The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

BigFish wrote: Perhaps there is one of Mr Torbett in there.

You are correct BF, Sir ... my copy arrived via Abe Books this lunchtime, and the bottom photograph facing page 52 of a gentleman carefully returning a 7 lb barbel to the water is, indeed, Mr. Torbett.

I suspect that one or maybe more of the photos of boys angling through the book may be Harvey's sons, too.

Excellent! I hope you enjoy Mr Child's book! Those boys were fishing in Essex, is that where Mr Torbett is from?

BigFish wrote:Excellent! I hope you enjoy Mr Child's book! Those boys were fishing in Essex, is that where Mr Torbett is from?

They may be Harvey's sons, Sir ... I'm attempting to find out.

Both Harvey and Bill started out life in Hammersmith, but having bicycles went far and wide even as childhood friends, as his daughter recounted :-

"Dad was a really keen cyclist in his youth (he and his best friend Bill Howes, who also became also a well known angling writer) cycled from Hammersmith (where they lived) to Winkleigh in Devon, aged 15 in 1939!). The previous year, aged 14, Dad had done the trip on his own, cycling the 200 odd miles over 2 or 3 days. He and Bill fished together a lot as youths so he knew about cycling with your fishing kit from first hand experience!
It was at the end of that trip with Bill, they stopped one time, and they heard, on the radio, Chamberlain's speech declaring war. He and Bill managed to hitch a lift back to Shepherds Bush where Bill lived, in a lorry, who took them bikes and all. He says 'we got back to Shepherds Bush in time to hear the first Air Raid siren.' "

BigFish wrote:Excellent! I hope you enjoy Mr Child's book! Those boys were fishing in Essex, is that where Mr Torbett is from?

I've just had a response from Harvey's daughter ... and yes, the two boys in the photo are Neil and Martin, Harvey's sons.

She's guessing that Neil would be 13 in that picture, and Martin 11. At 63 and 61, they still fish today, along with Cindy's twin brother Ken and their cousin Cliff.

AC, take a look at the 'latest traditional angling purchase' thread I think you'll like what you see.