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Dirty Dick's Pond
"My father ran Dirty Dick's Pond as a
private trout fishery circa 1961. It was then known as the Lang
Loch.
There is evidence of an incident there during
this time when my father had to warn off two rabbit poachers who had
encroached on his land, and was later charged with ABH for this action.
He also met my mother there after she became
entangled with some barb wire whilst picnicking with a friend, and my
dad was able to free her."
The Name of the Pond
The origins of the pond's name
are interesting. My father's Christian name was Richard, abbreviated
down to Dick, and he himself had something a reputation with the ladies
during this time. The rest is history."
Trout and Pike
Sadly my dad was never able to make a go of
the pond as he remained in conflict with some of the locals who are
reported to have put pike in the water which predated on the trout.
However, latterly, the pond
became something of a hot spot for pike anglers before being turned over
to the nature reserve that it now is."
History
"I find this to be a fascinating part of my
history, and have letters and photos to back the facts up. It
tickles me to see that on some level my father's legacy remains with the
pond.
He went on to run a major trout fishery in
the south-east of England and was well reported in fishing literature
through his own articles and efforts, before retiring to Dumfries in
2008 where he passed away."
Mark Connell: 6 March 2017 |