Tonight in Piccadilly

The Caught by the River Social Club takes place upstairs at that fine establishment The Queens Head Public House on the corner of Denman Street this evening from 7pm.   There will be readings by writers and Poet-in-Residence Mr. Will Burns as well as musical accompaniment by Ultramarine.  Early supper available in the downstairs bar.  Don't Dilly-Dally!

God Bless Our Dear Dogs

Bought at the market early yesterday morning amongst an armful of sporting books immediately pre and post-war a copy of Vernon Stokes & Cynthia Harnett's 'Getting to Know Dogs' illustrated throughout by Stokes' marvellous portraits.

David Slater, Acme Works, Newark-on-Trent

Once upon a time in Arcadia, namely on a Thursday in the fair town of Newark-on-Trent when the factory bell had sounded the workforce at David Slater's 'Acme Works' would sally forth and leave behind them on their work benches unfinished examples of the "Zephyr" and "Combination" Reel for which the Works was famous.   Ladies and gentlemen telephoning from both near and far on number 11x1 after the bell had sounded would put down the receiver and resolve to call earlier the following day.

Today, in the Year of Our Lord and Reminscence 2013 some ladies and gentlemen still telephone Number 11x1 in the hope of speaking to a ghost at 'Acme Works', perhaps one still working away on a Zephyr or a Combination.  But there is no need for them to be too disappointed if the number rings without answer.  Instead they are advised to call me on Field Telephone Number 07980 274 383 where I will direct them without haste to my stall in Spitalfields Antiques Market, which is open on Thursdays only from 8am until the bell sounds at 3.  There I carry reels made at 'Acme Works' and drink black tea on the hour in memory of the celebrated workforce of David Slater.  You are welcome to join me.

Victoria Arcadia

Found at 'Romsey' on Sunday morning in the bottom of a cardboard box an old cigar box with painted interior containing a quantity of old floats from the era Victoria Arcadia.  For immediate sale in the backwater of my website known as 'Old Friends'.

Return to Treasure Island

A long walk at first light today amid an eternity of house clearance vans at Kempton-by-Fog.

Old Fashioned Trade Route

A chipped mug of Victory Gin is raised to all those who took the road *SOUTH* and called in at my stall at yesterday's Tackle Fair in Romsey.   I will have my own spoils, bought throughout the day, on the velvet for perusal by regulars and passers-by this Thursday at Spitalfields.

South

All roads in Arcadia lead *SOUTH* in the direction of tomorrow's Vintage Tackle Fair in the fair town of Romsey in Hampshire where I shall be stalling out upon a double trestle under full velvet in the main hall.  Your navigator should use the co-ordinates S051 8ZB.  Doors open at 09:00hrs and I look forward to the good company of all those travelling down over a cup of black valleys tea.   Should there be any item on my website you would like me to bring down please call me on the Field Telephone 07980 274 383.

Spitalfields

Amongst items bought yesterday at the stall from a gentleman who kindly travelled up to London on the Iron Road a couple of bottles of rod and float varnish, whose labels are decorated with lifelike crucian carp.

T.H. Sowerbutts & Son, 151 Commercial Street London E.1.

Once upon a time in Arcadia, ladies and gentlemen abroad on the streets of London in the district known as E.1. and in need of fishing tackle would look no further than the door of T.H. Sowerbutts & Son whose premises stood at 151 Commercial Street opposite the match factory.   In the year 1938 Sowerbutts had been 'Noted for a Century' and were 'still in the field'.  Sadly today they are gone having closed their doors to trade in the 1980's.   The paper merchant Mr. Paul Gardner, whose premises still stand next door to the old Sowerbutts shop remembers them well and is always full of reminiscence whenever I call in to replenish my paper bag supply.

Should you be a lady or a gentleman abroad on the streets of London in the district known as E.1. or any other for that matter and in need of fishing tackle you are advised to look no further to my own stall which is open every Thursday selling 'Vintage Fishing Tackle for the Soul' between the hours of 8am and 3pm just a little further south on Commercial Street within the bounds of Spitalfields Antiques Market where  I have been noted for almost a decade and am still very much in the field.

