ASPINDALE ADDRESSES

[John Harding]

Good afternoon all,

I am quite a keen collector of old fishing magazines and I am currently reading my way through quite a big box of Midland Angler Magazines which as you may know was the house magazine for the Birmingham Anglers Association. Not only are the articles very interesting but I find the adverts are just as interesting as well and a source of information regarding dates etc' for lots of the items that we now collect.

While I was reading the June 1949 issue two adverts caught my eye, firstly because they were for one of my favourite rod manufacturers, Aspindales, and secondly because they were on facing pages and contained different addresses and different 'phone numbers.

ADVERT' ON PAGE 4


ADVERT ON PAGE 5


In July 1949 there is one advert' and the address is Hewell Road, Redditch, In September, October & December the address is again Hewell Road. Then moving on to April 1950 their advertisement gives the address of 36 Mount Pleasant again. Did they have two premises in action for quite a while I wonder, perhaps Nobby may be able to through some light on this aspect of their history.

It's also worth noting that in one of the adverts for June 1949 it states that "Aspindales present the Avondale Rod", so I take it that is when we can date the Avondale rods from.

Hope this is of interest and there are one or two other items that may be of interest to members which I will try to upload.

Regards,
John

[Olly]

A 10ft 2 section Avondale at 6.75oz - I dont believe I have seen one of them!

[Wanderer]

I'm following this one and will be very interested in what the experts on the subject have to say.

I have an Aspindales "Avondale" which has recently been refurbished by Paul Cook.
They are lovely rods and I would love to know the first and if possible, the last dates of manufacture, by the makers.

All the best.

[ReelMaker]

The Avondale is a lovely rod I would think that most of them now have been throw away to make way for the dark stuff.Terry

[Olly]

Is that the 10ft 2 section version?

[John Harding]

Olly,
The advert says it’s available as a two piece @ 10ft and a three piece @ 10 1/2 ft

John

[Olly]

Yep! That's what I asked - a 10ft 2 section rod?

Having not seen or previously heard of a 2 section 10ft Avondale - - I was wondering if Wanderer's or anyone else has the 2 section rod.

[Wanderer]

Hello Olly.
Mine is a 10 1/2 ft 3 section rod.

According to the advert it would appear that we owners of such rods are "connoisseurs".....

[Nobby]

1949 is the year in which the two Aspindale brothers split up, having formed Aspindale's in 1946 with the rods made my ex-Milwards rod shop foreman Jimmy Aspindale and brother William running the office side of things.

When they split I had understood William to have started a new firm Aero, but I can find no verification for this and I've only ever seen Aero rods as part of the name i.e: Aero Wizard.

It rather looks as though you have shown that William kept the family name too!

James Aspindale set up Jas. Aspindale & Son with Peter in 1949. It was at this point they adopted the 'dale' brand with many rods using it as part of the rod name. Peter ran the office, in time being joined by ex-Allcock rod maker Tony Croft as travelling salesman but also ferrule maker.

Unfortunately Peter had a serious road accident and was in a coma for a long time. His Dad closed the family business down and I think by this time William had already gone under.

Peter re-joined Tony Croft when recovered and Croft Competition Rods became Aspindale again at Peter's suggestion. Unfortunately, just as they were about to launch a range of aluminium rod the bank loan was topped and both men had to sell their homes to avoid a bankruptcy hearing.

My understanding is that both Peter and Uncle William were not particularly adept at accounting.


I saved this from a eBay auction some years ago:



36 Mount Pleasant Redditch is a domestic home built about 1920 and may have been Jimmy's Home Address. He later made the rods at British Mills Prospect Hill, Redditch where a Milwards Place now stands.

Nearby is where Samuel Allcock lived I believe. Around the corner is Fishing Line Road as well as Samuel Place.



.

[John Harding]

Thanks Nobby, great information as always.

Regards,
John