I have been asked by the registration thingy to introduce myself.
Albeit my user is Drifton, my name is David, or as I prefer, Dave (everyone knows a Dave). I am a child of the fifties, a youth of the sixties and an ought to know better of the seventies.
My journey began 1963 with the purchase of what I thought then, and still do, the most beautiful rod in the world. This ‘antique’ rod cost me all my Christmas, birthday and pocket money, forty-two shillings and sixpence, (£2.12½p). The horror of the price still lives with me but I had been coveting it for months and months. The vendor threw in an old star back reel, some line, floats, shot and pre-set hooks; the scoop of gentles I had to pay for. This rod was/is a seventy-nine inch, two section split cane affair, silk wrapped every ¾”, with ceramics and all brass fittings. The moulded wording on the rubber handle button boast ‘Hardy’ but I suspect this was a much later retro-fit. The only other distinguishing feature is a Victoria ‘bun head’ farthing brazed to the top of the static feral slide. I know now that this rod would be more at home off the end of Southend Pier than a slow running river like the Granta, Cam or Ouse, but back then I was its now very proud keeper. As the poem goes…
That is the land of lost content,
I see it shining plain,
The happy highways where I went,
And cannot come again.
But I do still have it. It hangs on the wall of our summerhouse, set up complete with said reel, 12lbs silk line(?) and the last of the floats, a large ‘Avon’ which I never actually used, a medium quill is better suited for our quiet waters.
This was the first and last rod that I actually purchased. In about 1965 my maternal uncle, seeing my keenness, gifted me his three rods. Two, three section split cane fly rods, a 1948 J. Dickson ‘Service’ and a 1925 Hardy ‘Tournament’, both in good condition. Also an Allcocks’ three section flamed cane and greenheart course rod in very poor, used condition.
Due to arthritis my line tying and casting days are over, not that I was ever a prolific fisherman anyway. But I do dearly like reading the posts on this site of an evening and the other day I thought I’d join. Maybe even get tips on bringing back the Allcock.
Cheers,
Dave
