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Thanks both, simultaneously.
You seem to have different views on the rope...on definition, one wordplay.
I don't actually have my Chambers with me. The only word that fits is a garment, a blouse?
I have 7d though thanks.

It’s a specific kind of rope. There is a 4 letter spelling but the entry is a 5 letter variation.

Yes, apologies - not sure what happened there. As correctly stated by JA, five-letter word.

Thanks, puzzle completed.

All done. Nicely constructed and very interesting theme - thank you, Puffin.

Also an extraordinarily serendipitous theme for me - next Saturday I'm due to attend the celebration of the life of a recently deceased old friend whose career almost literally involved stepping in this pioneer's footsteps; and it's to be held at a highly thematic location - I will reveal all after the deadline date.

I'm still just a little antsy about the parsing of 6d - seems to me that the tense used in the wordplay of the clue yields the wrong extra letter. Or is it me that's wrong?

As to the title, it's quite obscure to me - the numerical bit doesn't correspond to either the historical or current thematic value - I don't expect any hints as these would almost certainly reveal too much

Oh - re. third para. of my last - #55 - I've just spotted Ukridge's #41 - that must be it. Different use of 'succeeded'.

quixote, re your last para, see my post @36 also

Mmm - maybe. Probably the most likely.

Thanks!