From football to rugby league, the vast majority of Britain’s best-loved sports and hobbies have their glorious pasts on display.
Never mind such box office pursuits – pencils, paperweights and even barometers all have their dedicated attractions (trip to Barometer World, anyone? We kid you not). So what happened to angling?
Answers to this conundrum are varied. Whether it’s the lack of a Wembley or Twickenham-style home of fishing, where such collections are often based, or the sheer cost and effort required, a ‘British Angling Museum’ has never materialised.
So what do our foremost fishing historians and collectors think?
Limitless costs vs limited interest?
Vintage tackle expert Chris Sandford would love to see such a collection, but he fears interest is disappointingly low. “We collectors are a happy band, but we’re few and far between,” he told us. “The main problem is, your average angler isn’t that interested in the heritage of the sport.”
Speaking to Angling Times from a room bulging with fishing treasures, there was genuine concern from Chris, whose own passion for angling collectibles remains undimmed. What would he love to see most of all, we wonder?
“A timeline of, say, reels or floats could be fascinating – or the ability to handle rods – although most museums are very much ‘don’t touch’. I do worry about the heritage of fishing,” he said.
“I look at all these items and think, where’s this going after me?”
Wanted: Angling sugar daddy!
If interest levels are one barrier, cost is perhaps the main consideration for respected author and angling historian Andrew Herd. “The idea of an angling museum has come around several times,” he told us. “When Barry Rickards was alive, he and a group including Jon Ward-Allen at Medlar Press and the late Fred Buller discussed it. At another point in time, a site had even been identified, with competing visions looked at.
“My feeling has always been, don’t hold your breath!” said Andrew.
“The idea is one thing, but finding the finances is tough. Tackle companies would be the obvious candidate – but most are based abroad these days, so you’d need a wealthy benefactor.
“We set up an online museum to put a marker down, because the story of our fishing is incredible!” he said. “People forget what a British thing sport fishing is. We’re the spiritual home of angling.”
The colourful story to hook today’s audience is certainly there, he believes, with wild events and characters you couldn’t invent. “Take Edward Fitzsimmons,” he said. “One minute he’d launch into a
diatribe detailing visits to brothels, next breath he’d be fishing for roach. He got tens of thousands to pick up a fishing rod.”
Coarse angling’s colourful yet neglected history
“Coarse fishing is a distinctly British thing and has a longer and richer history than most people think,” added Andrew. “This probably stems from the peculiar way that fly and coarse split in the 1800s. Fly fishing attracts a wealthier crowd to this day, who invest more in their history.
“A lot of history could be lost,” he continued, “and yet our sport is littered with beautiful objects and colourful characters”.
All the more reason, then, to lament the disjointed way we celebrate our past. We don’t suppose any readers have a few million quid floating about, or share their Shakespeare seatbox with an actual sheik?
What would we love to see in a ‘British Angling Museum’?
A few obvious suggestions – what would yours be?
BOOKS AND ART: Where do we start? From Walton’s Compleat Angler to modern masterpieces from Sheringham and Yates, our sport could form an incredible library. An art gallery could be another draw, spanning works from the Reverend Houghton’s fine fish lithographs to David Miller originals.
REELS: The evolution of modern reels is a relatively recent thing, with the first fixed-spool or ‘spinning reel’ invented in 1905. Precursors like the Nottingham-style reel amply illustrate how far we’ve come in a short time.
ANGLING FASHIONS: From classic tweed to modern Realtree, fishing has undergone many a makeover. Hats would be another must, from Richard Walker’s deerstalker to Bob Nudd’s trademark white cap.
RODS AND POLES: Classic examples from down the ages, perhaps with a “casting alley” for visitors to try carbon alongside cane and glass. It’s remarkable that today’s cheapest carbon rod is better than the one that cost your grandad a month’s salary!
FLOATS, FEEDERS AND LURES: Where do we even start with those small but essential items of tackle over the decades? Wouldn’t it be fascinating to see floats through the ages, from centuries-old crow and porkie quills to modern wagglers?
Great sources to discover angling’s rich history
The Fishing Museum Online shares a great selection of the sport’s forgotten stories and tackle items. From amazing characters to fascinating footnotes, you’ll find a truly eclectic selection at www.fishingmuseum.org.uk
Chris Sandford’s website is a tackle collector’s feast of items and enjoyable content, including a look at the ‘holy trinity of carp fishing’ – the rod, reel and net used by Richard Walker to catch his record carp. See: chrissandford.com
Angling Auctions are still regularly held in Hampshire and provide a wonderful detour into the sport’s past. See the website for current dates and some amazing finds::a[]{href='http://anglingauctions.com' }anglingauctions.com