Reclaiming the Calder

This is the story of a river. Although it is not a long river, it had the power to drive the Industrial Revolution and make a major contribution to the financial might of Britain in the 19th century. The river’s reward for this contribution was pollution. It was stripped of its extensive stocks of game and coarse fish for the whole of its 44 miles. It was left in such a state that a government commission in 1867 reported: ‘The Calder throughout its course is abused, obstructed and polluted to an extent scarcely conceivable from Todmorden down to Castleford.’

The river was to remain in this state for close to a hundred years; and a similar story could be told for all the great English rivers that flowed through the country’s industrial heartlands: the Mersey, Irwell, Don and Trent. Only when the river Thames, which runs alongside the Houses of Parliament, was affected did the problem gain the attention of politicians.

So, how did it get from there to here - a river today with fish stocks along its whole length, active angling clubs and one that many match fishermen claim is the finest roach river in the country? It’s a fascinating story of industrial decline, political resolve and conservation.

It’s also a book about fish and fishing - the pleasures of angling in an urban environment, the varied tactics that change with the seasons and species, whether those of summer matchmen or winter fly fishers.

The Calder is not a unique river but it does have a unique story to tell; one that will interest and inform all those who fish, as well as environmentalists, historians and any who care for the future of our aquatic environment. The author has lived close to the Calder for thirty years and fished it along its length and throughout the seasons.