Herry's Archives

Sir Alfred Herbert (second from left) at a shoot in 1950 Sir Alfred loved the country pursuits of shooting and fishing . His greatest love was fishing, and he wrote a monograph on the subject in about 1935 which can be read here . He was also a fine shot and particularly loved grouse shooting on the moors of Scotland and the North of England. My father Patrick's Shooting Book also records Sir Alfred as a frequent guest at Litchfield (which of course is the estate next to Dunley). This monograph on Sir Alfred's shooting experience was written in about 1950 Of the three British game birds - grouse, partridge and pheasant - the grouse must, I think, take the first place in his home among the moors and mountains of the North. The red grouse is a truly wild creature found nowhere else but in these islands and those who are fortunate enough to enjoy his pursuit find themselves surrounded by some of the most delightful scenery in the country. The grouse may be shot be wal...

Motor Cars by Sir Alfred Herbert. This monograph, the original of which is corrected in his own hand , was probably written in the mid 1930s. The last car he mentions owning - the Lancia Astura 27hp - was being made in about 1935. A copy has been provided to the Coventry Transport Museum The first self propelled vehicle I can remember was a motor bicycle. The Coventry Humber Co. made some experimental machines of this kind, with two long tubular horizontal cylinders. We were called upon, at the works , to bore out the first of these cylinders as the Humber Co had no machinery that would do the job. About the same time, a small single cylinder motor was introduced. It was clipped to the front fork of the safety bicycle and drove the front wheel by a friction roller engaging with the tyre. This was probably the precursor of the outboard motor now used for boats. I think the first motor of this type was made by Werner. Leon Bolle, a Frenchman, was among the pioneers of the motor bicycle....

Sir Alfred Herbert Fishing Alfred Herbert loved the country pursuits of shooting and fishing. His greatest love was fishing, and in the 1930s he wrote a monograph describing his fishing career. It has fascinating descriptions of the rivers he fished and the people he met as well as the places he stayed in, and he gives space to his great fishing friends - particularly Dr FM Haig, Canon 'Tommy' Downing and Dr Hugh Bankes-Price. FISHING Like most boys of my age, I started fishing by catching minnows and sticklebacks with bent pins. Afterwards came coarse fishing for roach and perch, but fly fishing did not begin until my early twenties. Then I met Tom Iliffe, one of Dr Iliffe's brothers. He was a fly fishing enthusiast and quickly infected me. On his advice a blue Mahoe spliced fly rod was bought from James Ogden of Cheltenham with all the rest of the equipment. Tom Iliffe gave me lessons on the lawn. Quite apart from the hope of catching trout, there was a cer...