a copy now.

However, at some point I would like to interview you for the more recent history. I'll find you on the book of faces, or email you through here. 

At the moment I am working forwards in time from the 70s!

Indeed. Slatehead contains a couple of verifiable points of bullshit and at least one egregious mischaracterisation. (Remind me who's diary he was using as source material 🤔 - an in-joke from 1979). Slatehead is enjoyable reading nonetheless.

Any images you want from Slate of the Art, Mark?

I can try to get an interview with Pete Crew (I'm close friends with his step-son), but I've tried this a few years ago and Pete really wasn't interested in an interview - the fact a few of us accidentally trashed his lounge carpet in a night of drunken debauchery back in 1995 can't have helped (never try to clean rust from a wool carpet using soap - you end up with an orange wax skating rink). Still, time might have mellowed him - or maybe the orange wax flooring is now more appealing?

Drop me a line if interested. 

Cheers I have emailed you.

Hi Mark. Have sent you an email.