The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Hi all, I was wondering if you could help me. It would appear that I have started collecting Intrepid course reels.I would like to date the reels that I have and have had a look on the internet and though all of the post but can’t hind the info I’m after.
What year did K.P. Morritt’s start making reels and what year did Gladding take them over. When what year did K.P. Morritt’s/Gladding stop.
Fred

I’ve done a little bit more looking and have gone though a few more posts and have come up with this.
I don’t know the actual date Intrepid stated yet but this is what I have found out so fare.
I start at 1958 with the first reels being the Intrepid, the Junior and then the Continental.
From 1960 you get the Intrepid De Luxe, Standard, Supreme and the Monarch.
In 1968 Intrepid moved form Surry to Falmouth so I am assuming this must tie in with Gladding taking them over.
So at the moment I am working on all K.P. Morritt’s reels, this includes the Match and Popular centrepin’s falling between 1958? to 1968.
And all K.P. Morritt’s/Gladding reels Falling between 1968 to ????.
I know that this has simplified it somewhat but is a start.
Fred

I'll take one out for you so longs there's no funny business...... I'm married now you know

Loop Erimder wrote:I'll take one out for you so longs there's no funny business...... I'm married now you know

That took me a moment, but

Fred, you may find this site useful http://www.intrepidreel.com/reels.html

Good evening Fred, Sir.

I have an advert from "Fishing Tackle Dealer" magazine in September, 1958, showing that the "Standard" and "De-Luxe" were available then ... and I believe that I saw a note somewhere which said Intrepids were available from as early as 1956.



I believe that the "Monarch Mk 1" was produced before 1960, as the first reel I bought was in that year, a "Monarch Mk 2."

Some research a while back resulted in finding a company registration date for K. P. Mottitt Ltd., Falmouth, Cornwall, registered on 3rd. October 1959 ... though the move from Cheam took place much later.

I also found a company registration for "Intrepid Sealey Holdings Ltd" with a company address of 36 Southernhay East, Exeter, EX1 1LF ... dated as 2nd. December 1970. I assume, therefore, that Gladdings bought Intrepid at the same time as they bought Edgar Sealey ... late 1970 ... well after Intrepid moved to Falmouth. Therefore, reels between the move in 1968 and the Gladding buy-out in late 1970 are Morritt's Intrepids.

Not sure if that helps ... or muddies the waters ... but I hope you find it of interest.

I would add that Morritt were in Falmouth well before 1968 (64 I think) and it wasn't a straight "move" as they operated in both Cheam and Falmouth for a while. Gladding getting involved some time between 1968 and 1970 sounds about right and the Sealey connection did indeed begin around the same time.

Thank lads; all info is helpful at this time. I will wright it all down and a picture will form.
It seems that no one has thought of putting together the history of Intrepid reels like they have with other makes.
It would be helpful to find out when Intrepid started and finished making reels.

Fred wrote: It would be helpful to find out when Intrepid started and finished making reels.

The last reel that "Intrepid" as we know it developed was the Carbon Fibre Sea-Streak shortly before they went belly-up in 1979. A Taiwan company which I believe to be Silstar (Okuma) acquired the name and made several fairly state of the art graphite reels in 1979 - early 1980s - various sizes of coarse reel plus the Surfcast 80 (not named for the year but for its size). The Falmouth plant did not actually close but continued manufacturing fly reels (eg Rimfly) under the name BFR (British Fly Reels) for Leeda for several years before eventually closing altogether - Leeda today still own the Intrepid brand (or they did when I corresponded with them last year).

Fred wrote:Thank lads; all info is helpful at this time. I will wright it all down and a picture will form.
It seems that no one has thought of putting together the history of Intrepid reels like they have with other makes.

Not quite a blank canvas but important we get it right as bad info can stick just as hard as good info on this big interwebby thingy.