History of Richard Wheatley

Richard Wheatley who was the founder of the Company was born in Twycross Leicestershire in 1827, where his family kept the Village pub which was called "The Bull". The family later moved to Birmingham where he became an apprentice pocket book maker from 1844 until 1848, he continued to work with the same employer (Samuel Brown) after serving this apprenticeship..

Richard Wheatley married Adelaide Gibson in 1853 and in 1860 started in business as a pocket book and fly book maker with a man called Willmott at a factory in Burbury Street, Birmingham. The Company was known as Willmott and Wheatley. In 1862 the partnership was disolved and the firm traded as Richard Wheatley.

Richard Wheatley was manufacturing fly books and selling them in Redditch which was the centre of the fishing tackle trade. By 1880 fishing tackle was a side line and the sale of leather goods was the largest side of the business.

1n 1887 Richard Wheatley's son also called Richard (born 1858) joined the company now called Richard Wheatley and Son. He was interested in fishing and helped develop that side of the business. With the advent of the eyed hook a method of transport was required for moving fishing flies and the clip was invented. Previously hooks were tied to gut and transported in leather wallets or books.The original clips were made singularly and individually fastened to parchment and placed in the bottom of leather covered cardboard boxes

At this time Mallochs of Perth patented the idea which made things a little awkward for Richard Wheatley & Son although eventually it was agreed that the Company would pay a royalty on the boxes that they made.

In 1890 the first black japanned fly boxes were produced and the clips were produced in strips and rivetted to the base of the boxes. Richard Wheatley took out there first patent for a fly box or tackle case, made of leather stretch onto a right angle frame with strips between it to prevent collapse in the same year

During 1904 Richard Wheatley took out another patent for a different fly clip, four years later they started to build the first compartment boxes out of aluminium. In 1907 the Company founder died aged 84. Around this time the Company had premises at 93 Spencer St and Hockley Road

In 1911 the factory was moved from 30, Hockley Street to new modern factory at 90/96 Constitution Hill both in Birmingham. By 1914 the fishing tackle business had caught up with the Leather Goods and both equally contributed to the turnover of the Company

Rarity value is based on the simple system below

A - this boxes are either still available via Richard Wheatley, other fishing tackle dealers.

C- box is common & turns up regularly at vintage tackle dealers, fairs or auctions incl. ebay

S- this box is scare but turn up on occasions

R- this box is rare

RR- these are very rare

E - this is exceptional, extremely rare and few examples are known.

Remember Richard Wheatley Vintage Angling Equipment is worth what someone will pay and the contents of the box maybe worth more than the box