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H H Norris or W H Norris?

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 10:33 am
by 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?

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Re: H H Norris or W H Norris?

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 10:49 am
by 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!

Re: H H Norris or W H Norris?

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 11:01 am
by LuckyLuca
Bob Brookes is your man for these. Knocker Norris. Bob knew him as a child.

Re: H H Norris or W H Norris?

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 11:15 am
by 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.

Re: H H Norris or W H Norris?

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 11:30 am
by Lea Dweller
A Bob Southwell blank, without doubt! :Hahaha: To be serious though, it is a fine looking rod and very useable, I look forward to seeing it finished! :Hat:

Re: H H Norris or W H Norris?

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 11:32 am
by 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.

Re: H H Norris or W H Norris?

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 1:06 pm
by Fredline
Lea Dweller wrote: Wed Sep 04, 2019 11:30 am A Bob Southwell blank, without doubt! :Hahaha: To be serious though, it is a fine looking rod and very useable, I look forward to seeing it finished! :Hat:
You are right about the Southwell blank but you must also note that the logo is Kenny Kendals handwriting.

Re: H H Norris or W H Norris?

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 3:01 pm
by Lea Dweller
Fredline wrote: Wed Sep 04, 2019 1:06 pm
Lea Dweller wrote: Wed Sep 04, 2019 11:30 am A Bob Southwell blank, without doubt! :Hahaha: To be serious though, it is a fine looking rod and very useable, I look forward to seeing it finished! :Hat:
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! :Hat:

Re: H H Norris or W H Norris?

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 3:43 pm
by 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.

Re: H H Norris or W H Norris?

Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2019 3:53 pm
by Bob Brookes
.........also, check out Bill (Knocker) Norris in Traditional Fishing Tackle Shops on TFF.