History
In 1860 Her Royal Highness Queen Victoria bestowed the River Noe and its tributaries (Bradwell Brook and Peakshole Water) as well as the surrounding land to William Henry Greaves Bagshawe Esquire. The Bagshawes were an old Peak Forest family, and are thought to have lived in the region since about 1066.
The River Noe is situated within the Forest of High Peak, and is a tributary of the River Derwent. It flows through the villages of Edale and Hope in the Peak District, Derbyshire, before it joins the River Derwent just south of Bamford.
In 1861 the Peak Forest Angling Club was formed and has leased the fishing rights from various owners ever since. The club has grown to 40 members whose main aim is to enjoy their fishing. We are very lucky to have the privilege of fishing a beautiful river in such stunning surroundings. The only months that the Noe is not fished are March and October, when it is left in peace. The river is not over fished and has a good stock of wild trout and grayling. Bradwell Brook, Peakshole Water and the Upper Noe are all maintained as wild fisheries. The lower river is lightly stocked with brown trout to complement the wild fish.
For 150 years the Peak Forest Angling Club has been protecting this unique river system which provides both food and shelter for fish and birds. Bradwell Brook is one of only three rivers in the United Kingdom where rainbow trout breed naturally. This habitat is also an excellent place to find water voles: they breed in significant numbers along the Noe, aided in part by the Peak Forest Angling Club’s rigorous river clearing and management.
Members on 1 July 1861:
William Lockwood
Josh Nicholson
Edward Porter
Charles Porter
The Royal Forest of the Peak: A History
The Royal Forest of the Peak (or the Forest of High Peak) in which the Peak Forest Angling Club is located, used to cover most of North West Derbyshire. Ivor Burton’s book on the Forest splits the history of the land into very distinct time periods. First, the land was occupied by prehistoric tribes – evidence of which can be found in the burial mounds which are scattered throughout the region. Bones of animals like mammoths, sabre-tooth tigers and rhinoceros have also been discovered in modern times.
Evidence of the Roman Empire is very apparent: coins and pottery are frequently unearthed, as well as the physical reminders in the roads and the Roman baths, discovered in Buxton in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Following the Norman Conquest in 1066, the area was formally established as a royal hunting reserve. The land was placed in the care and ownership of William Peverel – who was allegedly the illegitimate son of William the Conqueror and a Saxon princess. Peverel lived at what was then known as Peak Castle, but is today more fondly recognised as Peveril Castle in Castleton.
With the Normans came administration: for the first time, officials were appointed, strict forest laws were enforced and the land was split into three wards: Campana, Hopedale and Longdendale. Campana was enclosed by a low wall, and the open country made it ideal for deer to roam and breed. The meeting point of the wards is to this day still marked by Edale Cross.
The Forest came under the jurisdiction of the Justices of the Forests North of the Trent, and enforcement was strict and harsh – foresters could arrest any man on sight if he was caught offending “against vert or venison”, meaning offences to the trees/plants or the livestock (not just deer) within the Forest. Offences included:
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Stable Stand: man found with his bow drawn or with a dog
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Dog Draw: man had wounded a deer, and was now following with a dog
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Back Bear: man caught carrying a dead deer on his shoulders
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Bloody Hands: man caught with hands that were bloody as though from killing a deer.
Other forms of enforcement included disabling dogs, where a dog’s claws would be cut off so that they could not chase deer.
Another Royal Forest law stated nobody was permitted to build a house within the boundaries without a special license from the King. There are numerous accounts of foresters ignoring this rule and subsequently being convicted for building houses, which were then torn down. The construction of houses within the Royal Forest of the Peak left a devastating effect on the woods in the area.
In 1154 King Henry II confiscated Peverel’s estate after his son was found guilty of poisoning Ranulph, Earl of Chester. The King gave the estate to his son, John, and rebuilt Peak Castle to be used as a prison. Monarchs in years to come would bequeath this estate (known as the Honour of the Peak) upon their spouses or favourite nobles: Edward II bestowed it upon Piers de Gaveston, the 1st Earl of Cornwall, with whom it was suspected he was having a sexual relationship.
The Honour of the Peak passed from monarch to monarch, down through the generations, until 1399 when Henry IV ascended the throne. The estate passed to the throne, along with all the other holdings of the Duchy of Lancaster – a total of 46,200 acres of land. In 2010, this duchy was valued at £348 million.
The Honour of the Peak was never given away again, but rather leased to local nobility as a form of income for the monarchy. The manor and Forest of High Peak was leased in perpetuity to the Dukes of Devonshire.
Today, the area is known as the Borough of High Peak. It was formed in 1974, and encompasses Buxton, Glossop, Chapel-en-le-Frith and part of Hope Valley.
