What made the news in 1975

THERE was something decidedly ‘fishy’ about the Reading Chronicle in 1975, but it wasn’t because it was being used to wrap up readers fish and chips.

A specially commissioned Chronicle trophy for “Angler of the Year”, was presented to John Wylie, who was the first recipient of this illustrious award.

In John’s role as the (grandly titled) Private Water Secretary, he and his band of assistants had spent most of their spare time keeping poachers at bay and maintaining good relationships with local landowners.

Asked by the fishing columnist of the Chronicle, Johnathan Webb, what other hobbies Mr Wylie had, he replied: "You must be joking, I don’t have time for anything else.”

Derek Barson, of Culham SAC, posed proudly with a record breaking fish he had caught five miles off Beachy Head, Sussex.

The 18 lb and four oz ‘bull huss’, a type of dogfish, was just short of the British record was easily the biggest caught 45 years ago.

The fishing column of the Chronicle was taking an early look back at the previous ten months of fishing in and around the Reading district, and bemoaning the weather affected local fishing.

With rain and snow at Easter and a February like May, full of rain and frost, many local fishermen were left hoping for warmer evenings when: "The Tench move among the lily pads, and the Barbel begin to feed beneath the weir’s white water.”

Another problem for anglers was the increase in ‘tackle’ prices, especially when the price of kitting out a keen young angler had risen from £10 to £18 in just twelve months.

Hedgehog’s were much more plentiful in 1975 and Chronicle photographer David Crossley managed to encourage three spikey friends to regularly feed in his Earley garden.

Without any quotes from the hedgehogs, the editor decided to use the book “Fuzzypeg Goes to School” as a reference source (no internet cheating 45 years ago).

In the children’s story, Fuzzypeg had two cousins, Tim and Bill Hedgehog, and if there was no food put out on the plates they could be heard saying: "Fill ’em up landlord, it’s no good having a hedgehog ‘local’ if you don’t keep up the supplies.”

Another Earley home opened its doors to the Chronicle in 1975, when Wokingham Road resident, Hazel Pond revealed her beloved Belgian Shepherd dogs.

The rare breed had two types, named Groendael and Tervueren, being coloured black and red respectively and named after two districts in Belgium.

The dogs had previously won placings at Crufts and shared their home with a menagerie of other pets, including a horse, a goat and a large family of King Charles spaniels.

In a weekly column published in the Chronicle entitled “Embracing Arms”, readers could find out if their surname had a Coat of Arms.

For example, the column revealed that “Nicolaus” was the origin of surnames such as: Nickless, McNichol and Nichols.