June 24, 1893] 
THE FISHING GAZETTE 
485 
NOTTINGHAM WELLINGTON ANGLING 
SOCIETY. 
The eighteenth anmia,! dinner of this, the leading 
angling society in the Midlands, was held at the Wel¬ 
lington Hotel, Station-street, Nottingham, on Thursday 
week, when occasion was taken to present a handsome 
testimonial to Mr. Harry Spray, the enterprising 
honorary secretary. There was a very large muster of 
members, and the catering of Mr. and Mrs. Bestow, the 
respected host and hostess, left nothing to he desired. 
The President of the society (Mr. W. Gaskell), in 
making the presentation, said that members were aware 
that they had entered upon a new era in connection 
with it. For the first time in their long history they 
possessed waters of their own. They numbered a 
hundred members, and the object of the executive was 
to make their proceedings more highly attractive in the 
future. So far they had existed for the good of sport 
generally. (Hear, hear.) Nottingham was essentially 
an angling town, and their mode or style of fishing was 
respected by skilled anglers in all parts of the country. 
In fact, the “ Nottingham style ” was becoming known 
everywhere. It was a matter for regret that the advo¬ 
cacy by the society for a tax or licence on the rods of 
coarse fishermen frequenting the banka of the Trent had 
not been more favourably received. The society had, 
however, attained some success in the matter of the 
pollution of the river and its tributaries. Had the 
public accepted the proposal of Mr. Bromley, Notts. 
Conservator on the Trent Fishery Board, for a tax, 
which meant water bailiffs from the board in the 
Nottingham district, the absorption of fishing waters 
would not, perhaps, have been quite so pronounced as they 
were at the present period. If the absorption con¬ 
tinued, anglers, he was afraid, would possess small 
chance of exercising their piscatorial proclivities'near 
home. The advisers of the Nottingham Angling Society 
had made a mistake in not following the advice tendered 
in alljsincerity for their own benefit by Mr. Bromley. 
(Applause.) Their own society stood A 1 as a sporting 
society, and he had no doubt it could continue to main¬ 
tain its reputation in that respect. He trusted that, as 
regarded their own waters at Shardlow, all members 
would respect the vested interests of the people occupy¬ 
ing land adjoining them. (Hear, hear.) They must 
always respect the rights and privileges of other 
people. For the first angling season there they could 
not expect to realize all their expectations, for the 
waters had been neglected and abused, but he hoped 
that in three or four years’ time they would stand A 1 
in the neighbourhood. Their success had not been 
accidental. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Spray, then hon. sec., 
had had much to do with their success, and the work he 
had performed redounded greatly to his credit. He had 
secured many new members, and they all owed him a 
deep debt of gratitude. Personally, he had every reason 
to esteem and respect him. The testimonial fund had 
been most heartily and liberally responded to, and they 
were able that night to hand over to Mr. Spray the side- 
hoard, with ornaments, and the illuminated address they 
saw before them. (Cheers.) 
The address was as follows : “ This address, together 
with a sideboard and bronzes, was presented to Mr. 
Harry Spray, hon. sec. of the Nottingham Wellington 
Angling Society, by the members, as a testimony of his 
valuable services during the past five years. Signed, 
William Gaskell, chairman; H. E. Wilkins, hon. sec. 
and treasurer of testimonial committee ; committee— 
W. F. Armitage, F. Baker, S. F. Bestow, T. Burgoyne, 
J. Clayton, E. Hooton, A. Hunt, J. Spray, J. Tomlin¬ 
son, E. West, G. E. Wilford, and T. Wood.” In the 
left corner of the address was a medallion representation 
of the famous Duke of Wellington ; whilst in the corre¬ 
sponding corner scenes are depicted of the society’s 
waters at Shardlow and in the neighbourhood of King’s 
Mills. The border is richly embellished with rods, land¬ 
ing nets, gaffs, fly-hooks, &c. A very handsome volume 
containing the names of eighty-five subscribers to the 
testimonial fund also accompanied the address, which 
was executed by Mr. W. Burrows, of High Pavement, 
Nottingham. 
Addresses, complimentary to the arduous duties per¬ 
formed by Mr. Spray, were delivered by Mr. F. Warsop 
(vice-chairman), Mr. S. W. Widdowson (an old chum in 
■the athletic world), and Mr, H. E. Wilkins. 
Mr. Spray acknowledged the gift in a graceful and 
terse speech, in which he stated that his work, as an 
enthusiastic angler, had been a labour of love. He was 
very proud of that day, and prouder still of the friend¬ 
ship of his brother anglers. He valued their esteem 
more than he could value any testimonial. He hoped 
that in the course of a few seasons the society would 
possess between 300 and 400 sterling members— 
“ splodgers ” of the right sort with true sporting 
instincts. (Cheers.) 
An admirable programme of vocal and instrumental 
music was performed during the evening, and the whole 
proceedings certainly marked a red-letter day in the 
pages of the society’s history. 
HL^LL TIMES COMPETITION AT BEIGG. 
The following are the conditions of the Hull Times 
match:—1. All kinds of fish to weigh. 2. That the 
mode of fishing be strictly confined to angling. No fish 
or artificial bait allowed. 3. No competitor will he 
allowed to have two rods jointed at one time. 4. Any 
amalgamation of fish will disqualify all parties con¬ 
cerned, and any fish suspected of being weighted or 
otherwise unsatisfactory, the referees shall have the 
power to open after having been weighed-in. If any 
weight be found, the competitor shall be disqualified. 
