SPORT ANCIENT AND MODERN 



ANGLING 



The more recent history of Thames ang- 

 ling, so far as the county of Surrey is con- 

 cerned, may be said to date from the year 

 1838, when the Thames Angling Preserva- 

 tion Society was founded by a few friends 

 in the neighbourhood of Twickenham. These 

 having expressed to each other their regret 

 that the fishing of late years in the river 

 Thames afforded them so little sport owing 

 to incessant poaching and destruction of the 

 young broods and spawn — particularly dur- 

 ing the fence season — suggested that if 

 a proper representation of the facts were 

 made to the then Lord Mayor (Sir John 

 Cowan, Bart.) his lordship, in his capacity of 

 ' Conservator of the River Thames,' might 

 be induced to apply those powers already 

 vested in him for the suppression of un- 

 lawful fishing. It was decided to hold a 

 meeting and on 17 March, in the year 

 mentioned, there assembled at the Bell Inn 

 Hampton, the foUovnng gentlemen — Henry 

 Perkins, of Hanworth Park ; C. C. Clarke, 

 of Twickenham ; Edward Jesse, of Tvncken- 

 ham ; Henry Jepson, of Hampton ; W. H. 

 Whitbread, of Eaton Square ; Richard Kerry, 

 of Hampton ; and David Crole, of Straw- 

 berry Hill. 



It was then and there resolved to form a 

 society for the protection of fish from the 

 poachers. Having made their intentions known 

 to their friends and acquaintances, the united 

 exertions of the gentlemen mentioned were 

 thereafter devoted to accomplish the desir- 

 able object of improving their favourite 

 amusement. 



The foregoing is the account of the origin 

 of the Society published in what is known 

 as the ' Annual Blue Book ' of the Thames 

 Angling Preservation Society. In the thirties , 

 and for many years afterwards, netting was 

 allowed in practically all parts of the river, 

 but in course of time it was found necessary 

 to close portions of the Thames here and 

 there to nets with the object of providing 

 sanctuaries for the fish. Some few years ago 

 netting was prohibited in the tideway above 

 London except vnth. regard to a few individuals 

 who for many years had depended on netting 

 as a means of livelihood. On the death 

 of the last of these (we believe one or two 

 still remain) licensed netting will cease so far 

 as the Surrey portion of the river is con- 

 cerned. The extent of the poaching carried 

 on in the early days is evident from the fact 



that in 1839 there were twenty- two prose- 

 cutions with fines amounting to ^£53, three 

 nets were ordered to be burnt, and three 

 men were sent to prison without the option 

 of a fine. 



Among the well-known men associated 

 with the Thames Angling Preservation 

 Society was the late F. T. Buckland, M.D., 

 2nd Life Guards, who, I see, from a circular 

 before me bearing date 1861, was one of a 

 sub-committee appointed to obtain from the 

 two City Companies and the late Queen a 

 reduction in the number of swans on the 

 river, which were rightly believed to be 

 devourers of enormous quantities of the eggs 

 of fish. There were then counted on two 

 miles of the river — Weybridge river to Chert- 

 sey bridge — no less than 173 of these birds. 

 The result of the sub-committee's exertions 

 was the reduction of the Queen's swans from 

 476 to 200, and those of the City Companies 

 in like proportion. 



In 1839, at the first annual dinner at the 

 Bell Inn, Hampton, Mr. H. Warburton, 

 M.P., stated that he and some friends intended 

 to place grayling in the river. The fish were 

 obtained and turned in, but did not establish 

 themselves. Between i860 and 1863 about 

 177 brace of grayling were also placed in the 

 Surrey reaches of the Thames, but yielded 

 no lasting results, though a few of the strangers 

 were taken, mostly by gudgeon fishers, the 

 largest weighing 3lbs. In i860 Frank Buck- 

 land and Stephen Ponder commenced the 

 artificial breeding of trout for the Thames 

 Angling Preservation Society. Little was 

 known on the subject in those days ; the work 

 was not wisely carried out and the Thames 

 hardly benefited. 



At the present day the King and the Prince 

 of Wales are Patrons of the Thames Angling 

 Preservation Society ; the Vice-Patrons are 

 the Duke of Northumberland and the Earl 

 of Ducie ; the President is the Hon. H. L. 

 W. Lawson, whose private secretary, Mr. 

 H. W. Higgins, has for some years now volun- 

 tarily given a large amount of work and 

 attention to the heavy duties of honorary 

 secretary. Perhaps the most remarkable work 

 carried on by the Society is the occasional 

 netting of the huge reservoirs which supply 

 London and obtain their water supply from 

 the Thames. 



Thames trout fishing has been consider- 

 ably improved by the efforts of this Asso- 



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