ost fishermen will be acquainted Such was the fame of Blagdon trout connection existed right up until with the Lodge at Blagdon but that ova were exported all over the Lawrie Williamson’s son, Ian 1904-2003 not many will realise that this World. retired in 1996. as Blagdon Mis not the original building. Prior to 1910 ship- Not many individual photos exist The first hut was constructed of wood ments of eggs went to of Fishery Keepers and managers celebrates100 years and had a thatched roof, which later New Zealand and from the past but became tiled. No records exist show- around 1913 ova from In the first of a series of articles to be issued in our weight was an incredible 4lbs 13ozs ing when the old hut was demolished these fish were brought 2003 editions of the Buzzer we take a look back at with the heaviest weighing 9lbs 2ozs! and the existing hut built but the cars back to Blagdon. As an Blagdon’s fascinating early years. Rainbow trout were not initially in the attached photo give us some experiment they were Hailed as the birthplace of reservoir trout fishing we stocked in Blagdon although 500 idea of the period which we believe to reared and stocked start by looking at how it all began… fingerlings were introduced in be circa 1925. in the Lake. Could 1904.These fish were supplied by a Mr. Whilst the timber hut is long gone the Blagdon and riginally known as the Yeo actually dictated in 1947 by the Neville Grenville of Butleigh Court fishermen from that era made refer- British record rain- Reservoir, Blagdon opened its other angler, H. Merrett-Stock, this near Street in Somerset. In 1905 just ence to the outline drawings on the bow weighing 8lbs 440 acres to fishermen on the is how the trout of Blagdon Lake 3 of these Rainbows were caught, the internal walls of the hut showing the 8ozs caught in 1924 O21st May 1904 and its fame were discovered. largest weighed 2lbs 14ozs compared size and shape of fish captured in by Col. Scott have quickly spread throughout the fly to 668 brown trout for the same those early days. Many anglers been one of those fishing world. period. As the years progressed the remarked that some of these sketches descendants? This Permission to fish Blagdon had number of rainbows stocked in appeared to show the fish as having is indeed possible to be obtained from the Bristol Blagdon were gradually increased unusual proportions some even but we shall never Waterworks Company Secretary, but as recently as the mid 1960’s describing be certain which just Bill Alexander. The cost was 10 stocking levels of browns were them as being adds to the shillings a day to fish from the always higher than rainbows. deformed. fascination of bank with a maximum of 8 fisher- Blagdon was not an easy place to However a Blagdon’s rich men. If a boat was required reach in the early days and one later study in past and the (there was only 1 available in the method was to travel via the Great the 1950’s by quality of its fish. 1904 season) plus the services of Western Railway who opened a Cecil Myers, a Those that can a keeper, the cost rose to £1, a branch line from Yatton to Blagdon Scientist remember this considerable sum of money at the on 4th December 1901. The line was researching record rainbow turn of the century. primarily built for the transporta- the growth of which hung on the Bristol Water archives reveal tion of coal to fuel the beam engines Blagdon fish, came to the conclusion walls of Blagdon Hut for so that the potential of Blagdon as a at Blagdon Pumping Station but that they were of a strain that took many years will recall its trout fishery was only realised anglers also arrived by train. on this shape because the Lake beautiful proportions and when in 1902, whilst the Reservoir Much was written in the famous provided such a rich larder and they colouring. Sadly, the fish set we have been was filling, Bill Alexander invited Top picture: Blagdon ghillie Jimmy Murdoch with fishing journals of the time about had a tremendous growth up by Cooper’s, the leading fortunate in obtaining a collection a friend to fish for what he client, circa 1935. Blagdon and its wonderful fishing rate. taxidermist of the day was stolen in and in Blagdon’s Centenary year believed to be coarse fish in the Keepers of Blagdon whose careers spanned and huge trout. 1996 and has never been recovered. thought they would be of great Lake just below the by-wash on 60 years pictured with entertainer Will Ffyffe. In the winter of 1910 In our research on Blagdon’s past interest. The photo on page 12 Butcombe Shore. Having had his Left to right, Donald Carr, head keeper, articles appeared we also found out that part of the shows four of Blagdon’s earliest Jimmy Murdoch, ghillie, Will Ffyffe, Sam Carr, line broken several times during carrying the story timber from the original hut was used Head Keepers whose combined Angus McLaughlin and Lawrie Williamson the day using a roach pole and of a colossal brown to erect a summer house for Mrs careers spanned almost 60 years. with nothing to show for it, he trout, which ran, Bell’s use whilst her husband We have unearthed many more asked a Caretaker of the Lake to lay n December 1904 Donald Carr up the stream to Ubley the famous Dr.Bell was fishing. The interesting facts about Blagdon’s past a “Spiller” with about 60 hooks was appointed Head Keeper and Hatchery. The fish was location of the summer house was and will be publishing further articles attached to it thinking that large eels was to nurture and develop the a perfectly conditioned Orchard Bay and some of our anglers in forthcoming issues of The Buzzer. were the likely culprits. Three days Ifishery to make it famous hen and was weighed by may recall a hut on this site behind later the Caretaker arrived in a state throughout England and indeed the Donald Carr. Its weight Orchard Bay Point. This page, clockwise from top; Blagdon of great excitement carrying a parcel World for the size and quality of the was an incredible 16lbs Pumping Station under construction in 1898. Blagdon Hut, circa 1925. Boat containing a beautifully marked 5lb trout it produced. Donald was the 4ozs. Safely returned after n its long history Blagdon has with ghillie drifting close to the shore brown trout. first in a long line of Scottish keepers spawning, the fish was had relatively few Fishery at Cheddar Water. Blagdon ghillies - Later that week they returned and Ghillies to arrive at Blagdon and never caught and must have Manager’s a policy that Bristol front row Lawrie Williamson, Sam Carr, with Flies and Artificial Minnows had previously worked on the River fuelled the imagination of These factors IWater are proud to acknowledge. back row Jimmy Murdoch and Angus and caught between them 14 brown Tay and in Co.Donegal. future anglers of what might made them develop into very The skills learnt over the years have McLaughlin. trout weighing up to 4lbs. According Whilst only 102 brown trout were be lurking in Blagdon’s deep and short fish in comparison to been handed down from generation to this typed manuscript, which was caught in that first year the average magical waters. their weight. to generation and the Scottish Steve Pope

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