THESE anglers had good reason to feel pleased with themselves.

They were members of the North Oxford Angling Society and were pictured celebrating after winning the Oxford Mail Cup, one of the county’s leading awards, in 1948.

Anglers of long standing will recognise a youthful Peter Stone in the back row, second from the left.

He was the Oxford Mail angling correspondent for many years.

The only others we recognise are Jack Inness, on the extreme left in the back row, and Bert Ballard, in the front row on the extreme right. Does anyone recognise the others?

The picture – and others which we will publish soon – were found in the basement of a former fishing tackle shop run by Albert Elsmore, in Observatory Street.

The North Oxford Angling Society was formed in about 1920 and is still going strong.

It is the largest in Oxford, with about 240 members.

In the past, it has organised competitions for children as well as adults.

A report in the Oxford Mail in August, 1936 revealed strong support for young enthusiasts.

The paper reported how 300 boys and girls had gathered on the Thames towpath between Medley and Godstow for the 13th annual fishing competition run by the society for children.

“Just before 3pm, the anglers, aged from six to 14, rushed to their positions, which had been pegged out.

“Some had excellent rods and others had bamboo canes and mothers‘ props for rods.”

The Grimbly Hughes Cup – named after the Cornmarket Street grocer’s – went to the child with the heaviest catch.

S Gosling won the trophy in 1936 to keep it in the family – his sister Iris won it the year before.