Situated in Hope Valley, Edale is a much loved tourist destination. The original stone Edale Cross remains preserved in the village centre, a historical reminder of the Forest of High Peak. The name ‘Edale’ used to refer to the valley of the River Noe – the primary river fished by the Peak Forest Angling Club.
This historical account of the Peak Forest Angling Club has been compiled using Peak Forest Angling Club Minute Books dating back to 1861, letters, and official documentation. Extracts (where used) are credited to the source.
By a series of Leases beginning in 1861 the fishing rights of the Noe were let to the Peak Forest Angling Club. Upon the sale of these rights by W.H.G. Bagshawe to the Derwent Valley Water Board and subsequent owners, the Peak Forest Angling Club has leased the rights for 150 years and will continue to do so.
The First 100 Years
At one of the first meetings of the Peak Forest Angling Club in 1863 there were four members: William Lockwood, Josh Nicholson, Edward Porter, and Charles Porter. The members were wealthy men, making the Club very exclusive. They frequently chose to meet at Cutler’s Hall in Sheffield, evidence of their affluence. In the first meetings, they agreed that the fishing season would run from mid April until mid September each year, and that killed fish were to be above 9 inches long. They employed a River Keeper by the name of George Ashton. In 1864 a fifth member, Mr K Porter, was accepted.
In the late 1800s, fly fishing was going through considerable change. Dry fly fishing began to appear in 1853 – traditionally up until this point fishermen used ‘wet’ flies, which were more like an ‘underwater attractor’ with bright colours than an imitation.
The emergence of the dry fly changed the fishing world forever. It effectively put wet fly development on hold while the angling world explored this new invention.
Back then, the only place the Club allowed minnow and worm fishing was between the top two bridges in Edale, and the head River Watcher had to keep a diary of each gentleman’s fishing. This included how many fish were killed and which were his most successful flies. The diary also recorded the weather, water and wind conditions.
In mid June 1867, the Peak Forest Angling Club approached Robert Cocker to enquire about renting the fishing rights to the small stream and dam at Hope Corn Mill. At a rate of one shilling each, the Club was allowed to fish here.
In April 1869, the Peak Forest Angling Club then asked Thomas Fildes Cocker about renting the fishing rights to the Noe as it runs through Upper Fulwood Farm in Edale. This was granted to the Club at a rate of 5 shillings per year.
In 1872, in Alnwick, Northumberland, William Hardy and his brother John James Hardy formed the legendary Hardy Brothers partnership. Their fishing rods would become one of the best brands in the world, and to this day the firm continues to receive international awards for their innovative rods.
In 1876 the Club asked two local residents if they would care to join, but they were not interested in becoming members. It was also in this year that the price of renting the fishing rights on the River Noe increased from £10 to £50 for the year. In 1879, the Club again approached two local residents – this time slightly more promisingly they had shown interest in joining the Club – but they did not want to become members.
Unfortunately in the same year, the Brough dam was heavily damaged. Reparation work would take £75 from the Club’s treasury, and Josh Nicholson kindly volunteered to pay the difference.
Over the next two years, the Peak Forest Angling Club worked on slowly repairing the Brough dam. They used railway sleepers to fix the bank, pointing them into the bed and driving them into the ground with great force. The space between the sleepers and the existing riverbank was to be filled with refuse.
They leased the hatchery of the outhouse at Brough dam from Josh Nicholson. Work was completed in 1881, and the following year Edward Porter resigned as Club Secretary after 20 years.
New member Mr Belk took over the position. It was during this period that core membership increased to six, which was a small step in the right direction for the Treasury!
What is noticeable when reading through the old minute books is that every meeting had a different Chair. It would appear that while the Club liked to maintain a consistent approach with regards to the post of Secretary or Treasurer, every year a different member chaired their Annual Meetings. With such a small membership this could only have helped share the load of managing the Club.
In the wider angling community, much had happened by the 1880s. Dry fly fishing was well established but still not widely used. This was due in large part to the fact that dry flies tended to become waterlogged and sink quite quickly. The development of the single handed split cane trout rod was another key change: again, these weren’t widely used until the 1880s due to their expense.
Frederic Halford has been given much of the credit for the design of the dry fly which modern anglers continue to use today. His design fared much better than the earlier models, heralding in a new age of fly fishing. When he retired, he provided extensive writings and research on the subject of fly fishing, working with close friend and fellow angler George Selwyn Marryat.
In 1888, it is recorded in the Annual Meeting minutes that the Treasurer required an additional £15 per member “on account of current expenses”. It is never detailed exactly what the expenses are, but one could assume it was the residual impact of the Brough dam repairs. This £15 levy was to be continued until 1916. Alongside this increase in charges, the Club decided to reduce the entrance fee to £5, and increased membership numbers to eight people maximum. However, the number stayed at six until the early 1900s.
