Jack Hargreaves - ratting sticks, coppicing, wattle hurdles

"That's an unusual stick" Another episode from a recording of Jack Hargreaves' Old Country shown on Channel 4 in the early 1980s - a recording made off-air by a fan of my stepfather's and kindly sent to me a few years ago with apologies for the loss of quality in transferring from TV to VHS to CD.

These books may be of interest:

Jack Hargreaves, illustrated by Bernard Venables, 'Fishing for a year' MacGibbon & Kee 1951, republished Medlar Press 1998

Jack Hargreaves, 'Out of Town: A Life Relived on Television', Dovecote Press 1987

Jack Hargreaves, 'The Old Country', Dovecote Press 1988

Jack Hargreaves with Terry Heathcote, 'The New Forest: A Portrait in Colour', Dovecote Press 1992

Paul Peacock, 'Jack Hargreaves - A Portrait', Farming Books & Videos 2006

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Jack Hargreaves
• ratting sticks
• coppicing
• wattle hurdles
• Old Country

[Sibadd]

Would that I could pass your kind thoughts to Jack. He would be delighted to think he had helped interest you in fishing. I still have files of letters written to him all of which he answered personally often at length - in later years dictating them to his wife Isobel who died only 4 years after him.

[Sibadd]

Thanks for your kind comment. I've posted 'Jack Hargreaves - Pigeons' on YouTube but that episode from C4 'Old Country' is not the one you mention which was almost certainly one of the many missing 'Out of Town' episodes that disappeared with the demise of Southern Television. The silent 16mm location film by Stan Bréhaut included in that and most other episodes may be at the South West Film and Television Archive, where many of my stepfather's films and separate sound tapes were deposited.

[Sibadd]

I've just streamed a film from Old Country on the mayfly. Hope you like it.

[Sibadd]

What a pleasure to read such comments! Thank you. Jack would have been delighted. You know I and friends are working on digging out more of my stepfather's films and people still trace me and send me old videos they recorded which I stream as soon as I can. Good fishing. Bless you too.

[Sibadd]

Thanks. Thanks too to the viewer who recorded the live programme in the 1980s and passed the copy on to me 20 years later. I'm aiming to post another episode about every fortnight - also on Vimeo.

[bethfin]

Fantastic !, thank you so much for putting this on, me and my mate!, would not go out when we knew Jack was coming on, brilliant programme, in fact for my money this type of t v died sadly with him, simple laid back informative inspiring brilliant stuff, never be made again, all the very best Steve.

[DumblyBrilliant]

I watched these programs avidly as a boy. It was amazing the way that Jack could draw you into his world with the simple technique of talking to you as if you were there with him. It was Jack who first got me interested in fishing as a lad. Funny thing. Even now when I see these again I notice that quite unconsciously I find myself smiling at the end of the program. Thanks for posting them and thank you Jack for making them.

[crazytom4]

thank you for posting these clips,jacks amazing knowledge and gentle manners are virtues seldom seen these days,a true country gentleman. I remember watching an episode where jack is pigeon shooting with another chap from a bale hide on a very cold winters day,i recall that the pigeons were starving and almost suicidal coming into the decoys so jack stopped shooting and just filmed the birds feeding, A true sportsman with the utmost respect for his quarry. would love to see that episode again.

[browntroutfisherman]

Simply a true gent - I loved these programs and have watched many of them again in recent years.

[gooter555]

great upload, thanks...... rare footage.... love it

[tearlach11]

Thank you very much for posting these videos.they bring back so many childhood memories of a Sunday afternoon, listening to his gentle wisdom.