At some point after the relocation to Falmouth, the company was acquired by the Gladding Corporation. Gladdings had been making cord and braided products in New York state since the 1860's and in the early 1970's began a programme of acquisition that included many big names in tackle manufacture, the majority of which were American, but also included Morritt's. It was at this time that a version of the Gearfly, mentioned earlier, was offered in the United States finished in the characteristic maroon colour of the South Bend Bait Co., also owned at the time by Gladdings . Gladdings moved the manufacture of some of the South Bend Finalist reels to the Far East, including the 1122, a version of which was offered in the UK under the Intrepid brand. I will include one of these as soon as one can be acquired. (Editors note 7/2018 Got one!)
...and here it is, the Gladding Intrepid "Popular" reel. As you can clearly see it is a South Bend 1122 re-branded and retailed in the instantly recognisable Gladding Intrepid packaging. Both the UK and USA versions were contracted out to a Far Eastern manufacturer, an interesting portent when you consider what was to become of K P Morritt Ltd in the long term. To be blunt, as a working fly reel, it really isn't that good, particularly when you set it against other contemporary Intrepid products.
After the somewhat poor showing of the Gladding Intrepid "Popular" it really begs the question of where this reel fits in. Granted it is not a true "fly reel", fitting rather as it does into the tradition of centrepin reels, nonetheless, these were often used as fly reels. Where the "Popular" represents a poor attempt at exploiting the Intrepid brand, this reel has more in common with the sort of boys centrepin reels that we more usually associate with companies like T J Harrington and it is possible this reel was designed to compete with those products in the marketplace. The frame is a simple die-casting, only partly finished but with an ingeniously simple, switchable check. The spool is a one piece resin cast, with a die-cast check sprocket riveted to a sleeve bearing, topped off with a resin latch-cover complete with spindle adjust, as on the Rimfly reels. Called "The New Popular" it's likely this reel came to market after the Gladding intervention and if we compare it with the contemporary competition, actually offers some nifty and engaging innovations, but then it is K P Morritt product after all.
This is a boxed example of a Rimfly from just after the move to Falmouth, when the company was owned by the Gladding Corporation. Notice that the reel still includes reel papers with an extensive list of available spares. It also confirms the three sizes of Rimfly available: the Lightweight at 3⅛", the Kingsize at 3⅜" and the Regular at 3½". This particular reel is an example of the Regular model.
This is the third version and a Kingsize model of the popular Rimfly with another reworking of the checkwork and a consequent restyling of the cage casting. You'll see that this reel is branded Leeda. Leeda are still one of, if not the, biggest distributor of fishing tackle in the UK. They renamed the company British Fly Reels, and it is possible that it was at this point production of sea and fixed spool reels was ended, unless Leeda marketed these under another of its brands, though the change of name would suggest otherwise. Leeda were keen to develop offshore markets for these reels, and this particular model was sold in America by Cortland, under the name "Cortland Crown II".
Leeda did much to modernise and expand the fly reel range, including models like the Dragonfly. This had a number of innovations. The cage is no longer die-cast in metal, but is a moulded graphite-filled composite. The spool is made of metal and for the first time has a counterbalance for the reel handle. On the inside of the spool the sprocket has disappeared, to be replaced by a set of lugs that engage the sprocket now fixed to the backplate. Have a look at this though:
On the left is the checkwork of the Dragonfly, on the right, the "Super" Fly Reel patented in 1962. Interesting eh?
The last version of the Rimfly to be made and distributed in the UK. Leeda continued to encourage overseas trade, and the Falmouth plant successfully supplied versions of its products to other companies.
Offered in the 1993 Leeda catalogue as the "Gnat", this very simple 31/4" reel is still recognisably a Rimfly and in line with Leeda's policy of international trade, was sold in the USA as the Cortland Rimfly, along with other Rimfly models which were sold as the Cortland Crown reels, as noted above. The Gearfly also appeared as a Cortland product, the Cortland Multiplier.
