How We filmed Jack Hargreaves for his last Television Series

[@vinnieleader]

I was born in the early 70s, I loved watching this programme. TV was definitely better quality back then.

[@pleatedskirt18]

I was born in the early 60s and I can do nothing but agree with you. To my mind, one of the very best programmes was Model World with the magnificent Bob Sykes. In those days, my local town had a small DIY shop, not those soulless, out-of-town, and town-centre-killing barns that now exist - and their upper floor was given over to model kits ranging from Airfix to large wooden boats, and from sheets of balsa wood to every conceivable remote control and glow plug model engine available. Sadly, it has long since gone, and I can't think of anywhere like it. So much has changed, and very little has changed for the better.

[@MrBooojangles]

I had never heard of old country before, until yesterday.when I was using Wikipedia to see when Jack died. I only saw out of town and really enjoyed it as a kid and it all totally fascinated me, all the stories and information he gave out. Whenever I see it being shown in recent years, on channels like talking TV, I try and watch them all. I'm definitely going to look for some old country programmes.

[@johngraham5996]

there was a time in the 70's when 'out of town' was the only fishing show on tv, such a relaxed feel to his programmes

[@eddiek0507]

Love Jack's programme's He always explained things in an interesting and easy to understand way. Brings back memories of a man who is greatly missed...👍🏻

[@christopherbraiden6713]

I used to do ferreting,fishing and shooting and if Jack was on the TV I wouldn't miss an episode. A great man and great programmes!!😎🐓🐓🇬🇧

[@jakepavlo91]

I love Jack, I smoke a pipe and go fishing just like he did, how I wish I lived in these simpler times...

[@pleatedskirt18]

You are far from alone, and I can see that many will try again.

[@oscar6487]

Admiration from many people

[@nigelbarrett3602]

Thanks for sharing this with us.I live and grew up in Cornwall missed alot of his programs. But really love this man can't wait to see more. Many thanks.

[@DaveKnowlesFilmmaker]

Hi Nigel, Thank you for your comments and I am glad you liked the programme. All the best Dave

[@PeteLewisWoodwork]

Loads of interesting information in there but the thing that caught my attention is right at the end and I had never thought of it before - about market towns being the distance a horse can travel there and back, about 12 miles. When I was a child in South Wales in the 60's, that would still make absolute sense. Motorised transport had of course arrived and was common but it took a lot longer to affect our way of life. In other words, we continued to treat the motor car as a horse and cart, ignoring it's range advantage.

[@oscar6487]

This is what Children need today we want Britain back

[@jacquelinearcher1158]

Back then parents feared the same thing…but Jack found country life was still around us if only you look for it…which he did.

[@150rents]

fantastic love it remember from early days

[@gamingvelociraptor8865]

Thank you for bringing back many childhood memories of me waiting impatiently for Jack's program to start. I have had my wife take a particular note of the Amazon link with Christmas in mind. Thanks again.

[@chrisjeffs1625]

A lovely first part showing what a lovely man Jack was and what a lovely team he had, I share Jacks' belief that you do not have to catch a fish every time, it's being there that counts. My dad introduced me to fishing first with the float often using goose feather floats made by my grandfather, spinning and then later in life we went fly fishing for both brown and rainbows and often he would catch his limit and feel sorry for me not getting anything but not realising that I didn't care, it was the fact I was there to watch and be with him that counted.

[@DaveKnowlesFilmmaker]

Thank you Chris I really enjoyed reminiscing with Steve. We don't see each other very often but it was great to talk through our memories of Jack. Take care Dave

[@davidbutler4363]

Another interesting vlog Dave,well done you 😁👍👏👏👏

[@bran756]

Grew up looking forward to jacks progs when I was a boy in the sixties,soon as that classic guitar music started I was exited because I knew I was in for a treat,god bless mate,your progs have always kept me in tune,and respectful of nature.

[@DaveKnowlesFilmmaker]

Thank you Dom. I will try and keep the programmes coming so please keep an eye on my KZbin Channel as I am going to try and put them up on a more regular basis. All the best Dave

[@iandixon1987]

Jack and these programs gifted me a life of fishing shooting and a deep love of the countryside. Priceless in my opinion.

[@stewartoonagh]

Keeping jacks name alive,thx.

[@pleatedskirt18]

I am delighted that one of the gazillion TV channels now available is showing these again. If you add in reading Aliison Uttley's adults and not children's books, it will take you back to happier and gentler times. Start with The Country Child or Country Hoard, and you won't go far wrong. Also, Martin Bell's father, Adrian Bell's Corduroy is well worth reading.

