[AndyHoldcroft]

The final set of transcripts of Edward Dolton's diary, commencing 1893


Sep 30
Got permission to fish in the Forge Mill57 pool at Redditch, a nice long piece of water. Went with Mr Silk & fished for perch all the afternoon but neither of us secured so much as a bite, as the mill was at work and the water a yard below its ordinary level. Don’t want to go again as the mud & slime exposed by the water falling stank sufficiently to give anyone a fever & did not auger well for the quality of any fish taken.
57 Now site of Forge Mill Needle Museum.


1894
August 15
Salford Priors, to Avon. Went with Mr Silk & Masters. Bad day, no-one any sport. Windy & dull. Had 7 or 8 small roach etc on stewed wheat & paste. Mr S. disgusted, retired to public house to indulge in non-fermented drinks.



1895
Aug 11
Wixford in Arrow58. Drove in a break with Pem & George & the baby59 & Eva & the three children60. Very nice afternoon & saw the plate glass fronts of the Malvern shops reflecting in the sun altho’ 20 miles away. Caught 6 roach with stewed wheat, fishing very close to the bottom, averaging about 3 oz each. Teddie much excited over each capture.
58 About 10 miles south of Redditch on River Arrow in Warwickshire. Would a century later be home to Michael Kember, his great grandson. Labelled as “Papist Wixford” in doggerel attributed to William Shakespeare.
59 Emma Ayland (née Dolton, (1863-1952), Edward’s half-sister, her husband George Ayland and daughter Doris Caroline Ayland (1894-1963): a son Edward (1904-1993) would be born after this entry.
60 Unclear which three: in addition to Elsie & Ted noted above, the third could have been Beatie(1885-1964) or the baby Henry (“Harry”) Dolton (1895-1947) who had been born some seven months previously on 12th January.
July 4
Studley in river Arrow61. Walked over with Silly62 & fished all day with minnow & worm for trout, perch or eels & caught neither. Very scarce here apparently altho’ the river looks perfect for them. Caught a few little dace & gudgeon to finish up with & presented them to Silly for his supper.
61 About 3 to 4 miles from Redditch
62 Possibly a nickname for the previously mentioned Mr Silk?
Sep 24
Wixford in river Arrow. Drove over with Mr Ball in his trap. Put up at the Fish Hotel63 & were provided with a good beefsteak dinner at a reasonable price. Fished with worms all day for perch etc but caught only a few roach & “daddy-ruffs” & gudgeon.
63This, by a twist of fate, was kept by the father of Geoffrey Davis who would later (June 1921) marry Edward’s daughter Elsie.




Written by Edward William Dolton between 1888-1895 and transcribed & annotated by his great-grandson, Andrew Holdcroft, in July 2012.