The D&WAA 110th anniversary – the
early years
By David Chamberlain
One of the oldest and still active sea angling clubs
in Britain is holding its 110th anniversary this year. Formed in
1904, the Deal and District Angling Association comprised of a group of fishers
who wished to hold competitions from Deal Pier, the beach and boats. At their first AGM they boasted a membership
of 165 and elected Percy Edgar as their chairman. Mr Edgar was also owner of
the sprat canning factory at north Deal.
With a growing membership of 217 in 1906 they
changed the club’s name to Deal and Walmer Angling Association. The thriving
society held many Dinners, Dances, Smoking Lectures and Concerts to raise
funds. These were very popular and it was noticed in one of the monthly
meetings that the hire of the Royal Marines Band for an event was £3.0s.6d
(approx £3.3p). The club had access to a cabin on the pavilion end of the pier
where members could bait-up and hang their coats. This was kept clean by the
association’s cabin steward. Unfortunately the cabin was destroyed in gales and
the anglers had to wait for another to be rebuilt.
By 1911, the membership had exceeded 400 with many
of the anglers coming from London and the Home Counties. The amount that were
fishing in the angling festivals and competitions warranted the club to request
that the South Eastern Railway reduce
fares and alter timetables to accommodate their members travelling arrangements. All of the festivals were held as a three day
event and 50 boats were recorded as being launched from the beach in the 1911
boat festival. These competitions were not only for the men, the association
also held an annual pier festival for women.
The women’s event always attracted over 50 female competitors.
Fishing in those days was not as high tech as it is
for the modern day angler. Rods were normally made from heavy greenheart wood
with pulleys or fragile agate encased top rings. The reels, or winches as they
were known by, were also made from walnut. These ‘star back centre-pin reels’
were so called because of the brass framework that held the reel secure to the
rod. With thick cutyhunk line the outfit was not meant to be cast any distance.
Dropping over the side of the boat or pier would suffice.
During the First World War, membership declined
although the association still tried to maintain the clubs function and
competitions. In 1916 they put a fishing
match on Deal Pier for wounded service men who were convalescing. This was
noted as the first of its kind held around the English Coast; and even brought the
comments of King George V, expressing his appreciation of the Association’s
efforts. As the competition progressed, the invaliding soldiers were inundated
with gifts of cigarettes, tobacco, sausage rolls and meat pies. The proprietor
of the Clarendon Hotel donated a cask of ginger wine to fortify the men against
the chilly northerly wind. Of the 150 men who fished only 43 managed to catch
fish, which comprised of dogfish, congers, codling, soles and pouting. The Deal
and Walmer Angling Association made sure that all of the competitors won a
prize. The winner, Pte Borthwick, with 2lb 13oz was presented with the main
prize by Lady Haig and General Neville White.
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