Guile. Patience. Judgement. Maybe a dash of luck too. These are the qualities needed to be a top angler. By uncanny coincidence, Arthur Watkins lacked all of them in abundance.
At the fag-end of 1900, the miner and two of his mates went off for a spot of fishing in the canal at Wednesfield.
To tip the scales in their own favour, and maybe cut down on all that tiresome waiting for a bite, the trio hit upon an innovative approach. They'd use gelignite.
It may have worked too, if Arthur hadn't detonated the cartridge while trying to fix the cap with his knife.
The result? Three horribly injured men. "The violence of the explosion was indicated by the fact there was a large pool of blood on the canal side," reported the Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser, "and a portion of Watkins' hand was also found there."
could beat worm and caster anyday
