Wheatley's History 3

During the second world war the factory was engaged (as were most fishing tackle manufacturers in war work. During 1946 the factory was repaired following damage by bombs and the production of fishing tackle restarted.

In 1960 the Company celebrated it's centenary and during the same year sold the Constitution Hill factory to pay death duties and moved to a modern factory Century Works, Midland Road, Walsall

On the 2nd May 1966 the two final Wheatley Brothers sold the Company to D.W.Aylett of Standard Tools Ltd of Birmingham. The leather goods company was absorbed into a Company from Walsall and was permitted to trade as Wheatley for the next couple of years. The fishing tackle Company continued to trade under the name of Richard Wheatley & Son Ltd at Walsall.

In 1968 the directors were C.R. Baker, R.P.Baker, Frank Wheatley and D. W. Aylett and the Companys product list shows 22 Fly books or wallets, 8 Canadian Fly Books, 6 Loch Leven Eyed Fly Boxes, 11 Trout Boxes with Clips, 35 salmon or sea trout boxes with clips, 13 compartment boxes, 7 Kilroy boxes, 2 tube fly boxes, 3 cast or leader boxes, 9 Minnow boxes, 2 stock cases and a small range of sundries. Around this time the Company was represented in the USA by M. Sharf & Company Inc, of Somerville Massachusetts having previously been represented by Thompson - Tully Co in the Eastern States and Hank Roberts in the western States. The also had overseas representatives in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Italy. Norway Sweden Denmark and Finland, New Zealand, South Africa Switzerland.

The range of Angling Tackle made by the Company has expanded and wooden , Arran Brand boxes, the Osprey range, powdered coloured in various hues, and latterly the Malvern fly boxes has joined the range.

They have also supplied wooden boxes for J Austin Forbes for their reels including a mahogany box for the collection of 3 reels and sometime after 1986 for Lewtham Engineering for their LRI Limited Edition Reel.

In 2006 Richard Wheatley & Sons Ltd took a stand at the Flyfishing Retailers Show at the Colardo Convention Center, in Denver Colardo from 24th - 26th August and one at the Leicestershire Fly Fishing Association Show

During the same year the Company moved to it's latest premises at Spring Lane, Malvern

The Boulton, Murdoch and Watt statue purchased by Birmingham City Council for £15,000 and funded by the council and a bequest from Richard Wheatley. The plinth stated " The Conception of Richard Wheately a leather manufacturerer of this city coupled with his generosity and a contribution of the city council enable these statues to be errected by W. Bloye Sculptot

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