Hardy "The Match Roach"
- AshbyCut
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Hardy "The Match Roach"
Since being forced to 'honourably retire' my "Surestrike ... Sheffield Style,' I've been looking for something to fill the gap as a crucian rod from this iconic maker ... and I think I may have found it.
I don't have photos to share yet ... but arriving with me tomorrow (I hope) is a Hardy's "The Match Roach" ... a 3 piece rod listed in the catalogues from 1924 to 1953. It's a whole cane butt, whole cane centre, and whole cane spliced to split cane tip. With a 'G' letter prefix (for a 'composite' rod) it would be hard to date ... but the writing looks pre-WW2 (though I could be entirely wrong ... again !!!)
Thought I'd lost the pics ... but I found them !!!
I don't have photos to share yet ... but arriving with me tomorrow (I hope) is a Hardy's "The Match Roach" ... a 3 piece rod listed in the catalogues from 1924 to 1953. It's a whole cane butt, whole cane centre, and whole cane spliced to split cane tip. With a 'G' letter prefix (for a 'composite' rod) it would be hard to date ... but the writing looks pre-WW2 (though I could be entirely wrong ... again !!!)
Thought I'd lost the pics ... but I found them !!!
"Beside the water I discovered (or maybe rediscovered) the quiet. The sort of quiet that allows one to be woven into the tapestry of nature instead of merely standing next to it." Estaban.
- John Harding
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Re: Hardy "The Match Roach"
Mal,
I was lucky enough to purchase one of these rods in an auction a couple of years ago and I placed a post on here asking if anyone could say how old it was. I received a great reply from one of the members, this is it :-
Regarding the 10'-6" Hardy "Match Roach", here are some pics that might help. The number G3492 dates it to 1928 (1928 range G1445-3680 from book "The House The Hardy Brothers Built"). Catalogue dates in order - 1925, 1933, 1935, 1939. Click to enlarge. The rod was shown again in some 50's catalogue but not in the lengths or form of yours.
Hope this helps,
Regards,
Dok
I hope it helps you dating your rod which looks in great condition, sadly mine requires quite a bit of restoration which hopefully I will get around to at some stage.
This is a copy of a page from a Hardy's catologue :-
Hope this is of interest to you.
Regards,
John
I was lucky enough to purchase one of these rods in an auction a couple of years ago and I placed a post on here asking if anyone could say how old it was. I received a great reply from one of the members, this is it :-
Regarding the 10'-6" Hardy "Match Roach", here are some pics that might help. The number G3492 dates it to 1928 (1928 range G1445-3680 from book "The House The Hardy Brothers Built"). Catalogue dates in order - 1925, 1933, 1935, 1939. Click to enlarge. The rod was shown again in some 50's catalogue but not in the lengths or form of yours.
Hope this helps,
Regards,
Dok
I hope it helps you dating your rod which looks in great condition, sadly mine requires quite a bit of restoration which hopefully I will get around to at some stage.
This is a copy of a page from a Hardy's catologue :-
Hope this is of interest to you.
Regards,
John
- John Harding
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Re: Hardy "The Match Roach"
Mal,
Sorry I forgot to put the number that is on my Match Roach Rod, it is G3492 and on the bag it say Makers to His Majesty The King.
Regards,
John
Sorry I forgot to put the number that is on my Match Roach Rod, it is G3492 and on the bag it say Makers to His Majesty The King.
Regards,
John
- AshbyCut
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Re: Hardy "The Match Roach"
Not 'of interest,' Sir ... indispensable !!! Thank you so much !!!
"Beside the water I discovered (or maybe rediscovered) the quiet. The sort of quiet that allows one to be woven into the tapestry of nature instead of merely standing next to it." Estaban.
- Tench Dreamer
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Re: Hardy "The Match Roach"
What I find so interesting here would be the thought ... let's go back to 1932/5 and see the chap using this to catch Roach, where? How? Bait? Who the Fellow was.. wouldn't it be great to know
- AshbyCut
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Re: Hardy "The Match Roach"
The rod arrived this morning ... and I just realised that I'd missed the length out of my original post.
I can confirm that it's an 11ft. rod, and with a really light, fast tip action. My scales also record it as 10.35oz. (293 grms).
I can confirm that it's an 11ft. rod, and with a really light, fast tip action. My scales also record it as 10.35oz. (293 grms).
TD, Sir ... my answer would be to imagine it in the hands of "The Skipper" (Captain L. A. Parker) easing bread crust below an antenna float down a swim under the willows of the Hampshire Avon on a late summer's evening.Tench Dreamer wrote: ↑Fri May 11, 2018 7:28 amWhat I find so interesting here would be the thought ... let's go back to 1932/5 and see the chap using this to catch Roach, where? How? Bait? Who the Fellow was.. wouldn't it be great to know
Last edited by AshbyCut on Fri May 11, 2018 4:06 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"Beside the water I discovered (or maybe rediscovered) the quiet. The sort of quiet that allows one to be woven into the tapestry of nature instead of merely standing next to it." Estaban.
- Olly
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Re: Hardy "The Match Roach"
"" Faddist"" was in fact Edward Ensom - not Capt L A Parker!
- AshbyCut
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Re: Hardy "The Match Roach"
!!! Mind on two things at once. My Fair Lady always said I was useless at multi-tasking !!!
Error corrected ... thanks Olly, Sir.
"Beside the water I discovered (or maybe rediscovered) the quiet. The sort of quiet that allows one to be woven into the tapestry of nature instead of merely standing next to it." Estaban.
- Olly
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Re: Hardy "The Match Roach"
Parker was called "Skipper"!
For those seeking dates of Hardy "G" Serial numbers:- http://classicflyrodforum.com/forum/vie ... 69&t=21112
For those seeking dates of Hardy "G" Serial numbers:- http://classicflyrodforum.com/forum/vie ... 69&t=21112
- AshbyCut
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Re: Hardy "The Match Roach"
a) It's my age, I tell you !!! I was actually looking at the cover of "This Fishing, or Angling Arts and Artifices" and still got it wrong !!!Olly wrote: ↑Fri May 11, 2018 12:01 pm Parker was called "Skipper"!
For those seeking dates of Hardy "G" Serial numbers:- http://classicflyrodforum.com/forum/vie ... 69&t=21112
b) Never seen that list before ... so thanks indeed for that !!! It makes my rod 1937, apparently.
"Beside the water I discovered (or maybe rediscovered) the quiet. The sort of quiet that allows one to be woven into the tapestry of nature instead of merely standing next to it." Estaban.