Butterworth Fishing Rods

2004/154/1 seashore fishing rod, two-piece, 'seashore Beauty', and pole case, tubular fibreglass / lumber / chrome / stainless steel / porcelain / cork / canvas, made by Len Butterworth, Brisbane, Queensland, Australian Continent, 1970-1975

Object declaration

Beach fly rod, two-piece, 'Beach Beauty', and pole bag, tubular fibreglass / wood / chrome / metal / porcelain / cork / fabric, made by Len Butterworth, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 1970-1975This tubular cup coastline fly fishing rod papers the leisure recreation of saltwater fishing which has had minimal representation in the Museum collection. Its relevance arises from its manufacturing by Len Butterworth who was the initial manufacturer of tubular cup rods in Australian Continent, and employ by Mr John Noble, a recreational fresh and saltwater fisherman from sixties.

Len Butterworth started producing split cane rods in 1939. An international cane shortage following World War II plus the Korean War forced rod-makers to trial fibreglass. A fresh generation of Australian pole manufacturers began creating quality fibreglass rods to international success.

Robert E Cox had been the initial Australian to produce a tubular fibreglass rod in 1952, using a brought in blank. Len Butterworth had been one of many earliest manufacturers of high quality fibreglass rods. He began producing solid glass within the late 1950s, and create the initial Australian tubular cup factory in 1976. This pole profiles a well-known name in Australian rod-making, recalls the heyday of regional pole producers, and documents the transition from handcrafted split cane rods to fibreglass. The legal rights on Len Butterworth title had been purchased by Jarvis Walker in 1980.

This rod also has the possibility to communicate the development and interest in leisure coastline fishing in Sydney and NSW, the marketing of NSW as a fishing traveler destination, and weekend and leisure activities.

Fishing is one of the most popular pastimes and recreations in Australia, in addition to NSW coast well known for exemplary fishing. Seashore fishing practiced a resurgence into the 1940s after the war, and once more when you look at the sixties. Today fishing is a significant leisure pastime for a lot of Australians. A NSW Fisheries study of Recreational Fishing in December 2002 estimated there were one million NSW leisure fishers, or 17.1% associated with the populace.

Len Butterworth started their rod-making business around 1939, working from a shed in the garden of his residence at Coorparoo, Brisbane. Their first rods had been created from Tonkin split cane. Butterworth recalls going in the Brisbane trams using the rods covered with newspaper under his hands to sell them to shops. A worldwide shortage of bamboo after World War II required rod-makers to test fibreglass. Fibreglass is made whenever good threads or fibres of cup are bound together by a resin. The initial fibreglass rods were solid cup.

Having started his business prior to the war, Butterworth was at a good place to capitalise on brand-new material. He opened their first factory, in Stanley Street, Brisbane, producing solid cup pole blanks or athletes.