Walker was Wrong

[Keith Robinson 2]

Ron
sorry mate you are correct I've looked up some old letters from **** going back to the 60's, I reckon the old grey cells are on the blink.
Was'nt the busines known as Lloyds of Letchworth?

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)]

Lloyds and Co of Letchworth at Birds Hill in Letchworth are still going strong and manufacture the BEST mowing machinery in the world.

They have a hell of a job these days fighting the cheap and nasty tack from the far east. But since the Poms these days insist on cheap and nasty shite, what can you do?

I spoke to one of their directors recently who was most helpful. They are still making mowers to **** Walker's design.

Walker was one of those people who would never suffer fools, nor would he cut corners in the design of his products.

He loved his job as much as he loved his fishing.

 

[Keith Robinson 2]

Ron
****s title I believe, was Technical
Director.
.

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)]

He certainly was Technical Director Keith.

By the way, if you have any hand written letters from Walker, make sure you have them in a safe place and they are insured.

They are worth many thousands of pounds to collectors these days!

 

[Keith Robinson 2]

Ron,
I first met **** at Grafham in 1966,whilst fishing in Gaynes Cove on a south wind,perfect.My companion John McLellan and I were doing the business on some very big rainbows, **** came along and we chatted for a long long time,not only about the trout fishing but of the chub on the Great Ouse above Stony Stratford to where I eventually lived for 25 years,from that day on we corresponded for some time.
I must have a couple of dozen or so all in ****s hand writing,along with copies of my letters to him,I always thought it was like another Drop me a Line.
Although the letters were on a trout theme for the most,we did border on other types of angling.
I did'nt realise that they were of value.

 

[Keith Robinson 2]

Ron
I must read these pieces from start to finish, I MISS TO MUCH.
I was at the meeting in Melton, at the very same time, with other members of the Northampton S.G of which I was hon,sec.
You mention Eric Hodgson, one of the nicest men I have ever met,tireless for the benifit of all angling.

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)]

Keith,

Could you photocopy these letters and send me the copies. I will gladly pay anything you want (within reason) for copies of these letters. My old hand written Walker letters are hidden deep in my Dad's loft and at the age of 88, I do not want to trouble him to find them.

I am working on a book which will involve the origins of specimen hunting in the UK.

Eric Hodson (I must correct you on the spelling but even Barrie Rickards gets it wrong), Has been a close friend of mine since 1961.

Unfortunately, Eric today suffers from advanced Alzheimers disease.

So you would have known Cyril Inwood, Bob Church, Frank Cutler, Arthur Cove and others. Make no mistake you have a few stories to tell of this great era of angling discovery.

I'll send you a PM

 

[Keith Robinson 2]

RON
All personal friends of mine,Arthur I met on quite a few occasions but I can't really say we were well acquanted.
My first wife tied flies for Cyril on some of his internationals,and it was Bob who first took me trout fishing to Pitsford in the very early 60's. I havent heard anything about Frank for a time, now there was a brilliant angler along with one of our mutual friends Mr Shrives.
I could write a book about some of the antics.
I'll sort out a few copies for you,let me know where to send them.

 

[Keith Robinson 2]

Sorry Ron, I missed out Erics G, I was aware of Erics illness, not a very nice thing to have as my mum had the same,it's so stressful for the family. I might be able to help you with the origins of the N.A.S.G. letters addresses etc.,

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)]

Keith, I believe Frank Cutler died some years ago, so did **** Shrive.

But all these people were pioneers in their own styles of fly fishing on reservoirs. Walker was the man who really popularised it of course.

I missed much of the UK reservoir trout revolution due to the fact that I emigrated in 1967, but I kept up with developments in Trout and Salmon.

Did you ever know my friend Steve Stephens? he wrote a number of articles in Trout and Salmon He was also one of the pioneers. I last fished with him on Hanningfield in 1987 and came off with a limit - wiping his eye.

I'll never forget that day. Caught a 5 pounder too.

Most came on Invictas.

 

[Ron 'The Hat' Clay (ACA-Life Member)]

By the way my article which will incorporate the first and last column Walker wrote for Angling Times is nearly finished.

Should be with Graham Shortly.

 

[Keith Robinson 2]

Ron
I have my own thoughts about who really started the revolution in the grafham era,it started in the late 50'when **** Shrive began side casting and swinging the lure from a rowed boat, a style that he told me was used on the Irish waters. I first had a season ticket at grafham at the start of the 1967 with regular boat bookings every saturday and sunday, it was **** who turned up with the first rudder which he attached with G clamps. The rudder was beautifully made. By the next week I had made a mock up version to try the adopted method, and by the next week end, my boat partner Eric Watson ( a carpenter ) had made a pukka job.Hence the Northampton style was introduced,enhanced shortly after by the introduction of the drogue out of the back and not the side which was the traditional loch style.I make no claims whatso ever only that I did have some imput as did Bob Church and others of the Northampton S.G.
I did know that **** had passed on but not aware about Frank. I have no recollection of your friend Steve probably as I rarely took Trout and Salmon.
I must be boring the butts off the other lads, I give you a bell later.Once the buttons' pushed I go on for hours.

 

[Andy "the Dog" Nellist (SAA) (ACA)]

Keep going lads, a bit of nostalgia is good for the soul.

When I fished with Ron on one of the Ribble fish-ins he had some really interesting stories which really made for an entertaining day. The fish we caught were a bonus.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Andy,

Try sitting down with Ron and a bottle of vintage port after a good day on the Avon and a decent dinner.

I learned more in a couple of nights with Ron than I ever could have by reading for a decade ;-)

 

[Keith Robinson 2]

Andy/peter, when you're approaching the halcyon days you really don't know what you know, or what you have stored away in the memory bank, untill I was nudged onwards by a lad like Ron.We must be of like age according to our memories and I love it.
Just think,if I had'nt joined the MAGIC CIRCLE I would'nt have had that nudge.