Pegasus Caving Club
aka Pegasus Club Nottingham
Diaries of Ernest Smeeton
Founding father of the Pegasus Club Nottingham
When the article about Ernest Smeeton was written for the Website in May 2024, ‘Ernest Smeeton Eccentric Adventurer and a Founding father of the Pegasus Club Nottingham’, compiled from an old black & white photo and newspaper cuttings from the 1950’s; no-one in the club was aware that Ernest was still alive, aged 97 years, and residing in Nottingham.
This fact only came to light later in 2024 following Ernest’s death when his daughter Diane Wilson contacted ‘Cheg’ Chester after typing Ernest’s name into the WWW and seeing to her amazement the above article about him.
Diane revealed that amongst Ernest’s personal possessions she had discovered a collection of handwritten diaries and photo albums which recounted many of his adventures and realised their historical value.
Subsequently Diane and her husband Keith accepted an invitation to attend the 2024 ‘Pegasus Reunion’ in Nottingham and brought along with them a selection of Ernest’s diaries and albums for ‘Cheg’ to see and as a result, it was mutually agreed to put as much of this unique archive onto the ‘Pegasus’ website as possible.
Diane & Keith Wilson with photo albums and diaries
at the 2024 Pegasus Reunion
Club Badge designed by Ernest Smeeton early 1950,s
The work involved in doing this has been a long and tedious task involving every page being individually photographed by Diane and Keith, and the Club is most grateful for not only their dedicated work but also allowing the material to be placed on the Website as a lasting ‘Tribute’ to Ernest.
The diaries have been very neatly and legibly written in blue fountain pen ink and it may be assumed that that wording has been transcribed for permanency from ‘pencil’ notes made at the time of the excursions which was often the case with adventurers and explorers. It is hoped that at some stage in the future added throughout will be appropriate photographs selected from Ernest’s albums.
The double page diaries begin on May 28th 1955 when Ernest was 28 years of age and the last diary date is December 10th 1956 when Ernest was 29 years of age.
The following two photos are taken from one of Ernest Smeetons many photo albums
Ernest Smeeton
Camp II Second attempt 16,000ft with view over to Niti Pass & Tibet
Ted Winks
Camping in jungle clearing, Rajaji Sanctuary, Sahananpur.
It's here we had a night visit from a tiger
Bari Logan, March 2025