The River Keeper 1978 - The River Test Romsey

[@lifesforliving4929]

In September 1978 I was student on the Gamekeeping, Riverkeeping and Fishery Management course at Sparsholt Agricultural College. The year long course involved four days a week in the classroom and one day out on practical assignment i.e. working on the neighbouring country estates. My first practical assignment was at Broadlands helping Bernard. We did various tasks together and after lunch I accompanied him while he fished the Test, and I landed a fine salmon for him which we then took up to the kitchen of the 'big house' where the cook gave us a tot of whisky. It was a truly memorable day, and not just because I met Bernard, because on my return to college that evening I met a wonderful girl called Louise, who was a fellow Sparsholt student. We were married in 1982 and are coming up to our 43rd wedding anniversary. A few years after meeting Bernard (we kept in touch) I became manager of the Throop Fishery for Viscount Fitharris and there I practiced much of what Bernard taught me and also passed those old country skills on to others. Another great character on the Broadlands Estate at that time was the head gamekeeper, Harry Grass and it is a pity that a similar programme was not made about him. RIP Bernard and thank you.

[@whiggles9203]

Fantastic

[@debbiewilson9712]

Brilliant! Thank you for sharing!!

[@tomasofaolain3117]

! what a great story and congratulations to a wonderful life and wife

[@spencersanderson1894]

These older generations were much more interesting than nearly anyone alive today, people had their own interests and didn’t care what people thought of them and went about life at their own pace.

[@lifesforliving4929]

@@spencersanderson1894 I can't say if we were/are more interesting, there's lots of intersting people around today, just not doing the stuff that we were able to do back then. Our lives were certainly very different, we had to rely on face to face to arrange meeting up or use a phone but you both had to be in a fixed place to do that, letters were the only other way. We met other people by being out and about, again, face to face. If an arrangement to meet was made you had to stick to it because there was no way to say you couldn't make it or watn someone you could be late, so sometimes a lot of hanging around waiting, wondering whether someone would turn up. It was rare, I never heard of anyone having allergies, food hang ups, mental health though people suffered of course but didn't broadcast it. Life looking back was much simpler, black and white but we all had challenges with relationships, careers, mortgages, dept . But things were more straight forward, no crazy social media or cowardly keyboard creeps bullying people whole hiding under stones. Back then you couldn't hide so that kind of thing didn't happen.Medication was not as advanced as it is now, so being around today is good for that reason.

[@tangobravo8889]

I was watching something else and dosed off, when I woke up this was playing. I had to pinch myself, I thought I must died and gone to heaven🙏🏻

[@mikesaul8711]

Outstanding, I wish I could turn back the clock. First class documentary.

[@outoftownr3906]

Bless Bernard.He died in 2019 aged 90.RIP.

[@paulbaker654]

I was at school with his daughter, Jill

[@patrickbridgeman6776]

RIP to a wonderful man.

[@Sam_Green____4114]

My god l thought he was old here ! Yet he lived another 40 odd years !!

[@Kefuddle]

I remember watching this as a kid when I dreamt of becoming a River Keeper. Life took another path though. I frequently thought about this documentary and how much I enjoyed it when it aired on the telly. So nice to be able to see it again.

[@garyskyner5855]

Excellent film. Did anybody else notice the name of the narrator? Perfect:)

[@jbradshaw4236]

Tom Salmon..... he narrated many films of this type...

[@patrickbridgeman6776]

Great watch, lovely to see people like Bernard were passionate about the upkeep of rivers, pity nobody in government have the same passion.

[@clivejones5880]

3:26 the guy is carrying a folded up fishing trolley. My dad had the same trolley and passed it to me years ago. RIP dad.

[@boboneleg]

What a fantastic documentary about such a great character.

[@senorsalami]

I grew up there and stole many a fish , young boy on the river 44 year's ago, I knew Bernard well an he didn't know me!!!

[@johnhill7010]

You my lad are not the only one, many a good trout made it home in Nursling

[@iainmoule4744]

I had a trout rod there for a few years '99 - '04. Keeper was John Dennis who learned his trade from Bernard, the master. Great memories at 15.00hrs in the afternoon, Teas up in the hut, John kept it exactly as you see in the film, dappled shade of the beautiful Horse Chestnut outside, great conversations with other rods, captains of industry, military legends, farmers, show business impresarios, plumbers enthusiasts, and once only HRH DoE. commonality of spirit all chasing trout recalling tales of the one that got away! Marvellous...