In 1890, when Mr Loxley-Firth took his turn as Chair, a rule was passed which stated that no more than 4 brace of trout could be taken from Bradwell Dam by any member in one day. The same year, a relatively new member retired his post and the new member was made to pay the old entrance fee of £10 – an expense needed due to membership remaining at six people.
At the Annual Meeting in 1895, it was recounted that in 1894 the Club had faced an interesting challenge from the Duke of Devonshire’s agents. It is evident in the earliest records of the Club that every year a payment was made to the Duke’s estate – one can only assume (as did the Club in 1895) that the payments were for the right to walk on the Duke’s land to fish.
However, in November 1894 the Club Secretary received a letter from the Duke’s representative asking why the Club continued to make this payment when there was no record of an agreement between the two parties. The letter went on to request perhaps in future rather than payment, the Club should send fishing tickets so that they could enjoy the sport in the river which passed through the estate.
Club Secretary Mr Parker Rhodes responded as such:
Dear Sir,
The right of fishery in the River Noe is vested in W Bagshawe under old Charters or Grants and we hold the fishing from him. The Secretary who originally managed the business of the Club and who made the arrangement under which the s/6 per half year is paid is dead. I am the oldest member of the Club and I have always understood the money was paid in order to settle in a friendly manner the dispute as to the rights of persons fishing to go on to the Duke’s land.
It is not convenient to always wade up the River and I presume the matter was not of sufficient importance for either side to quarrel about it, and so the annual rent was agreed upon. I shall be very glad indeed next season to let you have some tickets and hope you may have good sport but in that case should not care to send you them for that bit of the Water which passes through the Duke’s property. It is the worst end of our Water and if you fish at all I should hope it would be in the better part of the River below Hope.
I am Dear Sir
Yours faithfully
F Parker Rhodes
20 November 1894
The Club offered the Duke’s agent full access to the Noe, recommending that the water running through the estate would not be the best sport.
Three years later, in 1897, Mr Parker Rhodes reported that legal action had been taken by the Club and the Bagshawe estate against local landowner Mr Jennison. Mr Parker Rhodes’ report read that:
“…first, Mr Jennison had undertaken serious fishing in your stream with the authority of his tenant Genn, second, an injunction restraining Jennison and those acting under him from further interference...”
Taken from letter to members, 1897
Court proceedings were initiated and the case was hurried through the courts. It took three years to reach any sort of conclusion. Mr Parker Rhodes believed the case should have received a great deal more attention, and ultimately cost Mr Jennison a fortune in legal fees without being of any real benefit to the Club.
While Mr Jennison’s solicitors could not defend their client, recognising the Peak Forest Angling Club’s right to fish as well as their right of road over the land, it was agreed that to secure a peaceful and long-lasting settlement with Mr Jennison, the Club would offer him £20 towards his legal costs.
However, the situation was far from resolved:
Rumours have reached me that threats are being made by Mr Genn, Mr Jennison’s tenant of the Rising Sun Public House, that something might be done to injure the Fishery. I have no means of ascertaining whether these statements have any foundations in fact or whether they are merely idle rumour intended to make me act…
Parker Rhodes’ report at 1897 AGM
This is the first record of any threat to the Club, and as such it was taken incredibly seriously. It was decided that rather than obtain an injunction for Mr Genn, Mr Parker Rhodes would serve a copy of the injunction against Mr Jennison so that he could see that the land and fishing rights belonged to the Club.
Prosecution was also taken against Mr Charles Field, who was caught fishing in Lumbley Pool. Mr Jennison’s case was brought before the court to illustrate the Club’s rights, and Mr Field was fined 10 shillings plus legal costs.
The turn of the century saw the heyday of dry fly fishing – trout anglers now used single-handed rods that were between 9.5 foot and 11 foot long. They were also a lot more comfortable to use, due to the development of cork handles.
In 1902, their long serving River Keeper George Ashton passed away. Such was his level of service to the Club that they decided to pay for and erect a gravestone in his honour which stated his commitment to the preservation of the Peak Forest Angling Club. The gravestone can still be seen today in Hope Church graveyard. His son, also called George and referred to as George Ashton Junior, took his place.
In 1906, the Club’s right to fish was challenged again when two men were caught illegally fishing. They were convicted and sentenced to two weeks in prison. The Club held regular meetings throughout the first decade of the 20th century, even during the First World War. The year after, no meetings were called. When the meetings resumed in 1920, minutes were typed and not handwritten as before.
In 1910 one of the world’s best trout fishermen of all time, George Edward MacKenzie Skues, was to make a discovery that would once more transform the angling world. While dry fly fishermen realised their flies didn’t look like any underwater species, they chose not to investigate. Mr Skues proposed that nymphs (the flies/hatchlings found underwater) could be imitated. He spent many years writing books on the subject and his practises are now adopted by anglers worldwide.
