Fred Taylor at Redmire

[Len Arbery]

Hello F B,

Here's how I remember the 10-10 story.

Soon after meeting Bill Quinlan he advised that my carp rods were not really suitable for BIG carp, in fact, remarking they'd be better as bean poles! Then suggested the glass-fibre blanks that he and his friends, including Jack Hilton and Bob Buteux, were currently building their carp rods on, were available from Don's of Edmonton; namely the Goddess and 10-10. In the event, actually the Goddess blanks proved unavailable.

The 10-10's, so called because their supplied length was 10 feet 10 inches, I thought were rather on the light side, so instead bought a B. James & Son glass MkIV Carp and Avon. These performed very well but at 10ft a little short. By now, though, Don's had sold out of 10-10's too! So I settled on an Olivers of Knebworth blank for one rod, and Bill loaned me one of his 10-10 based carp rods, so I could compare one to the other in actual use.

As it turned out, when Jack Hilton introduced his own carp rods, the light honey coloured ones, based on a blank very similar in every respect to the original Goddess, I decided to use them. It was these rods that I used throughout my Redmire Syndicate years, and for a long time subsequently.

So, in answer to your question: No, I didn't buy any 10-10's.

Besties,

Len.

[Gary Bills]

Hello F B,

Here's how I remember the 10-10 story.

Soon after meeting Bill Quinlan he advised that my carp rods were not really suitable for BIG carp, in fact, remarking they'd be better as bean poles! Then suggested the glass-fibre blanks that he and his friends, including Jack Hilton and Bob Buteux, were currently building their carp rods on, were available from Don's of Edmonton; namely the Goddess and 10-10. In the event, actually the Goddess blanks proved unavailable.

The 10-10's, so called because their supplied length was 10 feet 10 inches, I thought were rather on the light side, so instead bought a B. James & Son glass MkIV Carp and Avon. These performed very well but at 10ft a little short. By now, though, Don's had sold out of 10-10's too! So I settled on an Olivers of Knebworth blank for one rod, and Bill loaned me one of his 10-10 based carp rods, so I could compare one to the other in actual use.

As it turned out, when Jack Hilton introduced his own carp rods, the light honey coloured ones, based on a blank very similar in every respect to the original Goddess, I decided to use them. It was these rods that I used throughout my Redmire Syndicate years, and for a long time subsequently.

So, in answer to your question: No, I didn't buy any 10-10's.

Besties,

Len.

Thank you very much. Len, that's interesting stuff: I wonder where those ten-tens are now...? It's odd, how even somewhat famous rods just seem to vanish into thin air. One or two must still around, somewhere..?

[Len Arbery]

Hell F B,

You're right, there must have been many of those 10-10's sold and most have disappeared without trace. Hardly surprising, really, because to most they are just an old fishing rod, and to the casual observer nothing remarkable.

I've still got the 10-10 Bill Quinlan first loaned and than gave me; Keith Hilton has got one of, Jack's, his dad's; Bob Buteux still has the pair he built all those years ago, and occasionally still uses them; Dave Short had the other to the pair made by Bill Quinlan, and should think he's still got it. I know of no others.

Bob Buteux 'stiffened' the action of the 10-10 blank, by cutting a suitable length out of the middle, and inserting a dural tube into the butt under the corks.

Incidentally, was talking to Keith Hilton earlier today, and he told me how Don Neish (Don of Don's of Edmonton) used a novel method to check the soundness, or otherwise, of these early glass blanks. He'd first take a deep drag from his cigarette, then blow the resulting smoke through the bore of the blank. Should too much smoke issue through the blank's wall it would be consigned to the scrap bin.

Besties,

Len.

[Sandgroper]

Thanks to those who have given me information on the hooks. A friend of mine will be visiting the UK later this year and I will add them to the bits and bobs I have asked him to get me. One of the things I need is "Split" shot whatever it may be made of. What we get here us "cut" shot which, because of the square face where it should be split, means that it is difficult to get it to grip the line. Of course we can use lead, but a substitute probably split would be more than acceptable.

The news from England at the moment is about the big storm that is about to hit you. Big storms are always bad news. Stay safe cobbers, I hope that it misses you all.

[Len Arbery]

Hello S G,

If this helps: Split-shot made from lead is indeed banned here in England but is available in France and the USA, and presumably elsewhere.

Thanks for the good wishes re the next Atlantic storm.

Besties,

Len.

[Sandgroper]

Hello S G,

If this helps: Split-shot made from lead is indeed banned here in England but is available in France and the USA, and presumably elsewhere.

Thanks for the good wishes re the next Atlantic storm.

Besties,

Len.

Thanks for that Len. I am sure that whatever is used instead of lead will be fine- as long as it is split. There is doubt that lead does kill birds, I wonder if it will be made illegal to used lead shot in shot gun cartridges?

[Mushy]

Sandgroper, as you mention it, it is illegal to use lead shot in cartridges when shooting over water (ponds and foreshore) here in England, so as not to poison the dabbling waterfowl; so we use steel, bismuth etc at 10 times plus the cost ! it does focus the mind when pulling the trigger !

[KevClifford]

Harping back to the photographs of Fred J. wading out to net Joe's foul-hooked 26-pounder at Redmire. A centre page feature in Angling Times July 6, 1962 by Dick Walker showed five images of the event. However, the article doesn't specifically state that Walker took the photographs - though obviously Joe and Fred didn't as they appear in the images. However, the article as written infers that Dick wasn't present and that only Fred, Ken & Joe were actually there. I have most of Fred J's early negatives, given to me in a negative holder book with the images catalogued in Fred's handwriting. Six strips of the capture are present (including those used in the feature) and I therefore conclude from this that the photographs were most likely taken by Ken Taylor, probably using Fred's camera.

[Dave Burr]

Top input Kev - nice to know you are looking in

[Mark]

Although we can never meet these legends, your sharing of them with us is a great reason for this forum's existence Len ... Thank you.

Hear hear.