I was recently asked by a forum member to recall my memories of Hardy's on my visits there from the early 70's, I thought that my recollections may interest others here so am posting them. I was also asked if I thought that the guard who walks past the viewer near Hardy's in Pall Mall was a real guard hired for dramatic effect or an actor dressed for the role... my reply.
I was born in London in '57 and we lived there till, a few years later, my father (who was a civil servant) was moved west about 40 miles, to the Thames side town of Maidenhead then the village of Cookham. I travelled by train back into London for four years while I went to art college in the mid 1970's. It was during that time that I would regularly visit Hardy's and Farlows.
The Hardy shop was just like in the Trufflepig film with mostly older gents serving in the shop. I remember clearly (on the main floor shown) taking a rod off the rack giving it a waggle and trying to put it back into its rod bag...handle end first. An elderly assistant very gently took the rod from me and turned the section around ferrule end first saying " this is how we do it at Hardy's sir". Since then I have put my rods away in the same fashon.
At the end of the rod wall on the left (again seen in the film) half way along the shop were the stairs to the basement where all the non-game fishing tackle of Hardy's and other makers was - sea and coarse fishing. I remember landing nets on the wall going down the stairs. There also used to be some second hand and Hardy factory seconds for sale. Upstairs was the fancy trout and salmon gear, which was all well beyond my student means. Just inside the door on the right hand wall were the cabinets of flies above which was a large copper sheet salmon high on the wall.
I remember the window displays at Pall Mall were very inviting though somewhat sparse, Farlow's window had much more appeal to me it being full of reels of all kinds. Farlows was first along Pall Mall, on the street at the front of the Burlington Arcade. I would walk from the 'tube' (subway) at Piccadilly and walk one block over to join that long and straight Georgian street, the buildings being grand, white and impressive. After a few minutes there was Farlows on the right. It was a quite small shop but jam packed with tackle of all makes including Hardy. They were mostly after the city trade of salmon and trout anglers but they also stocked much flytying materials and quite unusual items of tackle: outlandish lures far to large for any UK fish plus much sea tackle, they must have been trying to appeal to the travelling angler. They had three or four assistants, one whom I remember well who always remembered me when I would come in. At the back of the tiny shop, on the ground floor was a spiral staircase taking one up to the sea and coarse tackle, the room was packed with tackle of all kinds. The counter was at the front of the shop, though I remember that it was further back in the early years that I visited. If you would turn into the Burlington Arcade itself, Farlows side window was large and also very impressive showing country clothing, tackle, hampers and all the other gear needed for city types weekend off in the country.
Hardy's was on the same side of Pall Mall but much further along. In the film you may notice an insurance company on the left of Hardys, I would approach from the opposite side. Just past the insurance company (which I do not remember as that picture in the film looks to be from the early1960's judging by the cars parked outside) there was a bend in the road, I seem to recall, and there used to be a hatmaker (bowler hats etc.) on the corner.
In answer to the question regarding the guardsman walking past in the film. Yes, he would have been there as Clarence House (home to the Queen Mother, Prince Charles and others) was opposite. The camera-man may have been standing tight to the wall behind the guard or in the drive itself if the gates were open. It does not look as if he had much room as the guard marches past very close. It may be of interest to know that while on duty guards never talk to the public and would not have to this cameraman either, they most certainly could not have been hired for dramatic effect. If you looked out of Hardy's window you would have seen the large gates of Clarence House opposite and the guard (there was at least one) would have stood there and on occasion marched back and forth. Tourists would not have found their way there much in those days, Pall Mall was a street of commerce and the guards were there to protect the royal residence as they did Buckingham Palace which was not far away. The guards are members of the British Army and the gun that he carries is real, at that time not even the police carried them. Bearing in mind that Hardy's have long been makers' by Royal Appointment' they did not have far to travel to sell their goods.
I have very fond memories of both Hardy's and Farlows. I was saddened to see the modern view of 61 Pall Mall shown in the film. My memories are of two past glorious emporiums containing some of the finest tackle available.