[@fivecylinderperfection5060]

I also new John for many years, had a few cups of tea in the Nissan hut. Caught some truly amazing fish with John's guidance. Sadly he was ousted (I believe he went somewhere on the Tamar) and replaced with a different keeper and management team who were nowhere near as good as John. I am fortunate to have a rod on the Test near Wherwell now and occasionaly also fish the Dever.

[@simonpeters3499]

That killed an hour at work! What a great watch and a fantastic piece of history. Sad to see the poor salmon in an even more perilous place nowadays than it was 40 years ago

[@geoff7121]

Excellent film. Very similar to 'Tom's River' about a river keeper on the Hampshire Avon. Also worth watching.

[@tedandrews405]

I had the great pleasure of meeting Bernard many years ago. A great chap! His companion on the day was the wonderful cartoonist Norman Thelwell. Memorable day!

[@robshaw3655]

what a delightful documentary. His book The Ever Rolling Stream is an excellent read.

[@laurieharper1526]

Lovely film. A nice coincidence that the narrator is named Tom Salmon.

[@EricJohnson-vv8jw]

What a window in time. Superb.

[@lloydrobson]

Wow what a program, even Jack Hargreaves’s would have loved this 🎣

[@geoffcrisp7225]

My daughter lived in Romsey for a few years and explored the riverside in this film. Its beautiful and virtually unspoilt to this day. Many new houses have been built around Romsey, but the river from the photographs my daughter took remains much the same as in this film. A lovely part of the world.

[@oldwaltonian2476]

For how much longer, though, I have to ask? 3 million new houses are proposed for England; the sourh-east of which is already grossly over-populated and urbanised.

[@simonwatson4153]

I have lived in Romsey since 1947. Great to see Lord Louis and how sad that he was murdered in 1979 the year after this film was made.

[@roseybut]

Wonderful film. River keeper/game keeper is something I would love to have done.

[@Limabelasun]

wow, small world, i grew up in Woolwich and became a chalk stream river keeper too.

[@patrickkelly9110]

What a delightful and fascinating film

[@lindsayiflyfish]

Really enjoyed that great bit of history.

[@paulbarber5196]

Fabulous film, so glad I found it.

[@backpackingireland8624]

Outstanding. What history. I remember watching Hugh Falkus ‘Salmo Leaper ‘ and Andy Nicholson “The Occasional Salmon “. Fantastic accounts of our most precious Game fish .

[@stevedowling2365]

Remember watching him putting the straw bales up at Saddlers Mill. Although I did not know who he was at the time👍

[@stevenlord782]

Fantastic. My auntie & uncle moved near broadbands from middle wallop..Happy memories.

[@neilrushton7169]

I love the fact that the narrator was Tom Salmon!

[@robinbeavan5152]

What a gem of a program. I remember seeing this when it first came out.glued to the tv set.how things have changed but no for the better.i hope some of his family are still around.what memories to have your wedding at broadlands..

[@missredumbrella]

As a Romsey dweller , thank you for this upload :)

[@dirkvannieuwenhove]

It keeps amazing me how many course fish these British salmon rivers hold. I love this kind of footage, shows us where we came from to this day

[@tytzup5397]

I grew up along this stretch of river. Poached many fine trout from its banks and plenty of salmon where it meets the sea at Redbridge.. its all changed now. A lot shallower and slower than it used to be.

[@mozdickson]

siltation

[@willyboyw.5771]

What did you catch them on? A fly rod or bait caster?

[@tytzup5397]

@@willyboyw.5771 handline/spinner for trout. Salmon were foulhooked with a huge treble as they ran under a bridge.

[@southerneruk]

Ello Nick

[@igorwysocki3374]

Wielka historia wspaniałego człowieka , rzeki , łososi, wędkarstwa! Mam nadzieję że są godni następcy. Chciałbym żeby w moim kraju ludzie też potrafili w sposób cywilizowany korzystać z natury.