[@cliffdixon6422]

Amazed where you reveal that Jack wasn't a massive fan of coarse fishing. As a young boy in the 70's, part of my enduring love of the sport came from Out of Town and watching him catch all those different species. I particularly remember one show where he set out to catch Crucian Carp, a fish he hadn't caught before. Of course, he got one and I always think of him on the rare occasions these days that I put a Crucian on the bank.

[@SimonBaddeley]

I agree with you, Cliff, that Steve's suggestion that J wasn't a fan of coarse fishing came as a surprise. Among my happiest childhood memories of Jack as I grew up was being at his side when 'coarse' fishing. I think Steve got things wrong there. Of course he enjoyed fly fishing, but I'd say he enjoyed both kinds of fishing enormously - and had little time for the relatively recent distinction between the two.

[@jamesshave6186]

I met jack as a kid in the 70s on the river stour at stourpaine Dorset .... he was such a nice guy . My memory’s are still strong 44 years later ...

[@DaveKnowlesFilmmaker]

Hi James, Thank you for sharing that with us. I still remember him well like you and making these programmes is bring back so many memories.. All the best Dave

[@johnloyd3996]

Would they ever re air these programs they are so relaxing to watch. Not much on like this any more...thanks for posting your work🙂👍

[@smhorse]

They would never broadcast anything like this now, as today's audiences have no patience

[@natureisallpowerful]

No chance they want to erase our past.

[@morrislouiseeagle7161]

I've been on holiday and playing catch up with your videos marvelous insight into Mr Hargreaves xx

[@DaveKnowlesFilmmaker]

Hi Morrislouise Eagle thank you for your comment. I am so pleased you are enjoying my videos. There are many more to come on Jack's Country. I will be posting a new one on Sunday so please look out for it. All the best Dave

[@jacquelinearcher1158]

They should pop this on Talking Pictures..where Out of Town is showing now

[@SimonBaddeley]

Wonderful footage this. I'm not sure Steve's right about my stepfather not being so keen on coarse fishing. He described that mix of 'nothing happening' with an angler's constant alertness as akin to the attention of a good chess player to their game. It doesn't mean you can't go around the world and back in your mind at the same time. I never acquired that level of attention, though in old age I'm getting a little better at it.

[@barryroach1980]

Mr Knowles dear chap, you know what tickles the fancy of JH fans and again (as I have said before) you delivered. Thanks mate, I'm watching , listening as I am typing this.....love the wrinkle that Jack checked Steve out as a person not due to his resume!!!!

[@DaveKnowlesFilmmaker]

Thank you Barry and please call me Dave. I have been meaning to do a piece on how we made the Old Country series and the opportunity just came up when I saw Jack's Raven Cottage for sale. Steve has been a good friend for many many years and he is the best cameraman I have every worked with as a director so with his knowledge of Jack he was the obvious choice. All the best Dave

[@folksurvival]

From what I can tell from various reviews and such Out of Town: Volume Two is repeat material as in Volume One but with some additional shed segments and some additional special features.

[@DaveKnowlesFilmmaker]

No I think the problem is that there have been a number of publishers over the years and therefore it gets very confusing. All the publishers except for Network are no longer but if you buy just the Network DVD’s non are repeated. If you need more help please let me know.

[@iandixon1987]

Wonderful thank you. Oh if only I had a time machine!

[@DaveKnowlesFilmmaker]

Well I suppose KZbin is our time machine.

[@iandixon1987]

@@DaveKnowlesFilmmaker It's most definitely enjoyable to watch and remember, thank you Dave.

[@thatfriggingbathroom2656]

What a great upload, thanks a lot. Glad I subscribed to your channel a few months ago

[@DaveKnowlesFilmmaker]

Thank you. All the best Dave daveknowles.net/jacks-country/

[@jeffturner8927]

Some good background. Thank you.

[@bran756]

Cheers Dave will do,all the best from Devon mate.

[@DaveKnowlesFilmmaker]

Thanks Dom. I will be down in Devon in a couple of weeks shooting a piece on the The New Forest Toy Factory that was based in Brockenhurst. The person I am talking to has written a book on it and used to live in The New Forest before moving to Devon. All the best Dave - daveknowles.net/jacks-country/

[@burniemaurins2382]

Excellent insight, enjoyed that, thanks Dave

[@jonathanpope81]

Thank you very much !

[@SirBeauJangles]

I’ve got all his books, plus all the DVDs in boxed sets. Wonder if I’m his biggest fan in Scotland? there never was anyone on TV like Mr H. A bit like Bernard Venables’ character “Mr Crabtree” - but not just about fishing. About all country lore. Thanks, Jack. I only wish I’d had the privilege of meeting you. Now my beard too is white so maybe I’ll catch you on the other side😇 one of these days?

