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Back in the 80s...

Justin Cubberley

Senior Member
Back in the 80s... Every few months in the Angling Times there would be a tackle company that would produce a similar 'tabloid paper' that would be, I'm guessing, one of the first angling mail order brochures. If I recall the company was from Leigh but for the life of me I can't recall the name of the company!
Can anyone else remember this?
Any assistance will help me win one of those all important, deep and thoughtful pub conversations!
Cheers
 
If it was Leigh, could have been Billy Lane ?
 
Bennetts of Sheffield?
 

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Mullarkeys ?
Used to buy bulk spools of line from Mullarkys back in the 70’s when you could only get max 100yds from local tackle shops. Seem to remember they were in Stoke on Trent area ?
 
I’m not as old as done here I’m aware but I’d kind of forgotten what mail order looked like pre the internet. It’s quite quaint really isn’t it, sending your little slip off in the post or phoning someone up. Usually off a page in a magazine.
A few of my hobbies back then, mail order was the option and you were really just ordering a product off a list, no pictures or anything. It’s moved forward a bit.
 
Another 2 famous old NW tackle shops include, Ted Carter (Preston) and Trevs of Wilmslow. Both big into mail order back in the day, the latter were the go to place for custom rods at one point.

As a young whipsnapper, I used to love perusing all the tackle I couldn't afford at Trevs. I remember saving up to buy some Kryston braid which everyone was raving about (merlin?) and being shown by the bloke called Frank (Warwick) who worked on the bait counter how to tie a knotless knot and a 4-turn grinner. I wonder what became of him?..

Trevs and Ted Carter now sadly part of the AD empire😒
 
My first Mitchell 300 was bought mail order from Billy Knott, aka The Penzance Pirate. There were dire warnings back then (1979) that mail order discounters would spell the end for your local tackle shop...
 
Gerrys of Morcambe?

They were quite prominent in the mail order tackle business back in the late 80's.
As were another Gerry’s in the 70’s/80’s, Gerry’s of Wimbledon, who also hosted one of the first tackle shows at Wimbledon baths in the 1970’s. Had a disagreement with Peter Mohan at one so that put paid to joining the BCSG 🤣
 
Gainsborough Tackle? Think it was Nev Ficklings shop. Bought a brilliant ruck bag from there, first mail order purchase I ever made.

Steve
I bought one of them also Steve. Gave it to a mate who still uses it 👍
 
In the eighties the local tackle shop in leigh if I remember right was in Railway road and also if my memory serves me right belonged to local matchman Vinnie Walsh who I believed sold up and moved to Ireland.The existing one now is Leigh angling and bait but there was also one in Hindley near Wigan that did mail order about that time called North west tackle now also belonging to Angling direct I think.
 
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