[@stevestone07]

Tom Salmon Narrating! Very Apt! lovely video! x

[@freespiritnufc5661]

Narrator. Tom Salmon 🙄 Brilliant from start to finish ✌️

[@charlesgould1962]

Excellent one regret not knowing Aldridge...dont need a countryside background to be a countryman A1.

[@nigelmouland]

Lived in mottisfont many years ago my grandfather was a bailiff on the river

[@longnetter]

Superb bit of history.

[@thornwarbler]

Great watch. Much appreciated.

[@Arfabiscuit]

Narrated bu Tom Salmon 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 priceless

[@lesroberts3226]

He’s brother in law Peter haddock was the cameraman. 😂😂😂😂

[@roddymcniven8734]

@@lesroberts3226 his uncle Jim Pollock was the editor

[@lesroberts3226]

Imagine all of these people being in the same plaice at the same time!

[@willyboyw.5771]

Ernest T. Bass was Production Assistant.

[@paddy1437]

campervan is still going as of 2022!

[@pipins3616]

Or the REG is

[@greenmansurvival4832]

😂 narrated by Tom Salmon, excellent!

[@johnwright9372]

Just imagine what Bernard would have to say after privatisation of water and the wholesale pollution these companies have been allowed to get away with. Corruption has crept into so many aspects of public life.

[@pipins3616]

Don’t spoil it with politics again like it’s getting onto every channel

[@andykjohnsonjohnson7622]

Absolutely amazing Documentary 👏. I was that the government NOW would do the same thing. Tho alas they don't CARE 😡, they won't you to pay for a fishing license. When they is no maniacs keep up , on are rivers. Just full of garbage & weeds, it's Disgusting..

[@nealc6726]

Lovely film…

[@lav25og83]

I get the impression he was a veteran, and a London Cop before he got a transfer and with this job still is a real LE officer. With a gun and a badge and arrest powers. Good gig.

[@Kent-qo6xp]

I wish I owned Test.

[@johncutler3942]

Thanks for uploading that

[@MassiveLib]

As it turns out Broadlands now has hardly any Salmon running

[@sidecarbod1441]

34:30 A seven pound carp being classed as a challenge to other fisherman, how times have changed! Not that I'm a carp angler, it seems a bit too manufactured these days, I prefer river fish, regardless of their size.

[@Alan-io2ew]

Great video. I've seen a similar one on the river Avon but can no longer find it.

[@simon-ec5kv]

Tom's River? kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGqyfYZ8d7qHppo

[@Alan-io2ew]

@@simon-ec5kv Yes,Thanks!

[@bteuben-faber8215]

Tom's River?

[@tutts999]

I've never fished the River Test, but I bet it's not as fast flowing now as it was then.

[@southerneruk]

8 knots flow

[@southerneruk]

Met Bernard a couple of times back in the 70s, on the bridle way bridge next to the fisherman hut, had a bit of a debate with him over the river, some things he is right other not so right about, The decline never happened until they claimed ownership of the fish in mid late 1800s, lower down the river in the tidal section of the Test from Redbridge down to Calshot, they had been netting Salmon and Sea Trout for 1000 years, and it had no effect on the numbers that would return, you only needed 1 spawning pair on each spawning ground and the river would be fully stock. The problem started because those who claimed that they own the fish, started to mess about they would walk on spawning grounds, this alone will kill half the fry, and then you had the fish stews rearing Brown, Brook and Black Trout the waste from the stews used to end up in the river clogging up gravel spawning grounds. He is right about the shipping, well not so much the ships them selfs, but the docks and other reclaimed land from the Tidal section of the Test all these tidal grounds was feeding grounds for the Salmon and Sea Trout Smolt and Par and then on the way back the Sea Trout would be feeding until they hit freshwater, Salmon would stop feeding before they entered the English Channel, what happens is the stomach would close up slowly as the egg row grew in size or the sperm pocket would swell, this doesn't happen in Sea Trout. The Test like all other chalk streams are migratory Trout stream, For every 1 Salmon that swam in the Test there would be at lest 300 Sea Trout, Sea Trout are not so fussy where they spawn, they would spawn in drainage ditches if there is enough clean running water. The 70s and after was the worse time for migratory fish, you had them lifting the gravel up to be cleaned and not thinking about Sea Trout Fry. Most people can not tell the difference between Salmon and Sea Trout, Bernard was one of those who could not, they just think it looks like a salmon, so it must be one RIP Bernard, I believe Frank is there waiting to have a debate when I finally join the great river of life

[@jimmymcjimmyvich9052]

35:50 The concern like Mr Saville(( Looks left...

