ARTHUR’S ARCHIVES Inside fishing history

Our angling historian Keith Arthur looks back at Bernard Venables, the personification of his Mr Crabtree creation

“He was an incredible pioneer in many other areas, once boating a 1,700lb shark”

IWONDER if we would have ever known Bernard Venables the angler if it hadn’t been for his creation Mr Crabtree? What’s without question is that he was a traditional angler who stuck to the Crabtree ethos. The book, Mr Crabtree goes Fishing, was an unbelievable success, the original selling more than two million copies, so it was no surprise when, in 1953 – the year after this picture was taken – Bernard was lured from his job on the Daily Mirror to be part of a new national fishing newspaper... Angling Times.

A look at the tackle being used by the angler in the photograph shows that the barbel was landed on the classic wooden Nottingham centrepin and cane rod combo that worked so well when floatfishing fastflowing rivers. I’m not sure that even today rod-builders have managed to create a rod that cushions the lunges of hardfighting fish better than split cane, but perhaps the reduction in weight of modern materials is suitable compensation.

While Bernard will always be remembered for his genteel style of coarse fishing, he was an incredible pioneer in many other areas, once boating a 1,700lb shark on a trip to Madeira as well as tiger fish and Nile perch. Not bad for a boy born in Catford, a less salubrious part of South East London.

For coarse anglers he will always be the personification of Crabtree – fishing beautiful places, passing on his angling knowledge and wisdom to not just Peter, his son in the cartoon, but to children of all ages.

Bernard passed away in 2001, aged 94, but Crabtree will live on forever.