It is likely that prior to the founding of The Avon Angling Club there were a number of angling Clubs in existence in villages along the length of the river Avon the members of which had a genuine interest in protecting the river and its tributaries, their inhabitants and the interests of its members.

 

To the best of the authors knowledge the first angling club to be formed in connection with the fishing on the river Avon was The Stonehouse Angling Club in 1870, the earliest physical evidence in existence being in the form of a fishing permit in the possession of the A.A.C. which was issued in 1909 to one of it's members, namely one Mr W. McKenzie.

 

It is probable that there had been ongoing concern amongst anglers and others who cared for the health and welfare of the river Avon regarding the ever present threat to it and its tributaries from the menace of pollution and poaching and also of the increasing demands being placed upon it and its environs from anglers to such an extent that, some action was necessary to protect the river and also to seek to improve the quality of the fishing.

 

It is likely that those who wished to secure a healthy future for the river had postulated the need for one angling club with a strong membership and an effective voice to replace the hitherto fragmented situation and so, determined minds set about the task of forming such a club.

 

From minutes of the A.A.C it is established that, on Wednesday 26 February 1958 at the Buckshead Inn, Stonehouse, Lanarkshire, an assembly of sixteen interested fishers unanimously agreed with a proposal made by a Mr Ben Richards one of the sixteen at that meeting, to form an angling club which was to be known as The Avon Angling Club. A team of office bearers were thereafter duly elected by the members present. Over time the prefix has been dropped and the club is now called the Avon Angling Club (A.A.C)

 

Since that date many members of The Avon Angling Club too numerous to mention , in common with committed members of many other angling clubs the length and breadth of the country, have worked tirelessly to protect and improve the fishing and the environment in and around the river without public awareness of their valuable voluntary efforts. I am sure that they sought no thanks and neither do the current members, simply a respect for the river that generations of anglers have derived so much pleasure from and have so dearly regarded.

 

It is my earnest hope that successive generations will leave the river in a better condition than which it was received so that our efforts and those of our forbears will not have been in vain.

Today the work begun by those founding members necessarily continues unabated year after year, for, let no-one lead you to believe otherwise; angling clubs and their members are the true custodiers of their rivers.

 

John Limerick BSc(Hon)

               Secretary,

               Stonehouse,

               March 2007.

 

If any readers have any facts or information on the early history of the Avon Angling

Club and/or would like to commit some of their time to the club, I or any of the committee would be more than pleased to hear from them by e-mail. here