[@davereade4017]

People like jack fred Dina and a good friend of mine les Crawley that started the anson engine museum in Cheshire are getting few on the ground now when I growing up in 60 s a lot of people new same as jack

[@DaveKnowlesFilmmaker]

I do think that even then Jacks way of presentation was rather special and I think Fred Dinenage has also said this. Everything Jack said came from his memory and was related just like you or me would if we were sitting down chatting to our friends. This is not easy when you have a TV crew and cameras pointing at you. Jack used to say to me that the night before a recording of the programme he really didn’t sleep very well worrying about it.

[@gloriouskodachrome]

I would love to know the technical spec of the location filming, camera/lenses and filmstock used? Such a shame the entire programme was not captured on film as opposed to poor quality video tape used at the time. Looking at the telecine, reckon a much higher quality transfer could be done.

[@DaveKnowlesFilmmaker]

Hi, The telecine work was done by the BFI and transfered to an uncompressed a I file. Unfortunately this does not take into account that the original studio video was shot on portable 1” with the film fed in from BetaCam (I don’t think SP was available then). You have to bear in mind also that telecine transfer then was sometimes not all that good for the film shot on location. This was then transferred to BetaCam. The film stock used for all Out of Town and Old Country was Kodak reversal. We then edited the original shot film. This was common practise at Southern TV for all by the high end productions such as Worzel Gummage and Famous Five. In the case of some of these programmes they were still shot on reversal but we had a black and white cutting copy made and this was rubber stamp numbered to match the reversal. We then cut the cutting copy and the assistant editor woul match the master reversal.

[@DavidHodkinson-ps1cb]

No computers back then ...... So you had to make your own fun ........ And the old skills were past down the generations ....... The computers and phones have stopped that from happening ........ A great shame only a few people left that practice the fine arts of hunting fishing and growing your own ....... I glad to say I have some of the skills but not many want to learn them ......... Changing times but not for the better ......... God bless Jack ....... Heaven will be a better place with jacks knowledge .........

[@riddimchef1]

Great to see some more of these 👍🏾. Who plays the intro music 🤔

[@DaveKnowlesFilmmaker]

I am so glad you enjoyed it. The music is "Recuerdos de la Alhambra", and was commissioned by Jack from Jonathon Coudrille whose group plays it.

[@riddimchef1]

Thanks so much, I love the music as much as the program. I have been to the Alhambra too 😊👍🏾

[@peterthurwood2267]

that piece of pidgeon shooting i have ..but not on box set . why is that

[@DaveKnowlesFilmmaker]

Hi Peter, I am not sure as that was from the "Old Country" Series one DVD produced by me for Channel 4. This is now distributed by Network link above and there should be no reason for it to be any different. One thing though I probably did choose two sections from the original programme as I wanted to see Jack shooting and this maybe why yours looks different. All the best Dave

[@007vauxhall]

Absolutely loved Jack's programs, and thank you for doing this, do you happen to know the name of the pond which Jack walked the horse around in the intro?

[@gooderspitman8052]

Jack wouldn’t even be allowed to smoke his pipe on TV now, and god forbid dispatching a trout with a priest, his house would be besieged by anti-everything.

[@oscar6487]

People who are against shooting i fully understand that!

[@oscar6487]

This man Hargreaves was a true Brit

[@ironix1]

Hi Dave, Who lives at Raven's Cottage now?

[@DaveKnowlesFilmmaker]

Not sure now as I was told last week it has now been sold.

[@jacksugden8190]

Jack knew, does anyone know if someone called Ron Pace who knew Jack?.

[@martinbartlett1377]

Steve we have got a lot to talk about ;)

[@kennethcomben5453]

where can we buy the full set of DVD for "old country"?

[@DaveKnowlesFilmmaker]

Hi Kenneth there is a link in the description below the video. You will have to click on more to see all the details. All the best Dave

[@jacquelinearcher1158]

I think out of town is All on Talking Pictures now

[@58southwinds]

Ah...his shed..was a studio... this would explain a sour comment I read years ago about him being a fraud...who was acting the "country gent". Maybe also leading the ponies which weren't his. Just shows how things can be misinterpreted. Thank you for these insights into him and his show.

[@DaveKnowlesFilmmaker]

In the final series he did use a real shed and he was never the "country gent". He did own a number of horses and ponies during his life. It is just that he used help transporting them around for filming things like the titles sequences. All the best Dave

[@davidbutler4363]

😁👍👏👏👏

[@paulsmith-oy3bu]

Sadly england has gone such a shame. We can never get it back

[@duncanmit5307]

👍💜

[@davidbourke9439]

Shed envy.

[@oscar6487]

Shooting with permission for quarry only not for fun