Red Letter Days

[Shaun Harrison]

Having just used this picture again on the Frank Gutfield thread, it made me wonder if we have any other Red Letter Days book contributors using this forum other than...

Chris Ball, Len Arbery, Martin James and myself?

I wasn't sure if any of the others are posting under different names?

Obviously with the likes of Chris Yates etc on the picture, there are a few who have been known to use a bit of traditional gear over the years.

Sadly as the years move on, more are missing from any possible chance of an up-dated picture.

The photograph is from a very proud moments of my angling life. It was the day of the Launch of the 'Red Letter Days' book where all of us (the contributors) donated chapters with all book sale proceeds going to the legendary Bernard Venables (sat at the front in the middle) after he was turned out of the cottage he had lived in for years. Thankfully the money went towards getting him back into somewhere nice.



Back Row left to right
1 Bruce Vaughan
2 John Everard
3 Charlie Landells (not one of the authors or illustrators)
4 Peter Garvan
5 Tim Marks
6 Mick Brown
7 Pete Reading
8 Len Head
9 Tony Miles
10 Dave Williams

Middle Row left to right
11 Dave Steuart
12 Dave Howes
13 Martin James
14 Fred Sykes
15 Len Arbury
16 Pete Springate
17 Phil Smith
18 Peter Stone
19 Frank Gutfield
20 Chris Ball
21 Bob James
22 John Watson

Front row left to right (crouching)
23 Mark McKeown
24 Roger Miller
25 John Searl
26 Bernard Venables
27 Pete Rogers
28 Chris Yates
29 Shaun Harrison
30 Nigel Witham

[Paul D]

Wow, what a picture Shaun, thanks for sharing.

[Macko]

No John Wilson, is he the only contributer not there?
ATB Macko

[AshbyCut]

I'd have counted it a privilege to be watching from the car park !!!

[Mark]

What year was the photo taken Shaun.

[Shaun Harrison]

No John Wilson, is he the only contributer not there?
ATB Macko

Sadly, there were a few who never turned up at the launch party.





It was a very long drive for quite a few of us, but I'm so pleased I made the effort. It was a truly humbling moment to have been able to help out the great Bernard Venables in his hour of need. He had given so much to angling himself that being asked to donate a chapter to a book with all proceeds going to Bernard was the least I could do. At least he managed to get back into a proper home again before his last breath.

I'd have counted it a privilege to be watching from the car park !!!

It is a shame that the general public weren't invited as they are these days on book launches. Although to be fair it was quite busy with the contributors there and nice to be able to wander around and have chats with the other writers. I guess the day would have been less special to a few of us had we not had the time to chat to so many we had seen for years but had never met. A morning for us and a afternoon for the public would have worked well. Sadly that event could never happen again with so many on the picture no longer with us.

I'm pleased to say I still bump into a few though, some on the picture and some who never made it on the day.

What year was the photo taken Shaun.

It was 1994 Mark and ironically it is one of the years where my diaries are missing. I was going to scan my scribblings from the day and add them here, but sadly 1994 isn't on my diary shelves. It will turn up eventually as my diaries have run since 1977.



Rest in peace Bernard, the world is by far a better place for your contributions to it, you certainly left your mark on many. It was a total privilege and honour to meet you.

[RBTraditional]

I've searched the net for a Bernard Venables appreciation society or the like, there's one for BB....does one exist? It would be lovely to know that some of us could keep his name and works in the public eye in respect for the great man.....I'd certainly join

[Shaun Harrison]

I find it quite sad that Mr Crabtree is remembered more than the creator and person behind the cartoon charachter. http://mrcrabtreegoesfishing.com/

Sadly there is very little on the facebook page which someone set up https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bernard- ... 93?sk=info with just 240 or so likes.

[Shaun Harrison]

No John Wilson, is he the only contributer not there?
ATB Macko

Just had a quick count up, there were 21 contributors who didn't turn up for the launch, fortunately the other 29 did.

I have been asked by someone who is looking at producing a Red Letter Days '2' including as many of the originals as he can if I would write a fresh chapter following on from my previous one.

Naturally I have said yes. It was a very popular book.

The book launch/book signing days seem really popular these days attracting a lot of collectors yet back then I don't think I had heard of a angling book launch gathering.

[GazTheAngler]

Well Sean, if there is red letter days 2 I'll be buying it and if there was a launch/signing day I would be there like a shot.