It was decided in the early 20th Century that to solidify the Peak Forest Angling Club’s interest in the land and River Noe, it should begin to buy and lay claim to the land and riverbeds upon which their members fished.
In July 1920 Colonel Leslie and others sold land in Bradwell to the Club for an incredible £1091. Two days later, the Club sold the land to William Eyre for £988, retaining the pond and a small portion of the land near the riverside for themselves.
In 1922, Club Secretary Mr Parker Rhodes wrote to fellow member Mr R Fowler expressing his concerns over the growing use of motor cars by members and the subsequent trouble caused by parking:
I am afraid we are not as popular as we might be… I venture to ask any of our members who motor up to ask permission before leaving a car, and give a small gratuity when leaving it. Things are quite different now to what they used to be in the old days when, as a matter of course, horse and trap was put up at one of the Inns.
Letter dated 24 May 1922
He warned that if members were not respectful and courteous to residents, the resulting tension would be “an awkward job” to smooth over. It is interesting to note the impact that the use of cars had on the Club and its relationship with landowners.
In 1924, the Club bought yet more land from Richard Arliss at Thornhill for only £15. It was reported at the Annual Meeting that Mr Parker Rhodes was to retire as Secretary and Treasurer, and in tribute of his many years’ service to the Club he was made the Club’s first Honorary Member. Mr Fowler took over the role but sadly died the following year. He was replaced by Mr Dyson.
In 1925 a proposal was put forward to build a hut at Lumbley Pool[l2] . This was mainly to provide a social gathering point for Club members, and to offer them somewhere to store spare fishing equipment.
In 1926 a new lease for ten years was signed between the Peak Forest Angling Club and Mr F.E.G. Bagshawe, whom the land had naturally passed down to.
Difficulty in attracting new members remained a concern when in 1931 the Club agreed to try and get a total of eight members. By 1933 they still had only found ONE additional member. In recognition of his longstanding service to the Club, Mr Dyson was made an Honorary Member when he retired. Mr Wilkinson took over the roles of Secretary and Treasurer.
By 1936, their lease had run out and the Club agreed a year-on-year lease with the Bagshawe family. From now on the Club would pay a sum every year (at the time it was £50) for use of the land and river, with each party having to give six month’s notice should they wish the arrangement to change or end.
By 1940 the Club’s membership subscription jumped from the steady and regular sum of £80 up to £126. This inflation is most likely due to the rising cost of living, and the rising costs of employing two River Keepers (another Keeper position was offered to a resident in Edale to restrict poaching at that end of the Noe).
During World War Two, meetings were still held annually but two members (William Wilson and Percy Fawcett) were “on active service”. In 1944, the Club reported the sad loss of William Wilson who was killed in action in March 1944.
In March 1945, Derwent Valley Water Board bought the River Noe between Edale Mill and Jagger’s Clough. This meant another party to pay rent to and another party from which to acquire legal rights to fish. Kindly, Mr Bagshawe reduced his yearly rental price to £45 from £50, and the Derwent Valley set their price at £20 per year. This came with the agreement that the Water Board would send 3.25 million gallons of water down the River Noe daily.
Derwent Valley Water Board built a dam at Edale End, which diverted most of the water from the Noe into the newly built Ladybower reservoir (completed in 1943 but not filled until 1945). After the diversion of the water into Ladybower Reservoir, the Noe was significantly smaller.
George Ashton Jnr. retired in 1946 after 60 years as River Keeper and the Club agreed to pay him a pension of £2 a week. Subscriptions went down to £70 a year and it was agreed in the 1946 AGM that Sunday fishing was no longer allowed. No reason was offered for the decision, and the ruling was reversed in 1948.
In 1947, the Club were forced to pay out yet more money to the Bagshawe estate after the upper part of Bradwell brook needed to be dredged. Less than a year later, more expenses were incurred while repairs were made to Bradwell Dam’s bank which was damaged as it overflowed.
The cost of renting the land and the river began to rise – in 1950 the Club were charged £95; £75 for the Upper Noe and then the further £20 agreed with Derwent Valley for the river between Jagger’s Clough and Edale Mill.
It is unclear when exactly the position of Chairman became fixed, but from the 1950s the Club started to hold elections for the posts of Chair, Secretary and Treasurer (often the same person). Mr Osborne was Chair for five years at this time, followed by Mr Tyzack.
In 1956 in a move to reduce poaching, it was ruled that any guests should carry their day ticket at all times while on the river. Up until this point, day tickets were often forgotten or simply misused. The Keepers were encouraged to ignore any excuses.
