Dick Walker was Roy Plomley's castaway on Saturday 6th July 1974 - I am sure Dick would have been happier being interviewed by Kirsty Young! The programme was devised by Plomley and I was amazed to hear he presented it until 1985. I have been a regular listener and the only sour period was when the odious Sue Lawley presented for a few years.
Many anglers of the old guard idolised Dick - he was thought of as the father of modern carp angling and specimen hunting in general. He was a true all-rounder though. Just as happy casting a fly and I think in later life he prefered still water trout fishing. His angling feats were truly remarkable and he will always be remembered for the capture of the once record carp at 44lbs from Redmire Pool in 1952 - Dick neglected to tell Plomley that the fish spent the rest of its days in London Zoo after capture. I always preferred those who smelt the roses a bit more along the way such as Venables, Ingham and BB, but Dick was certainly a pioneer and prolific at that.
Of all his books I think No Need to Lie (Unwin 1964) is my favourite - probably for the lovely Reg Cooke illustrations which are luscious and atmospheric. When I bought this book, as a young lad, from a second hand book dealer in the early 1980's it really felt like treasure - I couldn't put it down and regularly pull it from the shelf today.
As a schoolboy reading his magazine articles I seem to recall I was quite fascinated by his hats. He was a regular hat wearer on the bank and the trilby was my favourite Walker hat. It is mentioned and illustrated in No Need to Lie - a magic hat indeed!
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this broadcast as much as I did - he had a lovely voice did Dick, excellent at mimicking country dialects and I thought his record choices were interesting.
The highlight for me has to be Bernard Miles with one of his Old Charlie monologues.........think Stanley Holloway and Brown Boots - splendid stuff.
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