Allcocks of Redditch - the other one!

[The VFC]

Right chaps its time to put your thinking caps on. We are all lovers and admirers of the great S. Allcocks company - but what about the other one: W. A. Allcocks and sons? So little seems to be known about this maker - and it seems such a shame: I think they suffer from sharing the same name! I frequently get offered rods by "Allcocks" and have to admit to being a little disappointed if they turn out to be by WA rather than S: and yet they are good, well made rods on the whole. I've trawled through most of the books I own and can't find anything of interest on the company - most simply ignoring its existence. My thoughts so far: they only made rods (I've not come across a reel made by or retailed by them), I've heard it said that they have no connection to the more famous Allcocks (though what this is based on I don't know - perhaps the Polycarp had a bit on the side? Allcock still seems a fairly common name in the region so perhaps a more distant relative) and they appear to have lasted into the hollow glass era (I'm pretty sure I've seen a HG rod by them sometime in the past).

So over to you all - lets hear it for the "other Allcocks": any information gratefully received!

ATB
Jim

[Nobby]

I've never been able to find out a thing about them, Jim.

I'd guess they are related to Allcocks in some way, the tackle manufacturer's families seem to have married one anothers chidren quite a bit, but there's nothing I can find to suggest it.

That said, DNA indicates were are ALL descended from 7 women in Europe, so I suppose it just depends upon how far you go back in time.......


There's one rod they did...was it a Viking?...that people seem to think of as a good barbel rod.



I discovered recently that there's a successful match angler called Aspindale and he's from Astwood Bank, too!

[SeanM]

It was the Adonis Nobby. A good light barbel rod, but not the best for stopping doubles reaching sanctuary

[Nobby]

D'oh! That's the one....Ta, Sean.

[Loop Erimder]

I have a witham wizard by w a allcocks two sections split cane and a separate cork handle. A very nice rod until I stood on it and broke it

[The VFC]

Excellent - so now we have 2 models by the company: the Witham Wizard (interesting to note handle arrangement) and Adonis (is this all slit cane too Sean?).
Jim

[Loop Erimder]

I'll post some pictures later

[Davyr]

Yes, the Adonis was all split cane - this is what the Mistral (John Olliff Cooper) website had to say about it:

W.A. Allcock 1960c Adonis 11’0” /3 All split cane. An excellent example of this well-respected barbel taper. Restored to better than new. Agate butt and tip, FOB inters. Fine red silk. £375

Probably where its reputation as a barbel rod originated from!

And here's a third to add to the collection - The Prince:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/W-A-ALLCOCK-S ... 6005441269

And a fourth (un-named) from Mullocks:

A W.A Allcock of Redditch 12' 3 piece Spanish reed float rod with split cane tip, factory black stained, whipped red, tipped yellow

[Davyr]

And here's a fibreglass example:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-W-A-All ... 7675.l2557

The strange thing is, the usually-reliable Directory of British Phone Books I have access to via "Ancestry" seems to have no record of a W A Allcock in Redditch! I'll keep digging...

[Davyr]

...And not forgetting their two-piece fly rod!

http://www.artfact.com/auction-lot/a-tw ... 70nnwzd3ez