SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 19 



like that under notice, proves that it is doing a valuable 

 and extensive work, it ought to be recognised, in no matter 

 how small a degree, by every angler who fishes its waters. 



Now is this the case, or anything approaching to it ? I 

 say no — emphatically no. I have seen scores and hundreds 

 of men, during the many years which I have fished the 

 Thames, pursuing their sport on the Maidenhead waters, 

 and but very few of them ever contribute a single farthing. 



If this state of things were confined solely to the coarse 

 fish of this or any other section of the river, it would not 

 possibly matter so much — but then it is not. Trout fishers 

 come and take fish — not confining themselves in some 

 instances very strictly to size — and those very trout 

 represent so much hard cash deducted from the Society's 

 income. Still the Society goes on its way quietly, and 

 year by year does good and worthy work. They are 

 assisted by an excellent body of keepers, under the 

 command of Harry Wilder, who is himself a rare good 

 fisherman, and year after year show an admirable return 

 for their labours. 



I In justice to Harry Wilder and Captain A Styan, one of 

 the early founders of this Association, it should be added 

 that they were really the first to start the Society. Wilder 

 informs me that he originated the idea of stocking this 

 part of the river with Wycombe trout, and that he and 

 Captain Styan raised a subscription for that purpose. Such 

 a subscription was raised, and in the year before the Associa- 

 tion was really started over 50 brace of fine Wycombe trout 

 were turned into the river opposite the Ray Mead Hotel. 



It may now be interesting to trace the absolute history 

 of the Society itself. 



The Maidenhead, Cookham and Bray Thames Angling 

 Association was started so recently as 1874. The objects 



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