The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I can remember when I was about twelve years old staring in the window of Wadsworth's Fishing Tackle Shop on Northgate Street just off Narborough Road in Leicester and marvelling at all floats and gadgets etc. I was with my Mother and I was looking for a reel case. I can’t remember what it cost but I still have the reel case, I’m looking at it now, it’s on my desk. I don’t know why the topic came up but I can vividly remember my Mother talking to Mr. Wadsworth and they discovered that they shared the same birthday. Its funny how silly things like that stick in your mind.

The premises were occupied by the Wadsworth family business from 1912 to 1977 when it eventually closed. His son Tony has his own show on Radio Leicester, nothing to do with fishing mind.

While searching the internet I found this old clip where Tommy Wadsworth is painting on the window that he has some worms for sale.

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheTonyWads ... e3OFQUzaqs

re tommy wadsworth tackle shop it was on northgate st just off of frog island . i used to fish in the local canal as igot older i eventually joined the northgate angling club which was run by tommy .his shop was every young boys dream come true i spent many an hour getting tips and advise from him .one thing i would say is that his shop on northgate st was nowhere near narborough rd

Northgate Street is about 5 minutes walk from Narborough Road. But having said that I think there were possibly two Wadsworth tackle shops in Leicester. After further investigations this video was Tony Wadsworth tackle shop that I use to use as a lad and this one is on Narborough Road itself. Possibly they moved from Northgate Street to Narborough Road at a later date.

What an extraordinary coincidence......Wadworth is hardly a common name, but there's a Wadworth's Brewery in Devizes.......it's called the North Gate Brewery.....because it's in North Gate Street !!!!




http://www.wadworth.co.uk/contactus.html



Lovely old clip that, from a time when tackle shops smelled very different.

The brewery is Wadworth the tackle shop is Wadsworth (with an 's') Nobby.

D'oh! I'm always missing that 'S'....

tony wadsworth was tommys son i have no idea when tony moved the shop to narborough rd the northgate st shop was only a small shop but as you can see narborough rd shop shop was a lot bigger.

Chunky wrote:tony wadsworth was tommys son i have no idea when tony moved the shop to narborough rd the northgate st shop was only a small shop but as you can see narborough rd shop shop was a lot bigger.

I have sent Tony Wadsworth an email today so hopefully he will clear this up for us.

I received an email from Tony Wadsworth today, this clears up my waning memory.

Apparently it was the Narborough Road shop I use to visit and not the Northgate Street shop.

Hi Mark, Good to hear from you.

The "old" shop in Northgate Street was scheduled for demolition so, the business relocated to Narborough Road in 1977.

I sold the business on Narborough Road in 1981 to go into broadcasting full-time and I believe it changed hands again before finally closing sometime around the mid 80s.

Thanks for you interest; it's appreciated.

Best wishes with the Forum.

Tony

An advert from the 1955 "10 Counties Angling Guide."