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A little background

Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 8:02 pm
by AshbyCut
I am deeply grateful to Mark for creating a forum here in "Famous Traditional Anglers" to recognise Harvey D. Torbett, and offer these few facts as an introduction to the man for those who haven't come across him.

As well as being an active coarse, fly, and sea angler he wrote (under his own name, as well as under his nom de plume "Isis") for many publications, coached, ran groups for young people, was an L.C.C. Angling Instructor (which is why I believe Allcock's named their 'avon' rod for young people after him), made a short film (which I'm hoping to source a copy of, but I think the chances are thin), broadcast on angling on the BBC Home Service in a series called "Fishing Reel' around 1960'61 ... was Angling Correspondent for Associated Rediffusion (later to become ITV), and Honorary Biologist to the Thames Federation of Anglers ... amongst other things.

Something of a 'Renaissance Man,' I think you'll agree, which is why he fascinates me so ... and I believe he deserves the status now afforded him on the TFF because of the work he did in inspiring young people to become involved in the Brotherhood of the Angle.

Indeed ... his signature is amongst other august autographs (Walker/Taylor/Drennan/Stone/Berth Jones and others) on the cover of the February edition of "Angling" from the 1964 National Angling Show, as Vagabond's post shows :-

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=9580

As I indicated in another thread I am hoping to build a complete archive of his writings, and hope that they may be of interest to anglers of all persuasions, especially young ones, for many more years.