Allcocks "Harvey Torbett" 10ft Avon

[AshbyCut]

"Family Favourites" ran from 1945 to 1955, when it be came "Two Way Family Favourites." Jean Metcalfe was the best known presenter, working on both programmes, and meeting her husband Cliff Mitchelmore when they both worked on the later programme together.

To this day I still think of it when I hear the theme tune "With a Song in My Heart." It was on the radio every Sunday lunchtime as Mum cooked the compulsory roast in the Aga.

[Nobby]

The Clithero Kid ...Sunday afternoons on the Light Programme around the late Fifties? Also Round the Horne and Much Binding in the Marsh.

Beforre I'd even seen what a TV looked like.......

After 2 Way Family Favourites with Cliff Michelmore, Billy Cotton Band show & Archie Andrews. My Dad told me!

Wakey Wakeyeee. Brough told me.

Apparently Billy Cotton yelled that at a band member who had nodded off on stage just as the Billy Cotton Band Show was going live on air. Lots of laughter so they kept it forever.

[BoltonBullfinch]

Well I must say that this could have been the most interesting thread that I have read on TFF. The involvement of Mr Torbett's daughter really added a surreal element to the thread, and to think she thought it invasive to join in a thread about her own father. I took delivery today of a Harvey Torbett rod which was on the auction site that must never be mentioned.
I got the rod for 50 quid including postage, although the handle is not the original handle as far as I know. It could be the original handle that has been severely modified, or its something that was just made to fit. The female ferrule in the handle seems to be a perfect fit so that's very promising. So my first task is to strip this handle down to see if it is indeed the original handle.

Thanks
BB

[BoltonBullfinch]

I have stripped the Torbett handle down, removed the spinning rod type screw reel winch, front and rear furniture and all the Cork. Having a very uneducated guess, I would say this is what is left of the original handle as it was quite a budget fishing rod, and I'm thinking that the green fiberglass is about correct for the age of the rod, plus the cork that was under the reel winch was just over 20mm in diameter and looked like could have been original.

IMG_20210616_191809_resize_89.jpg

If anyone has stripped down a Torbutt handle I would appreciate your opinion.

Thanks
BB

[Nobby]

Now that's a surprise! Is it solid or hollow, do you know?

[Jeremy Croxall]

It's different to the one I worked on recently. I stripped the corks on the front end of a handle to replace the ferrule and the ferrule was glued over a wooden spigot.
The ferrule on yours looks to be inserted and glued inside the fibreglass tube?
Is the ferrule and fibreglass hollow all the way through?
If so I will poke something down my all original HT and see if that's hollow too.
It's possible of course that they produced the handles in different ways throughout the lifespan of the rod.
In any event if your rod turns out to be as nice in the hand as mine you will be thrilled to bits with it!

[BoltonBullfinch]

Now that's a surprise! Is it solid or hollow, do you know?

Hi nobby, it's solid fiberglass and it's been turned down at one end to fit the female ferrule over the riberglass.

Thanks
BB

[BoltonBullfinch]

Hi Jeremy. This ferrule is glued over the solid fiberglass which has been turned down to accept the ferrule. The overall length is 22 inch, the ferrule is just over 3 inch with 1.5 inch available for the male ferrule. The OD of the ferrule is just over 14mm and the OD of the fiberglass is just under 16mm. Sorry about the rough measurements, I need a new battery for my micrometer.

Thanks
BB

[Wallys-Cast]

The ones I have worked on have been wooden dowel or whole cane.

Wal.

[BoltonBullfinch]

So it looks like it was a rouge handle and not original, so I will source a wood dowel that I can put the female ferrule on and also get the handle to its original length which I believe is 25.5 inch. I'm not going to try and source a original reel fitting as I would presume they are ridiculously rare, so i will just use normal aluminium bands. Could anyone with a original handle please post a photo of both ends and give me a diameter of the handle please.

Thanks
BB