Casting in the sun

Tags

1886, Beer, Festival, Fishing, Franklin & Sons, Gin, Hardy, River, Sea, St Ives, Tonic

With the start of the new coarse fishing season underway only the fool hardy ventured out under the grey skies and pouring rain – clearly as I get older I have turned into a fair weather fisherman. Gone are the days when I would head out whatever the weather in pursuit of a trout from a chalkstream or a trace full of mackerel and a prized sea bream from the sea.

Any sort of fishing recently has been put on hold. The course rods and reels were put away back in March, there has been little time to venture to the Sussex Coast for any sea fishing and the collection of trusted Hardy fly rods and reels have remained in situ since the end of last season.

Having had my Father pass away recently it brings home how precious time is, how missed opportunities with young Tales by the river watching his face light up as he catches even the smallest of fish or purely the sheer enjoyment of  just being spending time out together, so the rod will be dusted off and packed into the car as we head off to the West. 

Fortuitously work this weekend takes me to one of the furthest points West, glorious St Ives, where this I will be working at the Gin Festival UK promoting Gin and Franklin & Sons tonics and mixers, a range of soft drinks produced since 1886 on the edge of the metropolis along the Metropolitan Line in Rickmansworth. As a child I remember finding the old Franklin branded glass bottles on the spoil heap of the local farm and occasionally I see one in the bottom of the River Chess and more often in hedgerows along the footpaths leading to the river, probably discarded by school boys on their way home. Occasionally when on the banks of the River Thames you can find the old black vulcanite stoppers, recently I found a Franklin ‘F’ branded bottle stopper and at a local table sale an old glass branded green bottle.

Hopefully if we get a good day on Sunday and with a little sun young Tales and I can get a couple of hours in hurling a Dexters out to sea. In recent years in-shore mackerel have been far and few between but the odd pollock has often broken cover in the rocky coves to take the odd lure when presented.

I’m certainly looking forward to a catch up with some old friends, the odd pint in The Sloop Inn or cocktail in the Rum & Crab Shack and without question a Gin and Tonic if Col has anything to do with what we’ll be drinking.

    

The Detectorists…

Tags

Detectorists, Finds, History, Mudlark, Museum Of London, River Thames, Thomas Pearson, Token, Westminster Palace

My post have been far and few between in these early months of 2016. There have been few fishing forays as the weather and state of the rivers have dictated the opportunities to fish. Rivers running the colour of builders tea and water levels up to your nick-nacky – noos have meant the rods linger in there rests and the ratchets of reels don’t click.

With now only a couple of days away until the close season there will be no ‘classic coarse’ fishing until late June. For us we herald in the season for Trout, Sea-Trout and Salmon fishing and when time and weather permits lure fishing for Bass.

Having been feeling under the weather over the last couple of days I took to the river today under a clear blue sky and walked along the shoreline to see what the recent high Spring tides had scoured away and what it may reveal. In the distance I saw two camouflaged clad figures, for a moment I thought Members of TAC but soon it became apparent that they were ‘mudlarks’, Detectorists of the metal kind. 

Having struck up a conversation with these enthusiastic gentlemen they were open to sharing their knowledge of the river, their methods and finds. Whilst in mid-conversation one of them bent down, turning over the surface pea shingle and then between thumb and forefinger rubbing a small thin circular object, he stopped his patter and observed his find. ‘Can you see what it says’ as he passed the  20mm disc to me. I rubbed it in much the same way however I could feel the relief of the hammered token. With the warm air on this bright sunny March afternoon drying the token it revealed the wording The Olde Thomas Pearson on one side and In Westminster Pallace Yard on the reverse with His Half Penny in the centre. The condition of the token was simply breathtaking seeing that it was struck between 1648-1673 and had been covered by the river silt as its only protection.

Within a few feet another gleaming item appeared, this being a metal button made by Webb & Co London, again I was astonished as to its condition after the surface grime was rinsed off with water from the river.

I’m still amazed at what this river gives up or rather the things that have found their way into it. Each and every time I walk the shores of the River Thames  history unfolds beneath my feet, so much, so visible to the naked eye, yet thousands pass it by without a second thought.

It will be interesting to see what I may find next time out.

My thanks to the Detectorists who shared that special moment today. 

    
   

It is Christmas Day!

Tags

Christmas, Fishing, Greetings, New Year

To all of you brothers of the angle, shutter and paintbrush, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, may you all find peace and love not only over the Christmas season but for evermore.

For those of you heading to the river or sea tomorrow may your lines be tight and smiles put upon your face.

I bless you all for a prosperous New Year.

The night before Christmas…

Tags

Christmas, Eve, Night, Presents, Year

Between the rain showers and the warm glow of winter sun we dashed around the village doing the lasts bits of shopping before retiring to the pub for a beer and a bite to eat in order to give us energy to wrap those Christmas gifts for young Tales, it may take some time.

