The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Lea Dweller wrote:

Steve59 wrote:N

Lea Dweller wrote:

Steve59 wrote:

Stathamender wrote:

Steve59 wrote:Living above Fields fishing tackle shop ment our entrance hall also served to connect the shop wth the rod building workshop at the shops rear.
I can recall an elderly gentleman working in the back room this I presume was J B Kohn senior, I believe it was his son who managed the front shop.

From a former resident of Kentish Town area 20 years ago, the building is long gone, now the Kentish Town Fire Station

Ya I know we had to move out about 1967 so they could demolish our home for the new station, mind you by today's standard it would probably be classified as a slum.

Hello Steve, I grew up in the Kentish Town/ Queen's Crescent area, so I knew Field's tackle shop well. I went to Acland school, which became Acland Burleigh, I left aged 15. Soon after I started work, I bought a new Rapidex and a B.James Richard Walker Mark IV avon rod. I joined the L.A.A travelling to many venues using my new combo. I also fished both Hampstead and Highgate Ponds, also the Regents Canal opposite London Zoo. Many happy memories of that time!

We moved from Highgate road to a block of flats just around the corner from Queens crescent, in fact my dad had a Saturday stall in the market, I spent a lot of time on the Regents Canal as a member of the Pirates club but the only fishing I done there was catching stickle backs in a homemade net made from Mums stockings.
I now live in Oulton Broad Suffolk but I'm glad I grew up in the city, it was like one big adventure playground although I'm now spoilt for choice as far as water goes.
Here's a badge from the Chalk Farm Pisctorial Club, it belonged to my late Father.

What a small world, I used to work in Queen's Crescent market for my uncle on a Saturday around 1960/63, so I may have met your Dad! Amazing!
This forum continues to amaze me with the contacts that can be found from so long ago!

My Dad didn't have a stall until around 69 it was a pet stall at the coal wharf end,I had a small junk stall along side his, I was 9/10 years old. My stock came from scrounging around in the derelict houses surrounding the Crescent that were waiting to be demolished ready for shinny new council flats.
My Dad was a bus driver on the 24, 46 and 31 routes so I'd guess you probably rode on his bus at some time during the 1960's, it's small world as you say.
Nice to chat with someone from the old manor.

I do remember a pet stall at that end of the market, my Dad then lived in the new flats opposite the pub on the corner at that end of the market(The Mamelon Tower) I used to catch the 24 bus to Camden town and back frequently! I did a good thing moving to Enfield first and then on Stanstead Abbotts where I now live. I have good memories of my younger days in Queen's Crescent though!

I have a catalogue for "Fields" (pic hopefully attached). It has 70 pages and mostly lists other makers tackle and is undated but I think it dates c.1950 as it incudes a half bail Mitchell (not the 300), Dick Walkers "Rod Making For Amateurs" and mentions a couple of glassfibre rods. If anyone wants details of a particular item of tackle I'll endeavour to photograph the appropriate page and add it.
Also included is a pic of my "Carp" - had to buy it as it says "caught Highgate pond 1939" and as a youngster I heard the tales of a legendary carp but never saw one or anyone else who had. I reckon this was the fish that started the rumour. By the way it's no more than a 2 pounder and looks a bit like it could be a big goldfish to me.....

Cheers
Dok

Wow I'm so envious of you having the catalogue let alone the cased Carp, if ever you feel the need to move them on I've got a tenner waiting .
Because my boyhood address was 20a Highgate Road Kentish Town London NW5 a great sense of nostalgia overcomes me when I see it, I must apologise for taking this thread off topic........sorry, but I'm loving it and thanks all for indulging me.

Interesting to see that the random apostrophe is not a modern development.

Steve59 wrote:Wow I'm so envious of you having the catalogue let alone the cased Carp, if ever you feel the need to move them on I've got a tenner waiting .
Because my boyhood address was 20a Highgate Road Kentish Town London NW5 a great sense of nostalgia overcomes me when I see it, I must apologise for taking this thread off topic........sorry, but I'm loving it and thanks all for indulging me.

One more piece of nostalgia - you must have been to Saturday Morning Pictures (6d at "The Forum") opposite the shop. I can still remember sitting on the edge of my seat watching the Lone Ranger and co. saving the day or laughing my head off at the corniest old comedies - all pre television of course.
Dok

Dokterhoo wrote:

Steve59 wrote:Wow I'm so envious of you having the catalogue let alone the cased Carp, if ever you feel the need to move them on I've got a tenner waiting .
Because my boyhood address was 20a Highgate Road Kentish Town London NW5 a great sense of nostalgia overcomes me when I see it, I must apologise for taking this thread off topic........sorry, but I'm loving it and thanks all for indulging me.

One more piece of nostalgia - you must have been to Saturday Morning Pictures (6d at "The Forum") opposite the shop. I can still remember sitting on the edge of my seat watching the Lone Ranger and co. saving the day or laughing my head off at the corniest old comedies - all pre television of course.
Dok

Yes, Saturday morning pictures was a regular thing for my sister and me because we lived almost opposite the Forum or the ABC cinema as it was known back then, then on Sunday we got sent to Sunday school in the church next door.
Do you remember the song we sang? It started We are the boys and girls that sing songs something something something ABC.

"We are the boys and girls well known as, the members of the ABC", and that is all the words I can remember, but the tune is stuck in my head, if we could attach music files, I could hum it for you, I went to the ABC at the junction of the Harrow road with the Edgware Road, right opposite Paddington Police station, great memories. Going up on stage when it was your birthday, and the audience singing Happy Birthday, or our version of it, something about "Squashed tomatoes and stew, and bread and butter in the gutter?", mad happy days, long gone.

I've found the lyrics............sing along chaps
We are the boys and girls well known as
Minors of the ABC
And every Saturday we line up
To see the films we like
And shout aloud with glee
We love to laugh and have a sing-song
Just a happy crowd are we
We’re all pals together
We’re minors of the ABC

So glad someone else remembers this...I thought I might be alone. I loved the luminous ABC Minor badge I had.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzWjw7AO_Xo

Like a lot of folk online I'm convinced we had a different song in the Fifties.......


Certainly Wikipedia has another piece of music credited:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABC_Cinemas


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY31cFvnpD0