Telegram of Thanks

Across Arcadia this morning telegrams of thanks are being delivered by liveried couriers to my generous hosts Farlows and to all those souls who called in at my stall at Farlows London Showroom on Pall Mall yesterday.   Your gracious presence made the day as the rain fell on the heads of the statues in Waterloo Place and the gas lamps flickered in the autumn light.   We shall gather again in similar fashion, I hope and trust, when my stall *SHALL APPEAR* to usher in the Feast of St. Nicholas on Tuesday 3rd December in this the Year of Our Lord and Other Hauntings 2013.   Paper Bags for the Soul commemorating the occasion will be in circulation shortly.

Andrews of Arcadia meets Farlows Uptown - Today 9am-5pm

Andrews of Arcadia meets Farlows Uptown - Tomorrow

Free Man Festival

On Sunday of this weekend, alongside my fellow partisan Charles Rangeley-Wilson I will be reading a fairy-tale aloud from the Estuary Stage in the Clough William Ellis seaside resort of Portmeirion as part of the Caught by the River and Faber Social line-up for Festival No. 6.  If you are attending the Festival I look forward to your good company over a cup of black mountain tea.

W.H. Dingley, Climax Reel Works, Alnwick

Once upon a time in Arcadia, in the year of Our Lord and Other Skies So Dark 1937, ladies and gentlemen still minded to buy fishing tackle might have read the advertisement that was placed in 'Where to Fish' 1937-38 edited by H.D. Turing and published by The Field, for W.H. Dingley of Alnwick.   Born in the year 1858 William Henry 'Walter'  Dingley apprenticed at Reuben Heaton and subsequently worked at Slater in Newark-Upon-Trent and Hardy Brothers, also of Alnwick.   After a dispute with Hardy's over the patent for the Silex reel he set up on his own after the First War.  By the 1930's his son Ernest had joined the firm and production was at a peak.

Should you be a lady or a gentleman abroad on the streets of London in this the year of Our Lord and Other Skies Suddenly So Dark 2013 and you are still minded to buy fishing tackle you are advised to hurry to my stall in Spitalfields Antiques Market on Commercial Street in the district of London known as E.1. where on *THURSDAYS ONLY* between the hours of 8am and 3 I sell Vintage Fishing Tackle for the Soul and often carry reels made by Dingley and other great 'lost' British tackle makers. All enquiries to the field telephone number 07980 274 383.

Arthur Ransome - Fishing

Up today on Caught by the River my review of the re-issue of Arthur Ransome's 1955 book 'Fishing' originally written for The National Book League and published by Cambridge University Press.

In the Shop Window

This is an Arcadian Public Announcement to remind all those reading that my stall selling Vintage Fishing Tackle for the Soul *SHALL APPEAR* next Tuesday 17th September in this the Year of Our Lord and Other Autumnal Mists in the Farlow's London Showroom at No. 9 Pall Mall between the shop opening hours of 9am and 6pm.  Your good company is expected.  Tea made Trawlerman Style will be poured in an old fashioned modern way and drunk from chipped Coronation Mugs.  All enquiries to John Andrews on Field Telephone 07980 274 383 or to the Farlows Fishing Manager Max Sardi on West End Telephone 0207 484 1000.  Thank-you.

Spitalfields

Found in a box of tackle kindly brought up from the coast yesterday to the stall by my neighbour the gentleman dealer Mr. Lucian Myerscough, an old quill lined pilot style pike float and an empty spool of Hardy's Flax.

The Gamage Brogue

Once upon a time in Arcadia about this time of year ladies and gentlemen keen to renew their wading equipment would take their size 8's and size 10's to the great Department Store 'Gamages' in Holborn in district of London known as E.C.1 where they could get kitted out in either The Brogue or The Gamage Brogue which was a cheaper version made with 'Canvas and leather uppers' but still with 'nails all riveted'.

Should you be a lady or a gentlemen abroad on the streets of London today in this the year of Our Lord and other Indian Summers 2013 and you are in need of getting kitted out in some small part as you might once have done at Gamages you are reminded that every Thursday between the hours of 8am and 3pm I have my stall at Spitalfields Antiques Market on Commercial Street in the district of London known as E.1 from which I sell Vintage Fishing Tackle for the Soul amongst which you will find original old pieces of wading kit and the occasional old brogue.

'Old Friends'

After a hiatus of a fortnight a return to postings with a collection of floats and other accessories for immediate sale in the corner of my website known as 'Old Friends'.  You may also notice that the Shop Window has changed.