The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Following on from a mention(Beltack)in Nobbys post on Harcork floats I thought I would see what info was out there. Nobby had already mentioned the Sudbury in Suffolk conection and as it's only 35 minutes away so pretty local.
My brother in law has lived in Sudbury for the last 7 years and his fishing mate has lived in Sudbury all his life so that seemed a good place to start. After a phone call it turned out he had heard of them and new wear their premises were but apart from knowing about their floats he couldn't really help.
So to the Internet so far I have only found entries in the phone book.
Their first mention is in
Station Approach
Upminster Bridge
Hornchurch 3176
This was from 1954 - 56

Then moving to
Ballington Grove
Sudbury 2028
Then in1972 the phone number had a 7 added 72028 until 1982 which is the last entry.

In all the listings it they appear as fishing tackle manufacturer so I assume they made more than floats? I think I have seen a rod labeled The Grove Sudbury which putting 2+2 together I assume they made?
Still that's the story so far

I'm not sure about Grove rods, Harry.......they resemble another maker, Abbey, startlingly. But both are pretty rare.
Certainly Beltack offered float rubbers too as I have a few packets...indeed that's where I got the Beltack name and address from.

They must have been a fairly large outfit as almost every tackle makers lists their floats in their catalogues, even if they don't mention the Belglow name, they do use the individual float names.

I guess they were in close competition with Harcork, the colours and designs are very similar.

It did occur to me why have both the Beltack and Belglow names if they didn't make other tackle.....?

Maybe they did only do floats but wanted to get the 'glo' in suggesting they used 'dayglo' paints....only I don't actually think they did....their floats aren't that bright.

Harry, are they actually listed as tackle manufacturers all the way from 1954 to 1982? I'd kind of thought they'd gone out of business in the Sixties, but for no good reason ...It just felt that way.

Morning Nobby
They were still listed as fishing tackle manufacturer's in 82 as for the rod there is one on EBay at the moment and it also has Suffolk on the label but it doesn't look a very good quality to say the least.
I use to have one of those belglow but passed it on quite recently, the colouring of tip made me think it was illuminous but I never tried it.

Well that is a surprise Harry....thank-you.

Been doing a little more looking on the internet re the croft fishing rod mentioned in an earlier post and it turns out that "The Grove" is a area next to the Suffolk Stour wear there is a foot bridge that I have stood on watching the fish below on many occasions. Also found this old picture of a previous bridge with a couple off boys fishing off it. http://www.sudburysuffolk.co.uk/photoar ... asp?id=360
Also found an liting for a Beltack fishing rod
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Beltack-D ... 7675.l2557

Is that rod aluminum? Rather than glass? Several Companies tried it, inc Aspindales which was a Match rod with a spliced fibreglass tip called the 'Croftdale'.

Olly wrote:Is that rod aluminum? Rather than glass? Several Companies tried it, inc Aspindales which was a Match rod with a spliced fibreglass tip called the 'Croftdale'.

It puts me in mind of a new fishing rod that my friend got in the early to mid 70s like that it was made of tubular steel.

That handwritten name in paint is identical to Grove rods of Sudbury...there's clearly a connection. And I think Abbey rods might be the same writing too.

Nobby wrote:That handwritten name in paint is identical to Grove rods of Sudbury...there's clearly a connection. And I think Abbey rods might be the same writing too.

Did you see the picture I posted "The Grove"in Sudbury a couple of posts back?

I see the Beltack rod has a maker's name on it...Roy.....? If only the seller had shown it all.

The Croftdale rods were built by Tony Croft in Redditch, after Aspindales initially closed down and I don't believe them to be connected.