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    Articolo Herd History of Rod Building at Hardys

    Uploaded by

    Mirko
    William Hardy established Hardy Brothers in Alnwick, Northumberland in 1872 as gunsmiths and began selling fishing tackle in 1874. In 1879, they took apart an American split bamboo rod and began building their own, developing many innovations over the following decades. Rod production expanded greatly and Hardy became a leading global rod maker, known for quality split bamboo rods. However, financial difficulties led to Hardy's being sold in 1967 and bamboo rod production declined as fibreglass and carbon fibre rods were developed, though split bamboo rod building continued into the 1970s.

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    Articolo Herd History of Rod Building at Hardys

    Uploaded by

    Mirko
    120 views75 pages
    William Hardy established Hardy Brothers in Alnwick, Northumberland in 1872 as gunsmiths and began selling fishing tackle in 1874. In 1879, they took apart an American split bamboo rod and began building their own, developing many innovations over the following decades. Rod production expanded greatly and Hardy became a leading global rod maker, known for quality split bamboo rods. However, financial difficulties led to Hardy's being sold in 1967 and bamboo rod production declined as fibreglass and carbon fibre rods were developed, though split bamboo rod building continued into the 1970s.

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    William Hardy established Hardy Brothers in Alnwick, Northumberland in 1872 as gunsmiths and began selling fishing tackle in 1874. In 1879, they took apart an American split bamboo rod and began building their own, developing many innovations over the following decades. Rod production expanded greatly and Hardy became a leading global rod maker, known for quality split bamboo rods. However, financial difficulties led to Hardy's being sold in 1967 and bamboo rod production declined as fibreglass and carbon fibre rods were developed, though split bamboo rod building continued into the 1970s.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    120 views75 pages

    Articolo Herd History of Rod Building at Hardys

    Uploaded by

    Mirko
    William Hardy established Hardy Brothers in Alnwick, Northumberland in 1872 as gunsmiths and began selling fishing tackle in 1874. In 1879, they took apart an American split bamboo rod and began building their own, developing many innovations over the following decades. Rod production expanded greatly and Hardy became a leading global rod maker, known for quality split bamboo rods. However, financial difficulties led to Hardy's being sold in 1967 and bamboo rod production declined as fibreglass and carbon fibre rods were developed, though split bamboo rod building continued into the 1970s.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 75

    Rod building at Hardy’s

    Andrew Herd
    Who am I?

    Good question

    One reason why I am here is because I am addicted


    to rods built by Calum and Tom

    But the other is that every good thing that wasn’t


    invented by Italians was invented by the British
    What this talk is about
    It isn’t possible to tell the story of Hardy bamboo
    without telling the history of Hardy’s, so I am
    going to combine the two

    I am not going to go into detail about every single


    rod the company ever developed, because we have
    to go home before the end of the week

    Like every good story, this one has a beginning, a


    middle and an end

    The end is a ticket to heaven


    1871

    Crisis in Alnwick

    John James “coroner” Hardy dies

    Leaves a wife (Jane), five sons and two daughters:


    William (1853), John James (1854), Forster (1856),
    Robert Henry (1857), Emma Isabella (1860),
    Charles (1865) and Frances Anne (1866)
    1872
    William Hardy sets up shop
    as a gunsmith in Paike Street,
    Alnwick, Northumberland so
    that he can help his mother
    support the family
    1873
    John James joins William as
    a partner, encouraged by
    Lord Armstrong. John James
    was a ship’s engineer
    1874
    Hardy Brothers start selling fishing tackle with an advert in
    the Alnwick Mercury.

    Hardy Brothers

    Gunsmiths, Paikes Street, AlnwickInvite Anglers


    to inspect their large and varied stock of
    superior seasoned Salmon, Trout, and Spinning
    Rods; Salmon, Lake, and Trout Flies; improved
    Reels and Lines; Artificial Baits in every
    variety; superior stout Salmon Marana and extra
    fine Silkworm Gut. Flies dressed to pattern and
    sent by post. Live and Preserved Minnows always
    in Stock.Rods repaired and made to order.Guns
    repaired and made up as new for next season.
    Shooting Tackle, Cartridges &c., always in
    stock.Orders punctually attended to.