[@williamboulby1461]

Snow in Feb 78, that would be a novelty now, the fish have almost disappeared now as well. Such a sad decline of our planet.

[@barrypeers8665]

its a great shame , the world , well the uk has lost so much its not about the money , but this is how its become ,pleasing the share holders i hope king charles can help this situation

[@jameswilson6717]

Maybe back then if they realised that killing all these salmon would’ve had a profound effect in the future then like now all salmon should’ve been returned.

[@davidbarnes241]

They knew! Just as everyone knows nowadays, but still so called anglers still remove the breeding stock!

[@delagreenpicti2022]

They were very valuable hence the poaching problem , some of this was filmed in early March 1978, my grandfather landed 2 salmon on the river Deveron up in Banffshire on the 8th of March 1978 34&1/2lb & 24&1/2lb They were sold to the Ritz hotel in London If you were a good salmon angler then in Scotland you could do very nicely indeed for the price of a permit, 2 fish limit per day But they had no idea it would get to where it is now Up until the 1980’s the rivers were full of salmon It has been steadily down hill since then But they are still there , just very few in numbers.

[@snotrat2]

It’s fishing at sea in nets that fucked them , not a couple of old duffers with rods.

[@richardsatchwell9127]

His (battered) old land rover hasn't been on the road since 1986

[@jameshutchinson5441]

And they wonder why there’s no fish left in the river these days!

[@leewarry8641]

Carp you can catch thousands here in oz .your not even allowed to put them back in the water.

[@michaelspencer6318]

A lovely video ,shame his boss was a nonce

[@SuperOlds88]

Wonder if anybody did a study on why the river was so choked with weeds, too many nutrients from sewage, fertilizers, phosphates, some kind of run-off.

[@Sam_Green____4114]

l wonder what the situation is now ? Any Mayfly ? Any Salmon ? l doubt it !

[@ruskinyruskiny1611]

Hey you leave those innocent creatures alone.

[@kevinjamesdawes7223]

I'm no " river keeper" but releasing a few hand raised predator species into a stretch of river might, just might, upset the ecology of that river for other seasonal predator species like salmon and sea trout.

[@nicachar8806]

What were the trout fed on?

[@Labeilofest]

Complains about the Mayfly then proceeds to tear up the bottom cutting weed...

[@jyy9624]

Don't mess with Britain including chalkstreams

[@nicachar8806]

Tam Troot for the upper river

[@rogerjames6956]

A hundred salmon a month!!! no wonder there none left!!!

[@joelfildes5544]

Not a mobile phone in sight…utopia.

[@PillSharks]

I wonder if his old Land Rover is still going… just can’t make reg out.

[@danielcross9406]

That gearbox sounded rough

[@PillSharks]

@@danielcross9406 series 2 had no synchros but would last…

[@grahamwalsh4612]

Narrator, Tom Salmon. Oh come on, pull the other one.

[@billsiviter9272]

Not interested in family weddings, the rest was interesting.

[@martin7955]

What's it like now

[@tytzup5397]

Not as well looked after, and its £250 for a day ticket

[@seamanjive]

Directed by Tom Salmon? Nah

[@jimmyfarrell2961]

Are English pesants allowed to fish 🐟 anywhere

[@senorsalami]

No,found out the hard way!

[@WillyEckaslike]

I wonder if Bernard knew that his employer Mountbatten was a phee dough file

[@slaneyside]

it runs in the family

[@jimmymcjimmyvich9052]

Birds of a feather...

[@therewewent1inarow516]

Got what he deserved...💥

[@philipstevenson5166]

such was the deference to the upper classes it would probably have made no difference

[@philipstevenson5166]

@@therewewent1inarow516 you could randomly blow up any of them and be fairly sure you were improving the world

[@Jimimac73]

Narrator - Tom Samon .... you couldn't write it!😆

[@davidgray3321]

😂😅