Bob Southwell Rods

[Nailbourne]

I've thought of that, Beresford!

Mind you, his prices are for fly blanks - a coarse rod blank might be more - will check. He's also limited to a 2.70m run - 9' (I assume 2 x 4' 6" joints). So, for a MkIV, say, you'd have to have a detached-butt rod like a Chapman 500.

I also have a Zhu fly rod. Lovely action, but don't like the fittings, ferrules, and finish - a bit too modern for my taste.

[Beresford]

I'd be interested in a fly blank. I'd really like an 8' 6" 5 weight to a relatively fast taper as far as cane fly rods go. As you write coarse rods would eat up lots of raw materials so would be a more expensive but if we went down the Chapman 550 format then at least they could be sent.

[Nobby]

Doing a bit of research on Bob Southwell again and I see I have miswritten here!

Ted Oliver of Oliver's of Knebworth did not learn his trade from Bob Southwell, but from an ex-Southwell employee Mr.Howson who had seemingly left Southwell to strike out on his own but failed.

Ted tells me Mr.Howson was signed up to the £5 passage to Australia scheme, and Ted spotted an advert of his for old cane stock and contacted him.


He persuaded Mr.Howson to teach him how to make split cane, the gentleman charging him by the foot for the material as he prasctised! Ted had to travel down to Croydon for his training, his parents having recently moved to 'new town' Stevenage.

Ted then schlepped around tackleshops selling his produce.

It seems that Mr.Howson must have taken some business away from Bob Southwell and when he quit, Ted took over supplying those dealers himself, before eventually setting up his own firm.

This would explain why many think Ted Oliver rods are built on Southwell blanks. They aren't, but they are built in the same, 'pressed node' way.

Indeed, as far as I am aware, Ted and Bob never actually met one another.

Presumably there are a number of Howson blanked rods out there that , too, might be thought to be Southwell but aren't.


So to whom did Ted Oliver and Mr.Howson sell their products, all of them having previously bought from Bob Southwell and third employee Mr.Hancock?

Ted recalls selling to Don's, Chubb's, Peeke's and ............. B.James....yes, even B.James!

Only when Ted had his own transfers made did he stop using Mr.Howson's customers transfers....so he must have obtained them when he bought Mr.Howson's machining.

At that time all of his existing customers suddenly didn't want any more split cane rods and Ted started travelling around other tackle shops to sell his rods. In time his reputation was so good that he didn't need to travel to sell rods as the custmers came to him.

[Nigel Rainton]

All very confusing but it's good to capture the details on here, thanks Nobby :-)

My three Southwell rods are all signed and not in doubt.

[Fredline]

Doing a bit of research on Bob Southwell again and I see I have miswritten here!

Ted Oliver of Oliver's of Knebworth did not learn his trade from Bob Southwell, but from an ex-Southwell employee Mr.Howson who had seemingly left Southwell to strike out on his own but failed.

Ted tells me Mr.Howson was signed up to the £5 passage to Australia scheme, and Ted spotted an advert of his for old cane stock and contacted him.


He persuaded Mr.Howson to teach him how to make split cane, the gentleman charging him by the foot for the material as he prasctised! Ted had to travel down to Croydon for his training, his parents having recently moved to 'new town' Stevenage.

Ted then schlepped around tackleshops selling his produce.

It seems that Mr.Howson must have taken some business away from Bob Southwell and when he quit, Ted took over supplying those dealers himself, before eventually setting up his own firm.

This would explain why many think Ted Oliver rods are built on Southwell blanks. They aren't, but they are built in the same, 'pressed node' way.

Indeed, as far as I am aware, Ted and Bob never actually met one another.

Presumably there are a number of Howson blanked rods out there that , too, might be thought to be Southwell but aren't.


So to whom did Ted Oliver and Mr.Howson sell their products, all of them having previously bought from Bob Southwell and third employee Mr.Hancock?

Ted recalls selling to Don's, Chubb's, Peeke's and ............. B.James....yes, even B.James!

Only when Ted had his own transfers made did he stop using Mr.Howson's customers transfers....so he must have obtained them when he bought Mr.Howson's machining.

At that time all of his existing customers suddenly didn't want any more split cane rods and Ted started travelling around other tackle shops to sell his rods. In time his reputation was so good that he didn't need to travel to sell rods as the custmers came to him.

Thank you Nobby.

[Santiago]

I have a Peek's MKIV Avon. So I wonder if that was made by Ted Oliver. I guess I'll never know. It even has the 'hinge' in the tip section. But has too thick a varnish on to accurately measure the taper.