Milbro rods

[Dick Dastardly]

Allcocks was THE fishing tackle firm in Redditch - founded in the town in 1803 - for generations it billed itself as the Largest Manufactures of Fishing Tackle in the World - and the aerial view of its Standard Works in my 1948 catalogue shows an impressive array of buildings covering some acerage!

 

 

C.

 

 

Think they must have gone before my time (74-75) in Redditch Chris.

[Dick Dastardly]

They never produced a "classic" though that I can think of.

 

I'm going to take that back as I suppose the Enterprise most likely does qualify as a classic come to think of it.

 

I seem to remember a 14' one as well Steve.

[Worms]

Think they must have gone before my time (74-75) in Redditch Chris.

S. Alcock and J W Young formed Topp Tackle in the early 60's which was taken over by Shakespeare in 1965.

[Dick Dastardly]

Was that the way for most of the other firms Worms like Edgar Sealy and all the "one man" rod building companies? or do you think the forming of the big companies just forced them out of buisness?

[Tony U]

Back in the day the Milbro Ghillie Salmon Spinning rod was much prized up in the Northeast both for its designed purpose and for Pike fishing before more specialist designs from the likes of Northwestern arrived.

[Worms]

Was that the way for most of the other firms Worms like Edgar Sealy and all the "one man" rod building companies? or do you think the forming of the big companies just forced them out of buisness?

I suspect a bit of both Budgie. Edgar Sealey got taken over by Gladding, a braided line manufacturer from the States in the 60's as well. My guess is it was a branding thing, supply the cash 'improve' the machinery and use the existing knowledge and skills to mass produce the re-branded products. They also took over K P Morrits from Falmouth. Every one here over a certain age probably had an Intrepid reel! My guess is that Leeda now own all that lot as they use a lot of old names on tackle.

 

Some specialist tackle manufacturers survived but a hell of a lot disappeared in the 60's. Coincidentally when cane was going out and new-fangled glass fibre was coming in. A lot of family firms famous for top quality tackle tried to hang in like Ogden Smiths and Farlows, making fibre glass rods (Companies like Mordex as well, they were mentioned recently) The big firms won out in the end though. New investment in machinery that smaller companies couldn't match and then mass importing of blanks. A lot less labour intensive than glueing all those rod sections together!

 

Vorsprung durch technik as the germans say!

Edited March 31, 2009 by Worms

[Dick Dastardly]

Now that explains something Worms as the estate down by the fire station had a factory where both the Edgar Sealy and Gladding names were on signs.

 

Yup had a Black Prince and a Super Twin

Edited March 31, 2009 by BUDGIE

[Barry C]

I still have and use from time to time my grandads old 11ft Milbro Elasta Glass. I suspect I have caught bigger fish on it than he ever did including my PB perch of just under 3lb.

 

I also have a small but expanding collection of Sealey glass rods that allso get an outing throughout the year.

[Andy Macfarlane]

I still have a 9 foot Milbro fly rod that's caught more broonies than you could shake a pointy stick at. It's upstairs beside my other rods. I've also used it for throwing streamers at jack pike....lol

 

I also had a 12 foot Milbro match rod in a lovely pale blue colour that was so bombproof, I used to use it for throwing 3-4 oz leads out to sea for cod and pollack...no kidding!

 

The match rod was stolen after I got a sound kicking on the train on the way back from Wemyss bay one day. I was in tatters that day. I also got a brand new Daiwa beach rod for Xmas and it was gone by the 7th of January. That was about 20 years ago. I'm still annoyed about that one.

 

....Andy....

[Jonneee]

Hi.

I have just found a fishing rod that belonged to my mums dad who died in the 60's. It is a Milbro Ace and is in fairly good condition. Can you tell me if this rod would be of any value? The rod is still in its original fabric cover but is a little tatty!

Many thanks,

Jonneee