Allcocks - Range of Rods

[Davyr]

Are you going to take the Adonis off then, Mark, with it being from the "other" Allcock firm? Or are we going to include both S and W.A. rods in the list?

[Nobby]

Forgive me, I think it's Silver Wraith, as in the Rolls Royce car...it's another word for ghost.


Yes Super Wizard is a separate rod due to the rings and of course its own dedicated transfer. It wasn't always so.....the fancy rings were an option on the standard pre-war Wizard...as was a cork handle, the rod then being identified with SCH next to the catalogue number ( 8521, is it? )in the catalogue.

My guess is that SCH stands for 'special or sheet, cork handle'

One should also note that those pre-war rods had the full title Wallis-Wizard on their transfer, whereas post-war rod just say Wizard ( or Super Wizard, of course)

However, just to confuse...I have seen just one image of a post 1965 Wizard, with the pale green and black label colours adopted from Lee's livery and that rod had Wallis Wizard on the label!


There's a popular tale that Hardy sponsored FWK Wallis and forced Allcocks to drop his name from their Wizard rod. I remain unconvinced for two reasons;

Firstly, Allcocks continued always to refer to the rod as the Wallis Wizard in their Guides, even if the transfer on the rod didn't say that.

Secondly, there is fairly sound evidence in the 1938 Guide that the Allcocks rod had been tried by a number of notable anglers for some time and a direct quotation from a letter by one of them to Allcocks praising the rod indicating the rod may have been in existence before Hardy offered their FWK Wallis Allround and Avon rods. Which would place Hardy in a position from which they could never make such a demand of Allcocks with regard to the their rods name, since Allcock appear to have possibly used the gentleman's name first.

Time will tell.

[Mark]

Are you going to take the Adonis off then, Mark, with it being from the "other" Allcock firm? Or are we going to include both S and W.A. rods in the list?

I think I will take it off, we can always start another thread with the W.A rods.

[HWKWallis]

Does anyone have an indication as to which year the first Allcock 'Wallis' Wizard appeared?
I have a Jan 1932 Hardy HWK Wallis Avon (according to their 'G' numbering system) which indicates their affiliation with that notable angler already by that point....

Jim

[Nobby]

Was that a Freudian slip, HWK? I presume you mean an FWK Wallis Avon?


( lovely rods, aren't they?)


I'll go and dig out the text and re-post shortly.....

OK, the 1937 and 1938 books have near identical entries for the Wallis Wizard, differing only in that the latter mentions the ros as having a balanced wooden handle and the former uses the word 'straight' when describing the special rod rings used on the rod.

After some text mentioning the abilities and catches of FWK himself the entry continues:

" In reference to this rod, Mr. T.A.Waterhouse, the well-known President of the Birmingham Anglers association and Chairman of the Severn Fishery Board, wrote to us in July, 1931: " The 'Wallis Wizard' rod has done some great work since I had it. Despite eight weeks under the doctor, counting from July1st, 1930, it has steered to the landing net 403 dace, 145 tench, 112 chub, 146 grayling, 25 carp, 42 trout and a mixture of roach, eels and perch. The best carp was barely 6 lbs. but I am only referring to the number of good class fish, viz., dace up to 13 1/2 ozs. and chub to 3 3/4 lbs." "





This would appear to pre-date any references found so far to the Hardy rods bearing the same angler's name.

Oh, an the rod is catalogue number 8671.

[HWKWallis]

..as slip indeed!...on a previous forum FWK was already taken.

Thanks for the quote...certainly underlines the chronology.
The Hardy ones are however a big favourite of mine, and would take one over the Allcocks version....

Jim

[AndyPop]

I have a "Test" in the shed. 3 piece, 10.5 ft, whole cane butt & middle with high stand off intermediates. Pics will follow, but it's definitely not a fly rod.

[Nobby]

I've heard of a Modern Arms Test, but not an Allcocks and the Modern Arms rods were indeed available at 10'6", but didn't have a whole cane butt.

Curious.

[AndyPop]

Hi Nobby, actually found the rod and I'm mistaken with the model. It is not a "Test" but a "Tees". According to Mullocks description of one they sold recently a "rare" model & worth restoring. Looks a lovely light float rod.

[Kevanf1]

Hello again,just had a brain wave and went in my workshop,how lucky am i,i have another one,same rod with a perfect logo.

I note that this one has different coloured whippings. The first rod has a nice deep red (maroon) whipping while this with the better transfer is black. Different time periods perhaps?