Here it is, the first cartridge-based fly reel, allowing easy and cheap access to the multiple fly lines commonly used in today's stillwater fishing. Another extraordinary innovation from the firm started by Ken Morritt that has contributed to the design of modern fly reels. The idea is essentially very simple. Instead of having an entire spool for each line, including sprocket, handle etc., the "Concept" uses a much cheaper-to-manufacture plastic cartridge to hold the line, reserving the winding plate and checkwork for the reel itself. This was admirably suited to the practice of using a range of lines with different sink rates, popular in the then growing field of reservoir trout fishing. The same principle was later used again in the LC, the "Leeda Concept" reel which broke from the Rimfly pattern to become a very stylish and popular reel of the 1990's.
The "Leeda Concept" (LC), or "Elsie" as it has come to be known, marked Leeda's departure from the Rimfly pattern and heralded the sort of reel design that is commonplace today. It was available in three sizes, the 60, at 31/4", illustrated here, the 80, at 33/8" and the 100 at 33/5". All featured an improved spool release, which was designed to prevent dirt and grit entering the reel mechanism. Aside from the checkwork, the reel is made entirely from plastic and so could.safely be used in saltwater environments. The reels were light, easily managed and very popular, and still fetch respectable sums on the second user market.
The quality and innovation of Leeda/BFR reels led to the production of Battenkill and Rocky Mountain models for Orvis in Vermont, who were so impressed that in 1993 they bought BFR from Leeda. Reels continued to be made in Falmouth until Orvis sourced a Chinese manufacturer that could match quality at lower cost.
First published on Thursday 07 October 2004: Falmouth Packet
Cornish work goes to China!
BRITISH Fly Reels Ltd, probably the world's largest manufacturer of fly-fishing reels, is closing its doors in Falmouth after nearly 40 years and putting up to 60 people out of a job.
The news is a double blow to the community this week with 18 people also being laid off at Pendennis Shipyard which caters for the luxury yacht market.
The closure of British Fly Reels, on the Tregoniggie Industrial Estate, is especially hard to bear as a Chinese company has bought the name and the company lock, stock and barrel. It will ship all the manufacturing equipment over to China where labour is much cheaper. The company in Falmouth will shut on December 17.
The company's American owners made the announcement to the workforce yesterday morning after calling in all three shifts early to hear the news.
Jim Logan, vice-president of current owners, Orvis Inc, travelled from Vermont to make the announcement along with human resources manager Mary Cheddy. Both were tight-lipped after the workforce had been told.
A spokesman told the Packet: "Given this is a difficult day I cannot speak to you. I cannot allow anyone to talk to you today."
The news has come as a bitter blow to the workforce which has suffered several bouts of redundancies over the last few months, but the complete closure of the 26,000 square metre factory is a total surprise. Some workers leaving the meeting yesterday blamed bad management for the company's woes.
One worker, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "No one is happy. We have been told to expect the worst, told it will be by the end of the year. Everyone has been told they can go home and think about what they are going to do - but no one has left yet."
He added: "Everyone is shocked really. We don't know everything but have been told to expect the worst."
Another worker said it sickened him that British fly reels would now be made in China.
"I find it particularly offensive they can use that brand name," he said "They have cited the weakness of the dollar against the pound and they can produce reels cheaper than here, but we pride ourselves on the quality of our products.
"There were tears among the workforce this morning and there was disbelief. Most people knew something was on the cards but the complete plant closure was a big shock. A lot of the ladies who work on the assembly lines are very upset."
Following the announcement most of the staff were given the afternoon off on full-pay to consider their future. The plant will continue to operate until December 17. A few staff will then probably be kept on until January to strip out the machinery in preparation for it being shipped to China.
British Fly Reels have been designing and making specialist products in Falmouth for almost 40 years supplying the world markets. During that time they have earned a reputation for quality, reliability and value.
The reels are designed in house and are produced and assembled in the Falmouth plant.
By the time Rimfly Regular reel was purchased, as "new old stock" in 2009, what was left of Ken Morritt's Intrepid company was gone. Nearly everything was shipped to China, drawings, tooling, possibly even the company archive, making it even more difficult to tell the story of a firm that contributed so many ideas that have become common in modern fly reels and managed to keep a product going for 50 years.
Oh, there is a coda to this too, Leeda still own the Intrepid name, they use it on a very indifferent plastic fly reel...
Oh, there is a coda to this too, Leeda still own the Intrepid name, they use it on a very indifferent plastic fly reel...