H H Norris or W H Norris?

[Fredline]

I have just bought this gem of a ferrule less rod for the princely sum of £10 and I was more than willing to pay that much. It is as straight as a die, 12' 9, very Roachy' and does not appear to have been shortened in its lifetime. The tip section has had a non threaded swing tip adaptor fitted and the rest of that section looks original. The other 2 sections have had the cane nodes and female end whipped in a lighter colour. The logo has been written in beautiful hand writing. It was sold as H H Norris but looks like W H Norris Leamington Spa and what could be R H H or R H W. I cannot decide whether the finish is original or not. Any ideas?

[Olly]

What a great looking rod - I admire the work involved in ferruleless cane rods. It looks old from the handwriting and has had some amendments!

[LuckyLuca]

Bob Brookes is your man for these. Knocker Norris. Bob knew him as a child.

[Penninelad]

My "Imperial" fly rod says. W H Norris.When I visited his shop as a child we always called him Mr Norris but his mates called him Bill or "Knocker" so I think it's W not H.But Bob Brookes will know better than me.

[Lea Dweller]

A Bob Southwell blank, without doubt! To be serious though, it is a fine looking rod and very useable, I look forward to seeing it finished!

[Wallys-Cast]

Excellent rods, they really are, and yes it's W H Norris. I'll leave Bob to give you the full story about Knocker.

I love those slightly tapered ferruless joints often used in whole cane rods, I think it's one of those skilled Japanese things that was handed down and used by British pole makers.

Wal.

[Fredline]

A Bob Southwell blank, without doubt! To be serious though, it is a fine looking rod and very useable, I look forward to seeing it finished!

You are right about the Southwell blank but you must also note that the logo is Kenny Kendals handwriting.

[Lea Dweller]

A Bob Southwell blank, without doubt! To be serious though, it is a fine looking rod and very useable, I look forward to seeing it finished!

You are right about the Southwell blank but you must also note that the logo is Kenny Kendals handwriting.

I am trying to be serious, the writing is clearly not that of Kenny Kendal, it is a distant relative of the Abu family called Sleitov And!

[Bob Brookes]

Fredline: Check out, THE STORY OF A ROD, in my personal fishing stories in August 2017. I have also written other pieces about Knocker (W H Norris) elsewhere.

[Bob Brookes]

.........also, check out Bill (Knocker) Norris in Traditional Fishing Tackle Shops on TFF.