In 1958 the Peak Forest Angling Club received notice from the Bagshawe estate that they were to quit fishing on their river and land by 1959.
The reason for this sudden turnaround in what had always been a very courteous relationship lies with the Derwent Valley Water Board who, in November 1958, purchased the River Noe in its entirety from the Bagshawe estate. They had no choice but to tell the Club – by purchasing the land, the Derwent Valley Water Board became the registered owner of the fishing rights and Queen Victoria’s Royal Grant was void.
The Club approached the Water Board to work out a new lease arrangement. At the Annual Meeting in December 1958, the Club agreed it would offer the Water Board £150 rent per year. At the initial meeting, the Board made it clear they wanted £300 per year.
At the outset it was obvious that they had the impression that the fishing rights were a little Gold Mine, and £300 p.a. rent was mentioned. We made the offer of £150 p.a. plus an additional £20 for the Edale length, for a three year lease. The meeting conclucded and it was felt we had a 50-50 chance.
Report to the Club, December 1958
At a meeting held in January 1959, the Club reported their successful offer, and that a lease had been signed. Due to the substantial increase in rent costs, three new members were sought and subscriptions were raised to £75.
A year later in 1961, the Club’s three year lease was coming to an end. This wouldn’t have been a serious problem if their long-serving River Keeper Mr Darwent hadn’t also announced his plans to retire. Members were forced to acknowledge that without a Keeper, when their lease ended they might need to disband.
During what they assumed to be their final year (and also their centenary), very little fishing was conducted. Members indulged only in fly fishing during trout season, and guests were not permitted. It seemed a very bleak way to end the Club’s 100th year.
The Club held an Extraordinary General Meeting on 17 October 1961:
It was decided to do all possible to try and carry on the Club. Four members are to be selected to act as Guarantors to Derwent Valley Water Board.
Secretary was instructed to do all possible to find a new River Keeper, upon which the future of the Club now really depends.
The Next 50 Years
In 1962, the Peak Forest Angling Club found a new River Keeper, Mr Hall, so they could approach the Water Board and ask to renew their fishing lease. This was agreed at £170 per year for three years. Five new members joined the club, and by 1963, Club membership had swelled to 15 members under new Chairman Mr Boddy.
In 1964 after a renewal of the fishing lease, the price rose to £200 per year. In 1965 Mr Foster took over as Keeper, as Mr Hall had sadly died. Three years later, and with the renewal of another lease from the water board, the Keeper became Mr Matthews.
In 1969 guest tickets were reduced from six per member to only four – this was due to a continued increase in membership figures. It was also decided that in light of this increased popularity, the Club should amend its rules. This official document had not been changed since 1889!
When the new rules were completed in 1970, the Club also decided to split the River Noe into ‘beats’. Member Mr Suggs proposed a signing on sheet in the hut at Lumbley Pool so members could see which beats were occupied. A map of the various beats was issued to members[l1] .
In 1971, disaster struck and the River Noe became polluted. Many fish were lost, and the season was unfortunately ruined. The Club approached Derwent Valley for compensation, asking if fish could be purchased and placed back into the river. Today, the Club would be far more concerned about the invertebrate life: fish can be restocked, but insect life can take years to re-establish itself.
By 1973 it was agreed that the Club should increase its membership to 16 people to ease pressure on the Treasury, and so subscription increased to £110. A new lease was signed with Derwent Valley for a further three years, but this time at a rate of £250. Ten new members joined that year, as Secretary and Treasurer Mr Fawcett resigned his position after 25 years, and was replaced by Mr Neale. Chairman Mr Boddy also resigned his post – various members sat in the post until 1978 when Mr Sneddon was elected.
In 1977, the silt in Edale Dam was becoming a serious problem and work began on clearing it. The Club Secretary also warned that they really needed a membership of 20 in order to maintain the current levels of expenditure.
1979 saw another subscription rise to £170, as the Club had to call in an expert from the water authorities to investigate the poor state of the Noe – silting continued to be a problem, as well as a low water level and heavy interference from caravanners. Derwent Valley Water Board agreed that until a conclusion was reached, rent would not be increased.
Two years later Beat 5 (the stretch of river between the Brough Mill Dam and where it goes under Hope Road) was severely polluted by an escape of sewage from Hope Sewage Works. The Club received 80 rainbow trout as compensation. Rainbow trout had been introduced to the Noe about 60 years prior to this, and had been breeding naturally in Bradwell Brook.
In 1982, the Club had twenty six members and three on the waiting list. Subscription remained at £170, and the Water Board completed its report on the condition of the river. Club representatives attended negotiations with Derwent Valley Water Board to renew their lease. They wanted £1300 per year. It was agreed that the Club would counter offer with £750.
