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Re: B.James Production Numbers
Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 8:50 pm
by John_Moore
Just a thought, I think B James changed to Bruce and Walker around 1959 and carried on making cane rods under the B James & Son label into the mid 1960's? Correct me if I am wrong.
I wouldn't for a minute think the new formed company would keep any production records relating to B James back to the 1940's, would they?
I have been self employed for most of my working life and I only have to keep financial records for Revenue and Customs for 7 years then they get destroyed.
There is sometimes no firm or sound answer to a quite understandable and simplistic question.
Now....If I could just get my float out of that tree.
John.
Re: B.James Production Numbers
Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 10:59 pm
by Olly
The rod output must also be related to the number of employees they had as well?
"Specimen Hunting" only came to the fore after the capture of Clarrisa & the London Zoo visitors. Remember that about 50%+ of anglers were matchmen at that time.
Re: B.James Production Numbers
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 8:30 am
by Catfish.017
Santiago wrote: ↑Sat Sep 19, 2020 12:35 pm
Begs the question how many folk were coarse fishing during that time span. Say 15 years! I don't know the actual figure but to keep the maths simple let's say 5 million (probably a big underestimate). If some one knows the approx figure then lets have it!! Anyways, that works out at 15000 BJames rods owned within a fishing population of 5 million, which is only 0.3% of the market. More realistically over the 15 years of production there were possibly 15 or more million potential buyers, so that's only 0.1% of the market. So actually 15000, when expressed in terms of the market share, is not that many!
And 1, 000 a year works out at 20 a week, or 4 a day (assuming 5day week). That begs the question of how many folk they employed making the rods? And how many blanks they bought in from other sources like JB Walker and Allcocks etc.?
Four rods a day seems not that many! And quite feasible!!! So I suspect that the 15,000 is probably an underestimate.
One must take into account that only a small percentage of the angling population fished for Carp with any regularity. Taking my old club as an example, with a membership of more than two hundred I can recall only one chap who targeted the Carp in our lake at that time. So the actual market for these rods was comparatively small.
Re: B.James Production Numbers
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 12:17 pm
by Santiago
Absolutely. And they only had to make four and day to fulfil the need.
Re: B.James Production Numbers
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 8:32 pm
by Olly
Now is that 4 MKIV's? Or 4 rods?
They made quite a few varieties so they could be making Avon Perfections and MKIV Avon and SU Carp , Kennet Perfection, etc?
Were there a1000 employees or 20? Makes a difference. I cannot recall or read how many.
Re: B.James Production Numbers
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 9:18 pm
by Santiago
Possibly 4 MKIV rods made per day, based on the 15,000 allegedly made in 15 years, and a five day week. Does anyone have any idea how many rod makers B James employed?? Not that many if my guesstamate is close.
Re: B.James Production Numbers
Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2020 12:18 pm
by Nobby
When Bruce and Walker was formed the old shop manager carried on selling MkIV rods, though the premises seems to have changed to the other side of Northfield Avenue. I don't know who was making these rods or where...can't even think of the manager's name....Ted?
Re: B.James Production Numbers
Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2020 1:10 pm
by Lea Dweller
Nobby wrote: ↑Mon Sep 21, 2020 12:18 pm
When Bruce and Walker was formed the old shop manager carried on selling MkIV rods, though the premises seems to have changed to the other side of Northfield Avenue. I don't know who was making these rods or where...can't even think of the manager's name....Ted?
The manager's name was Cliff Glenton!
Re: B.James Production Numbers
Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2020 2:45 pm
by Nobby
Good man! I came across an advert for him in an old angling magazine, that's how I knew he still offered cane MkIVs as the advert mentioned them specifically.