The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Evening All,
I'm just wondering if anyone has any information on Falcon of Redditch? I've picked up a 10' spinning rod by this company - 'The Monarch'. t's been re-whipped in red and 'turned' - the name being at 90° to where it should be, but nice enough. It has an Aspindale esque look to the scribing.
Regards Cat

I believe that the makers were involved with Aspindales at one time.

https://splitcaneinfo.com/wp-content/up ... n-1972.pdf

I have a Monarch by Aspindale - an extremely powerful 3 piece salmon rod at about 11ft if I remember.

Excellent Olly!
Looks like from the grainy colour photo that the whipping colour and bells are actually correct.
Thanks Cat

Here is my latest Purchase!

Falcon of Redditch - The Monarch 10‘

Some of the whippings are not in best condition and it has two little dongs in the varnish and the cork handle shows some notches but it’s straight as it should be and is quite fishable.

I took it out for a first ride …

Can’t wait to catch the first fish.

Cor, that's lovely.
The reel ain't bad either !

Although a very young reel (pun intended) it fits the rod quite nice I guess. I’ll see how it looks with my Silex No. 2 when the pike season is on again in May (we have a closed window from January until the end of April, when it comes to pike fishing)!

Ken Johnson was Falcon of Redditch. He started with Aspindales very early as when the two brothers parted in 1949 he was making rods for William Aspindale at Aero rods. William soon failed and Ken ended up with Jimmy Aspindale again making the ferrules....possibly out-sourced He was made redundant effectively when Tony Croft came over from Allcocks and started making the ferrules in-house.

After that it seems likely that Ken continued making rods to Aspindale tapers such as the Wasp for Tom Watson the Nottingham tackle shop owner.

I'm not sure just when Falcon was created but it seems to have concentrated on game rods and these may have even been sold to Scandinavia.


Interesting to read about the 'political situation in Tonkin' on the catalogue Olly linked to above....as we all know that isn't where the cane came from at all!



Here is Falcon's 'factory' a huge residential home now split into flats with 8 parking spaces to the rear and extensions to the ground floor that may well have been workrooms once. It seems likely that Ken must have employed others here and it seems that he out-lived both Aspindale brothers as a businessman. Strange then, that we know so little about him.

Great combo Hyrsch...it'll be a perfect rod for piking.

I have pretty much the same rod falcon monarch number 271 10 ft are all of your guides lined with pink ceramics ive matched mine with a mitchell 410

I have trawled through the site and am now educated in regards to Falcon Rods of Redditch. I knew I had one, its a three piece split cane river rod for course fishing. Once 13' alas now only 12' ( a top section cut down prior to my ownership.) in perfect small ink handwriting Aero No 93 Falcon,Redditch, and above the cork handle 76- (or possibly 76 w) . Any details to add to my knowledge will add to my pleasure upon using it soon. regards Tony