Quest for Carp by Jack Hilton

[Dave]

Of all the books, over all the years this is the one book I could never part with. Having read it from the local library in 1972 I must have read it a hundred or more times since! For those who have an interest in the Redmire and Ashlea syndicates of the late 60's and early 70's it's an absolute must. It was reprinted several times (78, 81 and 84 I think) and then again by the LEP as a limited edition. Copies often turn up on EBAY and are not too expensive for a reading copy.
Well worth having on your bookshelf....

[Mark]

I have the LEP edition, Dave have you read Quest for the Best also by LEP

[Dave]

Yes I have Mark...the first and last pages are particularly interesting.
For those that haven't seen the book, on the first page Jack's widow quotes from the beginning of a book Jack was going to write but (presumably) never finished...what a shame.
On the last couple of pages are photos of two young lads (they would be middle aged at least now) that were going to be included in a book he had started writing for children.
As she says " I'm sure they would be interested to at last see themselves in a book. I often wondered if they continued with their fishing"

Maybe someone who has the computer skills could scan these pictures from the book onto the site...it would be great if these young anglers could be traced...

[Mark]

Here's the two pictures from the book Dave. Doe's anyone know who they are?

[Dave]

I do wonder if the lad with the carp actually caught it or was just posing for the adult who did? It seems a little strange that he appears to be wearing his school uniform?? Mind you...maybe he couldn't wait for the school bell to go and rush out fishing...like a certain Mr Yates did I believe. Would be soooo interesting to track them down wouldn't it Mark?

[Mark]

It certainly would Dave. You never know, someone on the forum may know something.

[Martin James]

I remember arriving in Blighty from an adventure Colombia, where I picked up the book Quest for Carp which I started reading on the train. It just made me want to go carp fishing. Arriving home my wife said "Are we going away for a couple of days", I said "No I'm off carp fishing, we will go off when I get back". That's the effect that the book had on me. I often fished for chub on the River Beault with Jack and Tom Mintram. After fishing it was back to my house for huge meal of chips sausages bacon beans and eggs with big mugs of tea. What great guys angling has given us. That's why its such a great sport, pastime or passion, I reckon a bit of all three. Perhaps the first youngster in the pics is Jack's son. Len Arbery might know I will check

[Davyr]

I do wonder if the lad with the carp actually caught it or was just posing for the adult who did? It seems a little strange that he appears to be wearing his school uniform??

Seems hard to believe these days, but kids from poor families in the 1960s quite often wore their school uniforms when not actually in school because that was the only serviceable clothing they owned.

I have a photo of myself holding my first-ever carp (that weighed about 1lb!) taken in 1965 and I'm wearing my school cap - The only reason you can't see my blazer as well is that I'm wearing a plastic mac over it! :lol:

[Mark]

Where's the photo Davry, come on your've metioned it now.

[Davyr]

Err, I'll see if I can find it...it's in a box somewhere. It's faded badly in the way that many colour photos from the 60s and early 70s have, though. I've also got a B&W one from about 2 years earlier (taken on the Wey Navigation at Guildford) in which I'm not only wearing my school blazer, but shorts into the bargain!

I was only 10 at the time, mind...