An arrangement was finally reached whereby the Club would lease the fishing rights for £900 per year and after four years, this figure would be reviewed. In light of this significant increase, subscriptions had to rise to £200.
In 1985 subscription had risen to £225 and it became clear that there was a problem with silting in the Upper Noe as well, and a visit was arranged with the Water Board to remove the excess dirt.
By 1988, Derwent Valley Water Board became the National Rivers Authority. Their first dealings with the Club came a year later in 1989, when offal was dumped into Lumbley Pool. The NRA promptly cleared the mess, prompting Club Secretary Mr Blewitt to state: “This is a good sign from the NRA.”
Now we come to 1990 and the Peak Forest Angling Club continued to thrive. There was full membership and a substantial waiting list. A new lease had to be negotiated with the NRA: the final agreement was £2415 per year (which included 15% VAT). The Club had to concede, and as a consequence raised the number of members to 28 but still had to raise subscription costs to £350 per year. Their entrance fee, which had been £50 since the 1980s, doubled.
In 1991 elections were held for the posts of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. Mr Blewitt became Chair, Mr Gardiner became Secretary and Mr Viner the Treasurer.
In 1994 something unprecedented happened. A member had sought to obtain an injunction against some local landowners, claiming the Club’s right to fish. Relationships became so strained between the Club, the member, and the landowners that the member was expelled. The incident was so stressful that it caused Chairman Mr Blewitt to resign, alongside Mr Gardiner as Secretary. Mr Blewitt was replaced by Mr Marwood, and Mr Gardiner by Colin Jones.
The Environment Agency absorbed the National Rivers Authority, assuming ownership of the River Noe downstream from Bagshawe Bridge to where it joins the River Derwent, and so had inherited the fishing rights. Severn Trent Water remained responsible for the Upper Noe. In 1995, frustrated with the continued strain on the Club’s Treasury for leasing costs, the Peak Forest Angling Club approached the Environment Agency to ask about purchasing the fishing rights to the lower River Noe.
This legal procedure ended up taking many years and a great deal of financial resource from the Club. In 1996, River Keeper Matthews left as the Club could not afford the wages of a full-time position, and Vernon Hall was employed on a part-time, reduced duties basis. In 1997 the Club reported the sad death of Noel Copley, who had been Treasurer for several years. He was succeeded by Frank Hall. The following year the Club agreed to name a spot on the river ‘Copley’s Corner’.
In 1999, legal proceedings had reached a sort of stalemate: the Environment Agency agreed to sell the fishing rights of the lower Noe, Peakshole Water and Bradwell Brook to the Club. However, the Club’s insurance company discovered that a stretch of land had been registered by Mr Eyre. The Environment Agency claimed it owned all of the land, but Land Registry officials refused to budge.
In the same year Mr Marwood resigned as Chairman and Vincent Middleton took over the role. His immediate priority was to secure a deal with the Environment Agency, which had remained at a standstill.
By 2000, membership had surged to thirty. Subscriptions went down to £250 and the entrance fee had been scrapped. In May, the Club was sold approximately two thirds of the River Noe. Mr Eyre agreed to purchase the remaining one third of the Noe, and he leased the fishing rights of this stretch of river to the Club. In March 2003, the Club finalised the purchase of fishing rights on the Upper Noe from Severn Trent Water.
In 2001, foot and mouth disease decimated the British agricultural industry and had a knock-on effect on angling clubs nationwide. The Environment Agency closed all fishing, and Derbyshire County Council closed all footpaths. Following a phased re-opening of local footpaths, farmers could still object to anglers crossing their land. For the most part, Club members decided it would be safer not to fish. No river clearing took place that year, and reports show that visits to the Noe in that season halved from the season before.
As a result of the foot and mouth outbreak, livestock were not allowed at the Hope Show, an agricultural show held every year. The event organisers needed alternative attractions, so approached Club Secretary Colin Jones and asked if they would be willing to take part. The Club agreed, and provided a photo display, gave fly tying demonstrations and fly casting instructions.
The Hope Show marked a turning point in Club membership: the earliest members of the Club were incredibly rich, and the Club had for decades been perceived as an ‘exclusive’ fishing club reserved only for those with considerable wealth. Participating in the Hope Show sent a clear message to all that the Peak Forest Angling Club was open to everybody who loved to fish. Following their continued presence at the Hope Show, attracting new members is no longer a problem.
In November 2004 the decision was made to increase Club membership to 40 people as the river was not being fished. This would allow the Club to open the Upper Noe which had been previously unfishable due to lack of maintenance[l2] .
In March 2006, the Club completed significant river improvements, spending nearly £6000. During this time they constructed a car park for members at Lumbley Pool as well as building a new hut, Bradwell Brook was cleared of all weeds and rubbish, and investments were made in high quality tools and equipment that would allow Club members to perform the annual river clearing quickly and safely. This was now their responsibility since purchasing the river from the Environment Agency and a full membership of 40 people allowed the Club to complete in-depth and thorough maintenance works.
