Book Review - The Lambton Worm by Pete McParlin

[FishingMagic]

This is a dedicated thread for discussing article: Book Review - The Lambton Worm by Pete McParlin

 

[Alan Tyler]

I think the title is a humorous reference to this legend:

Lambton Worm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You'd need a dam' big hook to tie an imitative pattern.

 

[904_cannon]

I know just about every river swim Peter mentions.
A good honest in-depth guide to angling in the (proper) North East.
Also gives some insight into the industrial, soco/eco history of the region and the problems coarse anglers have encountered over the decades - so it 'aint been just me.

I'm sure regular readers of Waterlog will already be familiar with Peters writing

Also see The Fishing Archives | A-Z For Fishing

As Alan said, you'll need a $loody big hook for the Lambton Worm.

Apparently his daughter (the Lord L) was a bit of a handful in her younger days

 

[Sean Meeghan]

One Sunday morn young Lambton
Went a-fishin’ in the Wear;
An’ catched a fish fish upon his heuk,
He thowt leuk’t varry queer,

But whatt’n a kind of fish it was
Young Lambton couldn’t tell.
He waddn’t fash to carry it hyem,
So he hoyed it doon a well.

Chorus:
Whisht! lads, haad yor gobs,
Aa’ll tell ye aall an aaful story,
Whisht! lads, haad yor gobs,
An aa’ll tell ye aboot the worm.

Noo Lambton felt inclined to gan
An’ fight in foreign wars.
He joined a troop o’ Knights
That cared for neither wounds nor scars,
An’ off he went to Palestine
Where queer things him befel,
An’ varry seun forgot aboot
The queer worm in the well.

Chorus……

But the worm got fat an’ growed an’ growed,
An’ growed an aaful size;
With greet big teeth, and greet big gob,
An’ greet big goggley eyes.
An’ when at neets he craaled aboot
To pick up bits o’ news,
If he felt dry upon the road,
He milked a dozen coos.

Chorus……

:wh

 

[Andy Youngs]

This is a book, an opera, a film, a ghost story and a place : Lambton Worm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[cb]

Sean,

I think you have given a very fair assessment of the book. I found the book easy to read (a section at a time) but perhaps a tad dull and certainly old fashioned. It would have benefited from some colourful anecdotes or engaging old local fisher characters/stories;- which is why I think the historical chapters were the best.

I also agree that it perhaps didn’t know “what it was” at times nor who it was aimed at - but nicely written nonetheless.

Who will buy? well it’s an ideal gift for a youngster/newbie in the north east who is eagerly starting on their fishing journey. I think they would really value this book much more than me.

Colin

 

[904_cannon]

One Sunday morn young Lambton
Went a-fishin’ in the Wear;
An’ catched a fish fish upon his heuk,
He thowt leuk’t varry queer,

But whatt’n a kind of fish it was
Young Lambton couldn’t tell.
He waddn’t fash to carry it hyem,
So he hoyed it doon a well.

Probably a chub or even a barbel, and so the practice was born