The Yorkshire Film Archive collects, preserves, and shows film made in, or about Yorkshire. Our collections are non-fiction, dating from the 1890s to the present day, and providing a rich and visually compelling record of all aspects of lives, cultures, landscape, industries, major events and everyday activities, many of which are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free
Hook, Line and Sheffield
This marvellous film follows a typical weekend outing on a fishing competition by Sheffield anglers in 1963, as well as demonstrating the practicalities and virtues of fishing.
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Overview
An engrossing film following a day in the life of steel worker and keen angler Tom Evans, as he and other members of Sheffield and District Works Sports Association head off for their weekly fishing trip, this time on the River Witham. Tom takes us to Bennetts Angling Store, run by famous angler Jack Tar, to buy some tackle, as his wife and son give their approval to his hobby. Later, prize night at the Lansdowne Hotel sees Tom collect a cup on behalf on the English Steel team.
The Sheffield and District Works and Sports Association, founded in 1919, is the oldest organisation of its kind in Great Britain, and still going strong. The angling committee ceased during the war, and was effective until 1985,before the section closed down in 1988. Clubs and competitions of this sort were common in the 1960s, often with commercial sponsorship, such as tobacco and brewing companies. Bennetts Angling Store had two shops in Sheffield, at Darnall and Westbar, before moving to Howard Street. The River Witham was well known for fishing competitions, with trains and coaches bringing as many as 1500 anglers every weekend from, among other places, Sheffield, Nottingham and Doncaster.
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