Francis M. Walbran North Country Flies

Moderators: William Anderson, letumgo

Greenwell
Posts: 346
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 9:05 pm

Francis M. Walbran North Country Flies

Post by Greenwell » Sat Feb 16, 2019 5:57 pm

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.
IMG_0602.jpg
IMG_0602.jpg (212.74 KiB) Viewed 6268 times
IMG_0603.jpg
IMG_0603.jpg (219.37 KiB) Viewed 6268 times
Greenwell
Posts: 346
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 9:05 pm

Re: Francis M. Walbran North Country Flies

Post by Greenwell » Sat Feb 16, 2019 6:06 pm

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.
IMG_0604.jpg
IMG_0604.jpg (217.96 KiB) Viewed 6265 times
IMG_0605.jpg
IMG_0605.jpg (197.78 KiB) Viewed 6265 times
Greenwell
Posts: 346
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 9:05 pm

Re: Francis M. Walbran North Country Flies

Post by Greenwell » Sat Feb 16, 2019 8:44 pm

ForumGhillie wrote: Sat Feb 16, 2019 7:03 pm 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?
User avatar
hankaye
Posts: 6582
Joined: Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:59 pm
Location: Arrey, N.M. aka 32°52'37.63"N, 107°18'54.18"W

Re: Francis M. Walbran North Country Flies

Post by hankaye » Sat Feb 16, 2019 8:53 pm

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
Striving for a less complicated life since 1949...
"Every day I beat my own previous record for number
of consecutive days I've stayed alive." George Carlin
daringduffer
Posts: 2195
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 5:11 am

Re: Francis M. Walbran North Country Flies

Post by daringduffer » Sat Feb 16, 2019 9:39 pm

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? :o

Could not sleep. Had to check this post.

dd
User avatar
PhilA
Posts: 200
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2015 9:27 pm
Location: Madison, WI

Re: Francis M. Walbran North Country Flies

Post by PhilA » Sat Feb 16, 2019 10:18 pm

daringduffer wrote: Sat Feb 16, 2019 9:39 pm 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? :o

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
Posts: 456
Joined: Mon Dec 26, 2016 12:49 pm
Location: Redding California

Re: Francis M. Walbran North Country Flies

Post by Bazzer69 » Sat Feb 16, 2019 10:42 pm

daringduffer wrote: Sat Feb 16, 2019 9:39 pm 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? :o

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
Love both fly fishing and fly tying, been doing it for a while
But not much good at either
Greenwell
Posts: 346
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 9:05 pm

Re: Francis M. Walbran North Country Flies

Post by Greenwell » Sat Feb 16, 2019 11:47 pm

Bazzer69 wrote: Sat Feb 16, 2019 10:42 pm
daringduffer wrote: Sat Feb 16, 2019 9:39 pm 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? :o

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.
IMG_0606 (2).jpg
IMG_0606 (2).jpg (118.78 KiB) Viewed 6228 times
Bazzer69
Posts: 456
Joined: Mon Dec 26, 2016 12:49 pm
Location: Redding California

Re: Francis M. Walbran North Country Flies

Post by Bazzer69 » Sun Feb 17, 2019 4:01 am

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
Love both fly fishing and fly tying, been doing it for a while
But not much good at either
REE04419
Posts: 65
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2018 5:40 am

Re: Francis M. Walbran North Country Flies

Post by REE04419 » Sun Feb 17, 2019 8:52 am

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