    Image shows an 1875 Hardy hickory, lancewood and


    greenheart rod
    1879
    William and JJ steam an
    American hexagonal split
    bamboo rod apart

    Up to this date they have no


    experience of building in
    split bamboo

    They ask a local cabinet


    maker if he could make
    something similar (actually,
    it was probably something
    identical...)
    1881

    Hardy patent the Lockfast joint, the first of many


    patents they will take out on rod fittings

    This was an important move, because one of the


    major differences between Hardy rods and the
    competition was the quality of the fittings
    1883
    Hardy catalogue shows that they are building two
    split bamboo rod ranges - the Anglers’ Guide says
    that they had been ‘making them for some years’

    Photo is of Great Exhibition rod


    1882

    Weeger reel seat introduced


    and causes confusion for
    Hardy rod collectors for 130
    years because it has a
    number on it...
    Gold Medal
    rods
    Three piece

    10 foot to 20 foot

    Range stayed in
    production until 1968

    Wins prize in Great


    International Fisheries
    Exhibition 1883
    Perfection rod

    • Almost certainly a copy of an American rod


    • 10 foot two piece
    • 12 foot to special order
    • Stays in production until 1971
    • Also wins prize at exhibition
    1885

    • 17 more rod ranges go into production


    • 8 are split bamboo
    • Include ‘portmanteau’ four piece split bamboo
    fly rods
    The traveling
    angler

    Long rods did not make


    you many friends in
    stagecoaches and trains
    weren’t much better
    1885 approx

    Hardy put double-built salmon rods into


    production, with option of steel centres

    Jim Hardy’s book not completely reliable on this


    point

    H.S. Hall 10 foot 6 inch 3 piece rod with cork


    covered handle a good example of what Hardy’s
    were building at the time - cost £4 10s and stayed in
    production until 1921
    1885 to 1939

    • Hardy introduce the Ideal trout rod, which stayed


    in production until 1939
    1886
    10 more rods added to catalogue

    7 are split bamboo, including Kelson salmon rod


    (18 foot three piece, two tops, suction joints,
    Weeger reel seat, £10 11s, Lockfast joints extra)
    1886 - 1897

    The first, and I


    very much hope
    the last, telescopic
    split bamboo rod -
    remember that
    Hardy Brothers
    thought of it first!
    1889

    Hardy’s patent rod spear attachment introduced

    Now their clients can accidentally stab themselves


    while fishing
    1890
    1891

    The Perfect reel


    goes on sale

    It still is
    1892
    Hardy’s attended every exhibition they could in the
    early days

    This rod was built in 1892 and exhibited in 1898 in


    Paris
    1891

    7 more rod ranges


    added

    3 split bamboo

    Include Houghton Dry


    Fly rod, with special
    catalogue
    1893-1894
    Shops open in Edinburgh and Manchester
    1894
    27 more rod ranges added

    10 of these are split bamboo

    Range continues to expand


    1895
    Hardy’s publish test
    data on the
    behaviour of their
    rods

    The brothers are


    practical engineers
    and seek to build the
    best and then
    improve on it
    1897

    Pall Mall shop


    opens in London

    Forster Hardy runs


    it and goes to see
    King George V
    every year to show
    off the new range
    1897

    Production of
    Halford ‘Priceless’
    10 foot 3 inch rod
    begins. This was a
    copy of an Eaton &
    Deller rod and the
    name was given to it
    by George Marryat
    1897

    Perfect Test rod


    approved by
    Marryat - probably
    also a copy of
    another company’s
    rod
    1899

    Hardy’s build 1083


    split bamboo rods

    Paris exhibition
    prize rod shown
    1900

    Lawrence Robert
    (L.R.) Hardy joins
    the company

    He will play a big


    role in the
    company’s future
    1902
    Palakona name registered

    Rod shown is early 10 foot 6


    inch Palakona with leather
    covered handle
    1903
    Hardy making
    many rod
    ranges