The years seems to have passed all too quickly, possibly because we’ve done a lot but more than likely because we are getting older. During the year we went West Wales for young Tales birthday to allow him to fish for sea-trout, went to a wedding in St Ives, visited Mrs Tales birthplace on the island of Cyprus, retuned to Bexhill – a place I spent time at as a young teenager to fish, stalled out at The National Vintage Tackle Fair, worked on some new projects and now it’s Christmas.

As it’s time to spend time with Mrs and young Tales on this Christmas Eve I want to take this opportunity to wish all of you who have taken time to read my blog a very merry Christmas.

On the fourteenth day of Advent…

Tags

Angel, Boat, Craftsman, Presents, Rope, Textiles, Tobias, Vintage

It was mid-afternoon when I stumbled across this very rare item, it is a boxwood rope gauge. I found it on a table of treasures in a shop close to my home.

Having lived in SW13 for nearly two decades I have frequented this shop that sells an eclectic mix of vintage fabrics, homewares and hand crafted items by Angel. On the run up to Christmas I always make the effort to visit this iconic shop in Barnes. As you open the door the air is filled with the scent of flowering hyacinths, beeswax and lavender. The warm glow of candles and the glimmer of light reflects the the polished brass, ceramics and glass domes that shroud exquisite works, one that stood out was a tree full of baubles, beads and over vintage trinkets.

This is in no way a shop for thrifty purchases, each item for sale is hand made and unique much like the rare items sourced which in their own right are works of art.

A good friend of ours is a boat builder, well he is a master craftsman, carpenter, sculptor in fact nothing quite describes his sublime skills, for me one of the most talented people I know much like his partner who is a fantastic painter. For Bob these rope gauges would be an ideal gift, more as an item for the mantelpiece than to work with. An item to sit beside his Mamod Steam engine and clockwork Meccano boat.

I do try to find obscure gifts for those who know me for me it is part of the pleasure of Christmas finding things that are not usually available on the high street.

On the thirteenth day of Advent…

Tags

Advent, Christmas, Everything, Film, Theory, Time

I watched the Theory of Everything. It made me think about time, relationships and how never to give up.

On the twelfth night of Advent…

Tags

Carol, Charles Dickens, Christmas, Markey's, Scrooge, Spirits

This evening I saw the ghost of Christmas past and present.

On the tenth day of Advent…

Tags

Advent, Charity, Gifts, Sloe Gin, Vintage

After a busy day and with Christmas rapidly approaching I can’t help but reflect on a image of a young child from Syria featured on a poster that I saw on the train today. Whilst we all prepare for Christmas I spare a thought for those less fortunate. With countries at war, famine, hardship, the homeless and closer to home those now displaced from their homes after the torrential rain and floods. For many Christmas is not a time of joy, it is simply just another day in a journey of survival and getting by.

In support of the Octavia Foundation and several other local charity shops that have supported their fundraising by retailing donations I myself in them some of them from time to time purchasing an eclectic mix of items. Featured below some trinkets, a set of tasting cups and an ashtray bearing a coin from the reign of King Edward. These cast offs cost little however I see a certain beauty in them as they can be reused. The cups for sipping this years Sloe Gin from and for the ashtray for the once a year cigar.

On the seventh day of Advent

Tags

Advent, Ale, Charity, Dunhill, Lucky Severn, Pewter, Tankard

Lucky Seven is reputed to be the most authentic Diner this side of the Brooklyn Bridge based in W2 along the Westbourne Park Road, it was also the title to a TV series, the title of a film and a tobacco brand State side. However my lucky seven was this evening for on my journey home I found a £5 note drifting along a pavement in the breeze.

As I bring to you a range of possible gifts sourced from charity shops, table top sales, car boots and the like I can’t help putting a grin on my face after remembering picking up a pewter tankard from a junk shop off the Askew Road in West London paying a £5 note for it only to find that it was stamped on the bottom with the Dunhill brand logo.

It is now my treasured vessel for consuming ale out of and when used gives me great pleasure. Yet again I prove that there are treasures to be found amongst the tat and cast offs that reach the charity shops and bric-a-brac stalls across the land. I therefore raise a glass to those who go in search of treasures past for future Christmas presents.

On the sixth day of Advent…

Tags

Cast, Christmas, May Flies, Present, Tin, Wheatley

Like the full moon this vintage buckle silver Richard Wheatley cast tin attracted my eye at a table sale in Spitalfields earlier in the year, a £10 note sealed the deal. Inside the tin were several May Flies and Alexander wets. This for sure would make an ideal Christmas present for the fly fisher in your life.