Francis M. Walbran North Country Flies

[Greenwell]

This is the short chapter in R.B. Marston's Angling and How to Angle by Francis M. Walbran titled North-Country Flies. Walbran will be known to many of you as an important figure in the history of the North Country tradition. Rob Smith devotes several pages to Walbran in his book. Tragically, Walbran drowned while fishing on the River Ure in 1909. An interesting point to be made in his introduction here is that he mentions "Theakstone" when he really means "Theakston." Walbran edited the second edition of Theakston's British Angling Flies, 1883, and undoubtedly would have known the correct spelling. In fact, Marston refers to North British Flies, by "Theakstone" on page 149 of his book so I'll blame Marston for the typographic error.

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[Greenwell]

Here are the last two pages of the Walbran chapter on North Country Flies. Actually, I find that this a very useful, succinct, and well chosen list of Spiders. At the very end is an excellent pattern for the Greenwell's Glory as given by E.M Tod. Of course, today we will need to substitute Starling for Hen Blackbird but I doubt the trout would care. The Marston book was known to me but I didn't realize it had the Walbran piece in it until I purchased this copy a few days ago. It's in quite nice shape but the hinges are a bit tender so I didn't want to subject to laying it flat on my scanner. I do hope that the photos are legible enough.

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[Greenwell]

I think these wonderful posts deserve a new forum so they don't get liost. I am not sure what we would call it though.

Any thoughts?

"Wet Fly Literature and History" perhaps?

[hankaye]

ForumGhillie, Howdy;

These books and the materials within really are Reference Material and we already have that as a forum.
... perhaps a Special sub section?

hank

[daringduffer]

Greenwell John, this is a most excellent find. I didn't know naathing about this list and am very excited. Now I have to find me a Fog Black bullfinch for my grayling.

PhilA, did you notice the coch-y-bondhu spelling?

Could not sleep. Had to check this post.

dd

[PhilA]

Greenwell John, this is a most excellent find. I didn't know naathing about this list and am very excited. Now I have to find me a Fog Black bullfinch for my grayling.

PhilA, did you notice the coch-y-bondhu spelling?

Could not sleep. Had to check this post.

dd

Most excellent indeed! Thanks John.

Stefan, yes I did notice the spelling. I keep a list of the many ways in which coch*-y/a*bon***u is spelled. So far:

• coch-y-bonddu
  coch-a-bonddu
  coch-y-bondhu
  coch-y-bonddhu
  Coch-y-bondhu (the fly, not the hackle)
  Coch-Y-Bondhu (the fly, not the hackle)
  coch-y-boldu (the beetle, not the hackle or the fly)
  Coch y Bonddu
  coch y bonddu

There must be more...

Phil

[Bazzer69]

Greenwell John, this is a most excellent find. I didn't know naathing about this list and am very excited. Now I have to find me a Fog Black bullfinch for my grayling.

PhilA, did you notice the coch-y-bondhu spelling?

Could not sleep. Had to check this post.

dd

I wonder what a Fog Black Bullfinch looks like?
Edit: it appears that Fog Black is the name of a North country fly which uses a bullfinch feather!
B

[Greenwell]

Greenwell John, this is a most excellent find. I didn't know naathing about this list and am very excited. Now I have to find me a Fog Black bullfinch for my grayling.

PhilA, did you notice the coch-y-bondhu spelling?

Could not sleep. Had to check this post.

dd

I wonder what a Fog Black Bullfinch looks like?
B

This a Bullfinch feather from my Materials Reference Book. The feather clearly shows the shading described but not exactly the "black to almost white" that Walbran calls for. Considering that this feather sample came from an envelope dated 1878 there may be some natural fading of the depth of color.

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[Bazzer69]

Greenwell, many thanks for the picture of the bullfinch feather.
What is your materials reference book? Is it something you’ve acquired along the way or something you’ve compiled? Is there a substitute?
Barry

[REE04419]

Excellent find, John. Thanks so much for sharing. Info on your materials reference book, if you please.