    Single built

    Double built

    Steel centres

    Hexagonal, octagonal,
    nonagonal
    1907
    Partnership becomes a limited company and William and JJ
    appointed joint managing directors

    Rod is a 1905 Halford 9 foot 6 with hexagonal butt and


    pentagonal top.
    1910
    Hardy built several lines of ‘composite’ rods, like
    this one, the ‘GCS’. The reel was built in about
    1922
    1911

    Casting Club de France rod listed

    Hardy now promoting a lightweight


    range

    Rod shown is J.J.’s 6 foot 6 inch CC de


    France
    1911 salmon rods
    16 foot ‘Special salmon’ three piece shown
    Lightweight rods

    In 1911 the range included:

    CC de France, Fairchild, Fairy, Gem Featherweight


    & Featherweight Perfection

    Weights varied between 4 1/2 and 6 ozs

    Adding Lockfast joints and a spear added another 1


    3/4 oz to the weight
    Women’s rods

    Hardy made several rod ranges specifically for


    women, for example the Princess shown here,
    which dates from 1906

    Others included the Princess Mary and the Victoria


    1912

    Agent appointed in New


    York

    Hardy’s would steadily


    add agents until they were
    taking orders from all
    over the world

    Now making 2000+ split


    bamboo rods a year
    1913

    William Hardy retires

    J.J. and L.R. become joint managing


    directors
    1914

    War!

    Hardy’s release 3 more rods in 1915

    No more new rods for four years


    1917

    William Hardy dies

    Hardy stop referring


    to ‘split-cane’,
    having discovered that
    bamboo is a grass

    None of their British


    customers read this
    1918

    Production falls back to


    1200 rods per annum

    Hardy Houghton cast


    case shown
    1920

    J.J. Hardy retires and


    L.R. continues as
    sole managing
    director

    Although Hardy
    continue to build
    rods, the rate of
    innovation slows
    1922

    William Hardy II becomes joint managing director


    with L.R. Hardy

    Hardy’s begin a slow climb back into profitability


    1922

    Hardy’s patent screw


    reel seat

    This fitting was still


    being used in the
    1980s
    1926

    Hardy making 3000 split bamboo rods a year


    1928

    William Hardy II dies

    L.R. continues as sole


    M.D.

    Hardy’s claim to have


    invented system of six
    strip bamboo in 1882!
    1928
    Hardy-Marston rod - a good example of how the
    company relaunched lines - the Marston was first
    built in 1885 and continually improved

    This is a 10 foot 4 inch rod, the reel dates to the 50s


    1930
    LRH dry fly rod sold from 1928-1971

    This example probably dates to 1930


    1932

    J.J. Hardy dies

    An era has ended

    His legacy includes the


    perfect angler’s pipe
    1934
    10 foot Deluxe rod built from 1915-1957

    Note the almost round section and the repair...


    1939

    Ernest Hemingway’s
    favourite rod was a Hardy
    Fairy

    Production 1903-1956
    1956

    William F Hardy
    becomes joint
    managing director with
    L.R.

    L.R. dies two years


    later
    1960
    Hollolite fly rod range introduced
    1961

    Fibreglass rods
    introduced -
    reluctantly

    Hardy’s continue
    to build split
    bamboo rods in
    quantity
    1965
    Willowburn factory opened

    A new era has dawned, but


    some things are still in
    black and white...
    1967

    Cash flow crisis occurs

    Hardy’s sold to Harris & Sheldon

    Hollolite fly rod discontinued

    Gold Medal rods discontinued after 84 years of


    production
    1971
    Perfection series of split
    bamboo rods dropped
    after 88 years of
    production

    Hardy’s take out a patent


    on carbon fibre rods, but
    spend so long in
    development that they
    lose any commercial
    advantage
    1976

    Carbon fibre rods


    introduced...

    ...but somehow, the


    flame does not die and
    Hardy’s continue to
    build split bamboo
    rods

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