APPENDIX 



THE ORIGIN OF FISH PRESERVATION IN 

 BROADLAND 



MANY years ago fish were netted in the waterways of Broadland by 

 the ton, and old yachtsmen remember the days when large heaps 

 were to be seen rotting on the banks of the North River, from 

 Horning to St Bennet's Abbey, left there by the netters because 

 they were not large enough to send to market and because they did 

 not trouble themselves to return them to the water, although occasion- 

 ally they would sell them to a farmer for manure. It was also a 

 disastrous custom in those days to net the spawning fish when they 

 congregated in the shallows on the backwaters and broads, and to 

 such an extent was this practice carried on that in the year 1857 

 the indignation of Norwich anglers was aroused, and a memorial 

 was sent to the Norwich Corporation praying that the existing 

 Charter might be put in force, and pointing out that the Corporation 

 should take steps to protect the rivers against wholesale netting. 

 For the furtherance of this object a private meeting was held at the 

 old Library Room, St Andrew's Hall, when the "NORFOLK AND 

 NORWICH ANGLERS' SOCIETY " sprang into existence, with the late Mr 

 James Skippon as Secretary. The subscription was only five shillings 

 per annum, yet out of this a paid watcher was appointed at a salary 

 of ten shillings per week. The Society did good work, but were 

 much handicapped for want of special powers to deal with offenders. 



In 1870 Mr Skippon resigned the secretaryship in favour of Mr 

 Charles Jeremiah Green. 



In 1874 a meeting was held by the Society at the Maid's Head 

 Hotel for the purpose of considering a proposal to apply for an Act of 

 Parliament to regulate fishing in the Wensum, Yare and Bure, Mr 

 I. O. Howard Taylor, the President of the Society, being in the chair ; 

 but had it not been for Mr J. B. Pearce legislative preservation 

 would probably have been delayed for many years. That veteran 

 angler spoke very forcibly in favour of a general Act, finishing his 

 speech by throwing a five-pound note on to the table and appeal- 

 ing to those present to follow his example. In a few minutes Mr 

 Pearce's original five-pound note had swollen to seventy pounds. 

 This lead was followed by Mr W. S. Everitt of Oulton Broad, who 



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