The range of responsibilities grew with the opening of the Upper Noe, and with the increase in membership the Club advertised for a permanent River Keeper. John Gibson started in 2008.
Such is the beauty of the River Noe that in 2011 Lumbley Pool and Town Head bridge in Hope were featured in the television advert celebrating 50 years of the ‘Dulux’ dog. The advert can be found online if you missed it! The dog seemed to have a great time playing in the Pool
Recent History
In 2011, Colin Jones resigned as Secretary after 15 years to be replaced by Brian Witten: in recognition of his service Colin was made Honorary President of PFAC. Barry Edwards resigned from the committee to be replaced by David Cliff. In a move to the modern era, communication began by email and subscriptions (then £275) were paid by Standing Order. The setting up of a Riverfly Monitoring Scheme was first mooted.
A club supper at the Rising Sun hotel on July 1 celebrated 150 years of PFAC, and to mark the event Vince Middleton organised the writing of our history and this was published in a book for all members.
Chairman Vince Middleton, resigned in 2012 to be replaced by Paul Hedley. Low flow in the River Noe prompted a protracted series of discussions
with Severn Trent Water Authority (ST) and the Wild Trout Trust (WTT) over the build-up of silt in the dam at Ladybooth on the then Beat 11 (now Beat 12). Evidence of poaching on the river was investigated by Environmental Agency Fishery Protection Officers.
Gordon Brown joined the committee in 2013. The club was in a healthy position with more than 40 applicants on the waiting list. A training day for riverfly monitoring was supported by Lottery funding. Riverfly monitoring was initially started at four sites but then dropped down to three: sampling of Bradwell Brook is essential because of its importance as a natural Rainbow Trout breeding area. PFAC began sharing riverfly samples with the Plant and Animal Sciences School at the University of Sheffield so that samples and detailed records would be available should there be any pollution incident. Rule changes extended the fishing season to include October and introduced Catch & Release to all beats other than Beats 1, 2, 3 and 5. The possibility of constructing fish passes around the weirs on Bradwell Brook was raised. Further discussions about abstracting water from Ladybooth Dam into Ladybower Reservoir took place. The possibility of a club website was first explored.
In 2014, PFAC took advice from Fish Legal over ST removing sand and silt from Ladybooth Dam and formulating a management plan. Rainbow Trout levels were thought to be affected by the drying out of Bradwell Brook in previous years. Work towards reinforcing banks with willow stakes and improving fish habitat in Lumbley Pool took place. The WTT helped secure trees and brashing on Beat 3. Duncan Taylor, who had been Treasurer for 7 years, resigned and was replaced by Paddy Lightbound. Subscriptions for the 2015 season were increased to £300. After careful consideration, the club decided not to progress a website.
In 2015, the number of club members was increased from 40 to 45 and five places for Associate Members (18 – 25 years) were introduced. Natural England considered Bradwell Brook as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) but did not progress this plan. Attempts to transplant Ranunculus (Water Crowfoot) from Bradwell Brook into Lumbley Pool were unsuccessful. Signal Crayfish were first seen in Lumbley Pool: a subsequent Environment Agency survey found them below Brough Weir but not above and this prompted the introduction of a biosecurity spray for waders and nets. It is important that biosecurity spray is used if having fished anywhere else within three weeks of fishing the Noe and if a beat above Brough weir is fished before a beat below the weir: native White Claw crayfish are susceptible to Red Signal Crayfish Plague. The beat nearest Edale was renumbered as Beat 12 and a new beat (Beat 11) introduced below Ladybooth Dam (as Severn Trent were alowing enough flow to make the river fishable), extending down-river to Beat 10.
In 2016, Paul Hedley (Chairman of 4 years) resigned and our previous Chairman, Vince Middleton, returned. Gordon Brown, who’d been on the committee for 3 years, resigned and was replaced by Andy Barlow: Peter Booth also joined the committee.
In 2017, Paul Sidebottom joined the committee as Land Owner Liaison and was immediately tested with access rights on Beat 1 and with potential pollution on Beat 12. Bradwell School were given permission to install a temporary mini hydro scheme on the Noe to power Christmas lights; this has continued annually to date. After reviewing advice from the Wild Trout Trust, PFAC decided to trial stocking levels in 2017 (a budget of £1000 rather than £2000) and to limit stocking to beats 1, 2 and 3; this trial continued in 2018. Japanese Knotweed eradication was begun from Edale to Hope (the origin seeming to be Grindsbrook) with funding from PFAC, the WTT and Peak Park: DEFRA funding was sought for 2018. “Balsam Bashing” took place in June/July.
