The Birmingham Water Works Company was formed about 1826 and water from the River Tame, declared to be perfectly satisfactory, was taken for domestic and other purposes and stored in a reservoir near Salford Bridge at Aston. By 1849 with the increased population, the towns water supply was declared to be inadequate, being dependent on private or public wells and pumps and the Waterworks Company could supply water on only three days of the week..

 

In 1854 a Gas tank burst at Willenhall and the fluid from this poured into the River Tame, poisoning all the fish and making the water unfit for domestic use. Water had to be distributed in carts and this added inconvenience stimulated further action. Deep wells were sunk and water from the Hawthorn Brook and Perry Brook was added to the supply.

 

In 1870 the Industrial Revolution was in full swing , as was the birthrate and the Waterworks Company applied to Parliament for permission for water to be taken from the Rivers Bourne and Blythe, whose gathering grounds in rural areas to the East of Birmingham were declared to be away from pollution and to impound the water from the Bourne in a reservoir to be built at Shustoke and a pumping station, filter beds and another small reservoir to be constructed at Whitacre. The time-scale granted for this work was 10 years and although most of the work at Whitacre was completed in the time scheduled, an extension of 5 years was applied for in 1879 as the reservoir at Shustoke had hardly been started; the eventual completion was around 1884. The reservoir consisted of a "settling pool" of 7.8 acres and a "storage reservoir" of 92 acres with a total capacity of around 460 million gallons. Engineers amongst us may be interested to know that the pumps at Whitacre at its Opening in 1883 were worked by two James Watt Beam Engines and replaced fifty one years later by electrically operated pumps.

 

The River Bourne used to run East to West through the middle of our waters and the parish boundary between Nether Whitacre and Shustoke was the river. This boundary has never been altered and still runs down the middle of the large pool. If you walk round the large pool you will pass from Shustoke to Nether Whitacre and back to Shustoke. The re-routed Bourne now runs to the North of the fishery. For a large part of the Nineteenth Century "Fishers Mill" stood on the banks of the River Bourne at the inlet to the Small Pool and is now the home of David Peabody and his family.

 

The quality of the water at Shustoke was such that Brown Trout not only survived, but thrived, and it quickly earned itself a reputation as an excellent Trout Fishery. It is uncertain when fishing first started but in the year 1926, the reservoirs were let as a subscription fishery limited to 60 rods at a fee of £5. 5.0d (£5.25) per member for the season, which opened mid-April to mid-September. It was brown trout only in those days; many years were yet to pass before the coming of "Rainbows" and "American Brook" Trout. It was around that time that the small pool was last dredged.

 

In 1926 £5. 25 was just over two weeks pay for the average man and the State Pension (just raised in 1924 by Winston Churchill was 50p (10/-) per week. By 1939 little had changed; average wages had increased to £2. 75 per week, but the State Pension was still 50p. During the 1939-45 War the stocking of trout was suspended, although the few Fishermen who we're at home - and had the time - were allowed to fish for Perch which were used to supplement the meagre food supplies.

 

Trout fishing was re-established shortly after the War and it was in 1947 that Donald Pilkington caught the record brown trout for Shustoke; it weighed 101bs 10ozs and was probably a pre-war survivor. The Season Ticket for 1952 is recorded as £7. 7. Od (£7. 35). In 1964, the Old Boat-House at the large pool was demolished, it was very damp and many rods were broken on the winding staircase to the Rod Room. It was replaced by a wooden clubhouse which was used until Shustoke Fly Fishers moved to the small pool.

 

For many years the Water was in the care of the Birmingham Corporation Water Committee (1875 to 1974) and our late President Alderman Donald Johnstone C.B.E., J.P., was Chairman of the said Committee from 1956-58, 1962 - 66 and 1972-74. Donald made President of Shustoke Fly-Fishers and fished right up to the year of his death in 1988. He did much to further the interests of fishing at Shustoke but I am told that he did not pay for his fishing. The Water Bailiff for over 47 years was the late John Freeman who was made an Honorary Member and fished despite advancing years.

 

Since 1974 the water has been in the care of Severn-Trent Water Authority with Shustoke Fly Fishers and until 1984 the lease was given to Cambrian Fisheries. Shustoke Fly Fishers Ltd was formed in 1985 and managed to bid successfully for the lease. Bill Wainwright, the source of much of this information, was then the fishery manager; Bill was succeeded by Jeff Lane and now, Herby Boyle. The chairman in 1985 was Ron Haynes, followed by Eric Seales (still a member), Barry Wall and Robert Leeming.

 

When public access to the large reservoir was introduced, ‘health and safety’ forced a withdrawal from the large pool in 1992, the pontoon and boats were moved to the small pool. Severn Trent Water built the new clubhouse, boathouse, toilet, fishing shelter and laid out car parks in compensation and to facilitate the move. That is where we are now and the current lease, retrospectively from March 2010, is being negotiated by your hard working Company Secretary Martin Miles.