Wigan Album
Ashcrofts Fishing Tackle Millgate
7 Comments
Photo: RON HUNT
Item #: 18188
I bought my first rod from there in the mid 1950's. I can still picture the inside of the shop even now. As on the front cover it says Established 1900 It must have been handed down from father to son.
A good shop, closed all around 1976/77 if I remember rightly. Always bought my tackle there, or at Humphrey Glover's at Union Bridge.
I used to frequent most of the tackle shops. Moyers in the Market Hall, Glovers, Union Bridge, and Porters in Lock Street Pemberton. If I remember correctly? I think Mr Porter walked with a limp? or has some disability and his wife also served in the shop. Me made my dad a split cane rod, which he had until he died. He always said it was the best rod he had, until I borrowed it and broke the top length. He had to replace it with a glass fibre one.
Had a similar calamity with an Apollo tubular steel match Rod, Ron.
I was casting into a high wind on the Haigh canal, when it snapped at the bottom ferrule. The top two lengths flew across the cut like a javelin, and very nearly harpooned a cow in the field opposite.
Imanaged to fix the broken joint with a length of turned down hammer shaft. Still use it occasionally 35 yrs later.
Pink maggots,porcupine quills and other such articles were to be found at Ashcrofts.
Tommy Blackledge bought this shop, I remember going very often with my dad Wilf Grange who was match secretary for the Northern Anglers. I was brought up on maggots ha ha!!
I still have my Spanish reed wigan match rod which i bought from Ashcrofts round about1951 it has been re ringed and re whipped but is still a very good rod
Found one of my Grandad's cane rods, the name still totally visible just above the cork handle