aboutus

The London Anglers Association - About Us Last Updated 30/03/2008
It was in the early 1800 fishing in the rivers and streams around London was very bad. Anglers of the day had no ideals the object was to take fish with little or no restrictions, the river side was rife with poachers and vagrants, those anglers that fished alone often walked the banks in fear of their lives. We must remember that most anglers worked for long hours in factories and workshops at hazardous jobs, education at that time was poor and the financial rewards small, they had only a small amount of leisure time. Clubs started to evolve in the main based in public houses of the time, disorganised with little or no rules. But by collectively fishing as a group anglers gained the protection of numbers as they travelled from London to the venues in the surrounding countryside.
So it was that matches began to be organised for prizes on such occasions.
Then as the railways started to appear the opportunity to travel further afield to better stocked parts of the rivers became possible, unfortunately the cost of using the railway was beyond all but better paid workers.	It was in 1871 that two clubs 'Good Intent A/S' and 'Hoxton Bros' having arranged such roach fishing match to be held at Rye House on the River Lea applied to the G.E.R. Railway company for a special excursion rate fare in order that the members could attend.
The application was granted and the day proved very profitable to the railway company. The railway company realising this sent for the secretary of Hoxton Bros. a Mr Ghurney to discuss the possibility of issuing further cheap fares to members and in 1872 cheap fares for anglers using the railway was granted.	It soon followed that members of other clubs and societies wished to take advantage of the cheap rates and so 'The United London Angling Association' was formed so that privilege tickets for cheap travel on the railway could be distributed.
Over the next few years concessions where gained from 'The Midland' and also 'L.B. & Southern Coast Railway' widening the choice of rivers to the members also a small fee was introduced the proceeds deposited in a general fund was used to finance improvements to fisheries close to London.	'The United London Angling Association' having secured the cheap fares to the north, east and south of London for anglers seemed unable to secure the same for the west and so the situation remained. That is until a Philip Geen appeared on the scene sent from a club in Hammersmith at his request 'The United Angling Association' again tried to get the railway company's to the west involved but with no result. But this did not deter Geen and so it was that unhappy with the results a second Association was borne to cover the west of London this was named 'The West Central Association' and Geen then fought and gained concessions in much the same way to the west of London. We therefore now have two associations one to the north and east, the other to the west both providing travel to anglers in their respective boundary.
The two Associations existed using income from the issue of privilege tickets to finance work to improve what was then very poor fishing in rivers each kept to his own side of London. Many anglers deciding to be members of the two Associations continued to enjoy travel on all the railway's and no restriction prevented anyone from holding membership in both.
Unfortunately after some time a third association was borne out of rift between the members to the west this took the name of the 'Central Association' and they also began to issue Privilege Tickets to members and eventually this brought claims from the railways of misuse of the privilege ticket the situation looked bad for anglers. The railway's displeased with the anglers threatened to end the privilege of cheap fares to anglers.
	However the Association to the west grew at much faster rate than the other due in part to the spread of London into the suburbs. Both associations fought for a standard size limit for removal of fish, some clubs did imposed their own but these could not be enforced and fish where not returned to the water.
The Association continued to further the cause of angling in Britain, size limits for takable fish and also a close season helped to improve fish stocks within the rivers both the result of pressure from the Association, a licence system helped prevent stocks being depleted by unfair means. The result was improvement on many rivers.	The Associations were all invited to attend a meeting with the intention of bringing them all together as one and drawing up a constitution to control the issue of tickets. This in order to retain the support of the railway however the meeting was not attended by the Central as they had declined the offer. The two largest Associations joined forces and in 1884 'The London Anglers Association', was founded having a constitution and rules to control the issue of tickets this prompted the railways to retained its Association with anglers and cheap fares continued.
	During the war years 1914 the railway due to problems moving troops decided to finally withdraw concessions on travel. With many members of the Association being called for active duty its numbers fell as did the following for many sports and pastimes. The income fell as members dropped many clubs disappeared through lack of members. However those few that remained seemed determined to retain the structure of the association and unlike many other bodies that disbanded during the war years the Association succeeded in continuing on, determined to continue paying rents on waters some members actually helped to cover the cost out of their own pocket. The few that remained convinced that the Association should survive and grow once again on the return of the troops after the war.
During these years the government of the time wished to net all fish from waters to provided food, it was what remained of Association that objected to the wholesale removal of stocks and brought about a more controlled use of the food source thereby ensuring that a level of fish stock remained to help recruitment. They won the day and only sizeable fish where used, small fish being returned to ensure sufficient stock survived to replenish the river systems. The war ended and with the return of soldiers the Association membership numbers recovered. It became one of the largest in the country. Today the Association has many waters it both rents and owns throughout the south of England these cover the counties of Kent, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Wiltshire and Buckinghamshire, we enrol members from similar catchment areas. This means the name 'The London Anglers Association' is to an extent misleading as we provide excellent river, canal, and lake venues for anglers throughout the south of England.	Although retaining our roots as a group of clubs, we now allow individual members to join with our associate membership ticket. Our officers represent our members on many other bodies within the angling world. The Association still supports its tradition of becoming involved in fishery management projects on all rivers not just those under its control. We still are prepared to fight the cause of angling and the preservation of fish for all anglers.
	Also on the waters we control and land attached, we support activities which in many cases further the protection of wildlife in general, and recently awards have been given by conservation bodies to enforce our commitment to this end. The prize possession of the Association is in fact a meadow termed the largest unfenced piece of meadow in England. This known as 'Portholme Meadow' is surrounded by water and situated between the towns of Huntingdon and Godmanchester apart from the vast length of fishable bank has great historic value being the scene of several battles around 1600 it was then farmed by nuns, was then turned into a racecourse for Kings of England.
Since then being flat and void of trees it was used as test site for the very first biplane's flown by early aviators. In the war years it was used as a fighter station it has now been returned to a meadow pastureland. This is managed by ourselves with the guidance of English nature. No chemicals are used in farming the meadow resulting in a rich environment containing grasses, wild flowers and insects, unseen and long since disappeared from the farmers fields around. Many properties we have are havens for wildlife where birds, animals and insects exist alongside anglers and both continue to enjoy each others company undisturbed for the most part.
Why not become a member of the 'London Anglers Association?'