.5. Each competitor will receive a ticket on payment of 
his entrance fee, which he will be requested to wear at 
the time of the contest. 6. All fish to be weighed at 
the riverside immediately after the contest. 7. Dura¬ 
tion of contest, four hours ; to fish not less than ten 
yards apart, and each competitor to fish on his peg. 
8. Each competitor to strike and land his own fish, and 
not to leave his allotted length except for natural causes 
during the term of fishing. 9. If any dispute arise the 
referees shall have power to decide, aud their decision 
shall be final. 10. Mr. Lewis (the editor of the Hull 
Times) has consented to act as treasurer, and all 
entrance money will be handed over to that gentleman. 
11. Successful competitors will receive their prize money 
within three days after the contest. 12. All competitors’ 
tickets to be given up when weighing-in. 13. No com¬ 
petitor to wet his line or use ground bait before the 
signal to commence is given. 14. All complaints to he 
lodged with the constables walking the bank, who will 
each wear a red rosette. 15. The result will be made 
known in the Hull Daily Mail and Sheffield Telegraph 
on the following day, and in the Hull and Lincolnshire 
Times, Northern Angler, and Fishing Gazette on the 
following Saturday. 
The capture of a 71b. lloz. barbel is not an every day 
occurrence, even with suitable tackle, but Mr. G. 
Westrup (a friend of Mr. W. Bambridge, of Eton) suc¬ 
ceeded in capturing a barbel of the above weight while 
roach fishing. The same hook which led to the demise 
of Mr. Barbel was responsible for 201b. of roach. Mr. 
Bambridge has kindly forwarded a hook similar to the 
one used by Mr. Westrup—S. S. sneck No. 9 on refina 
gut—but says he prefers to use No. H crystal. This 
speaks well for the quality of Mr. Bambridge’s tackle, 
and the skill of Mr. Westrup, and his fisherman, Gray. 
Prosecutions at Tadcaster. —William Holloway, 
secretary of the Tadcaster Angling and Preservation 
Association, had taken out summonses against Samuel 
Noble, J. E. Thompson, and T. Laverack for taking fish 
during the close season. The prosecutions were taken 
under the Fresh Water Fisheries Act, 1878, the 11th sec¬ 
tion of which Act gave the period between March 15 and 
June 15, inclusive, as the close season for fresh-water 
fish.—Samuel Noble pleaded guilty to taking the fish, 
but was unaware that there was any close season. He 
was helping to put in a new turbine at the mill, and, 
seeing the fish, he caught them with his hand and threw 
them out.—The case of Laverack was then taken.—Mr. 
Bromet informed the Bench that there were several 
witnesses who had seen them fishing in the water 
between the Tadcaster Mill and the bridge.—Henry 
Fairborne had his attention first called to the two 
defendants on June 9 by Henry Barker, who said they 
were catching chub. Witness accordingly went over the 
bridge along with another witness, and proceeded to the 
wood-yard. Whilst there, they saw Thompson catch a 
chub. On proceeding to the place they asked to see 
Laverack’s creel, but that defendant would not let 
them see inside it. As he persisted in his refusal, a 
policeman was sent for, hut, in the meantime, the 
defendants went to the head-quarters of the club, and 
suffered his creel to be examined. In the creel were 
found two chub, which Laverack admitted having 
caught, but said he was a novice at fishing. Mr. 
Thompson had invited him over to fish that day, and he 
had bought a “ length” purposely. Fairhome said the 
rights of fishing in the waters were transferred from 
the owners to them, and they preserved the fishing.— 
William Holloway, the secretary of the society, took a 
couple of chub out of defendant’s box. The tickets 
issued by the club empowered them only to catch such 
fish as were in season at the time. They held the rights 
and conserved the fishing. When a man bought a ticket 
they expected him to conform to the rules and, if 
he did not know the rules, to go by the Act of Parlia« 
ment. No rules were published on the tickets.—Mr. 
Smith then raised the point as to whether this part of 
the water came under the Fresh Water Fisheries 
Act. He thought not, as it was a tidal water. On the 
question being submitted to Mr. Holloway, that gentle¬ 
man said he should consider that the river was not a 
lidal one, hut would not positively swear to it.—The 
Magistrates taking this latter view of the matter, Mr. 
Smith further raised the point as to whether the chub 
was a fresh-water fish, or did it emigrate from the sea 
to the fresh water and back. Being defeated on this 
point also, Mr. Smith said his client had a perfect right 
to refuse to show the contents of his creel until he was 
shown a written authority.—Mr. Bromet elicited the 
fact that Thonpmn had had con.-iderable experience, 
being known by tbe nick-name of “ Killem.”—The Bench 
fined Noble 23. fid. without costs, which would he re¬ 
mitted to the society; and Laverack and Thompson 5s. 
each with costs. 
BERTHQN PORTABLE FOLDING BOATS 
FOR PISHING ON SEA, LAKE, AND RIVER. 
No. 1. —Length, 7ft. ; Breadth (Open), 
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4ft. j^Price £12; will Carry Comfor¬ 
tably 3 persons. 
f 
No. 1 Boat is complete with Pair o 
Sculls, Thole Pins, aud a Cork Cushion 
or Folding Stool, according to choice. 
No. 2 is fitted with 3 Seats, Thole 
Pins, and Sculls. 
EXTBAS. 
Mast and Sail, 2.5/- and 30/-; Extra 
Cork Cushions, 7/G; Wrappers, 2/- 
and 2/6. 
7ft. Berthon Fishino Boat, with Anqler and Gillie. 
The Framework of the Berthon Boat is composed of the finest 
Canadian Elm, with outer and inner coverings of specially-prepared 
canvas. The action of expanding the Boat fills the space between 
the outer and Inner coverings with air, rendering the same a perfect 
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