The PFAC tent and casting area at Hope Show continues to be important as a way of asserting the club’s existence and informing locals of the positive aspects of the club (river cleaning, control of invasive species, water quality testing, Catch & Release, the encouragement of younger people to take up the sport). In 2018, PFAC were filmed at Hope Show for “Farmers’ Country Showdown”. The River Noe hosted duck races in Castleton and Bradwell. Fencing work to Lumbley Pool car park was completed.
Stocking in 2019 proceeded at half the level of 2018. A small piece of land at Lumbley Pool was registered. Sheffield University obtained PFAC’s permission to survey the river for evidence of otters. River clearance took place at the lower section of Beat 6 (Peakshole Water) and Beat 4 (Bradwell Brook near the Sports Ground). Hope Valley College erected a fence at the end of their field but PFAC decided against fencing off the farm on Beat 12.
January 2020 saw the first two cases of SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19 in the UK and, in March, the 1st National Lockdown was announced. Thanks to the Angling Trust, angling was one of the first sports to benefit from the easing of these restrictions in May 2020 and angling continued, albeit with restrictions, through each revision of restrictions including the Tier System and the 2nd (November 2020) and 3rd (January 2021) National Lockdowns. COVID resulted in 43 days fishing being lost and impacted on riverfly monitoring, river clearing, Hope Show and on removal of fallen trees. In 2020, Andy Barlow announced that this was to be his final season as a committee member and, unfortunately, Andy died in November. Paddy Lightbound also announced that this would be his final season as Treasurer and Paul Sidebottom was appointed to take over when Paddy left the area. Brian Witten announced that he would resign as Secretary at the 2021 AGM after 10 years. Subscriptions were increased to £350. ST installed gabions as erosion protection near their sewage treatment plant on beat 12 at Lower Hollins and met again with PFAC and WTT to discuss removal of silt from the reservoir on Beat 12. They also proposed to increase flow down the upper Noe below the dam at Ladybooth by keeping sluices in the dam open unless they needed to divert some flow to Ladybower Reservoir. Bradwell mini hydro scheme went ahead as usual. After many seasons of trying, we finally had success hatching and introducing Mayfly to the Noe. Rules were changed to prevent killing of Rainbow Trout and grayling and the killing of Brown Trout was restricted in a positive move towards Catch & Release. James Rotherham’s fish farm closed in 2019 and, in 2020, we stocked c.200 10” trout from Dunsop Bridge Trout Farm in Clitheroe into Beats 1, 2 and 3. The PFAC website went live in May 2020: this was to become a valuable route by which potential new members could approach the club and was to prove invaluable to the club. Following many discussions between PFAC, WTT and ST, silt was finally removed from the reservoir on Beat 12 between June and September. There was an accidental release of silt in September but, other than that, the operation went very smoothly. ST now propose to leave the penstocks on the dam open until they need to abstract water into Ladybower: PFAC are monitoring the effect this may have on erosion on Beat 11 near the railway bridge.
In 2021 Paul Gaskell from WTT presented at the AGM in support of not stocking rivers and PFAC decided to trial a no stocking policy for a number of years. Rod shares (7/season/member) were introduced to encourage non-anglers to take up the sport. Colin Jones (who helped develop PFAC over 30 years) stood down as President and, as Brian Witten resigned as Secretary, Brian was made President. Trevor Winstanley became Secretary. In addition to using email for correspondence and developing a club website, PFAC further launched a Members WhatsApp Group. We held a very successful training day in June and, in September, a further riverfly monitoring training day.
In early 2022 the club started using an on-line beat booking and catch return system (“Follow the fish”). The Bradwell School temporary mini hydro scheme was featured on BBC’s “Look North”. PFAC’s perseverance with Japanese Knotweed elimination was rewarded by the announcement of a 95% success. Analysis showed the Noe to be relatively under-fished compared to other rivers but, instead of increasing the membership, it was decided to extend the fishing seasons (trout: 18 March – 7 October; grayling 16 June – 14 March). As no stocking was taking place, a positive move was made towards Catch & Release on all beats. A new footbridge was to be built over Bradwell Brook near Softwater Lane in Bradwell by the housing developer and the retaining wall at Bradwell Town Bottom was to be repaired by the Parish Council. Three consecutive storms resulted in the highest ever recorded water level on the Rive Noe (20/02/22) and this resulted in major changes to the river bed and to structural damage e.g. to Lumbley Pool and to the weir at Brough. There was movement of the highway wall at the bottom of Beat 1 near Shatton Bridge threatening a major collapse of the road. We informed Derbyshire CC of the potential of a similar situation at the highway wall on Beat 3. We enjoyed an excellent members training day with presentations from our more experienced anglers, extending the knowledge of all those that attended.