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Back in the days before online shopping, it was much harder to track down rare purchases. One of the main ways of sourcing a product was to ring around local suppliers, after finding the contact details in the business telephone directory, the Yellow Pages. In the early 1980s, before our shopping was just a click away, a legendary TV advert for the Yellow Pages would have been trending - had such a phenomenon existed more than 30 years ago! It featured a polite, elderly gentleman, who was trying to find a rare, antiquated book - Fly Fishing, by J R Hartley. Steeped in nostalgia, as the would-be buyer faced disappointment at every turn, the advert was first aired during the ad breaks back in 1983. Even quaint old second-hand bookshops didn't stock the book and the dismay was clearly visible in his expression, but the elderly gent perseveres, ringing every bookshop listed, until finally, he finds a copy of the fishing book. In a charming twist at the end of the advert, when the shopkeeper asks where the book should be sent, the senior citizen reveals his name is J R Hartley! Spin-off books The advert was voted the 13th best ad in history in a Channel 4 poll and J R Hartley became a household name. It had the knock-on effect of spurring many anglers to ring around bookshops to enquire where they could find a copy of Fly Fishing by J R Hartley. It was so realistic that the viewing public didn't realise the author was a fictional character, who had been dreamed up by the marketing team behind the Yellow Pages' advert. The character's memory lives on, 36 years down the line! In fact, there were so many enquiries from anglers trying to buy Fly Fishing, by J R Hartley, that a canny author wrote and published a spin-off book in time for Christmas! Michael Russell wrote Fly Fishing and published it under the pseudonym J R Hartley. The book proved so popular that there were eight reprints and it became a bestseller. The factual book used the knowledge and expertise of experienced anglers to promote their techniques, tips and locations. A follow-up book was also published in 1992, called J R Hartley Casts Again - More Memories of Angling Days. Who played J R Hartley? The actor who played J R Hartley in the Yellow Pages advert was veteran performer Norman Lumsden, who was surprised that the ad became the biggest role of his career. At the age of 77, he took up fly fishing himself in the wake of the ad's success. It took two days to record the Yellow Pages advert, which reportedly earned the actor more than £100,000 in repeat fees! Mr Lumsden was better known for his talents as a singer in his youth, as the famous British composer, Benjamin Britten, was an admirer of his vocal prowess. He had been honoured by the composer, who wrote the roles of Peter Quince in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Superintendent Budd in Albert Herring, especially for his deep bass voice. Mr Lumsden had sung at every cathedral in Britain, performing the bass solo from Handel's Messiah more than 200 times. He had also been featured on a BBC recording in 1959, marking the bicentenary of Handel's death. He had made guest appearances in a number of TV series, including The Sweeney in 1978, when he played a well-to-do gentleman, Sir Henry, in an episode called Hard Men. He also had guest spots in the sitcoms One Foot in the Grave and Jeeves and Wooster. His acting career revitalised by the Yellow Pages ad, he went on to appear as the butler, George, in the 1990 Clint Eastwood film, White Hunter, Black Heart. The acting offers came rolling in, but he eventually decided to take it easy and enjoy his retirement. When he died in 2001, aged 95, the Yellow Pages advert was broadcast again in his memory. Was there a "real" J R Hartley? The fascination with J R Hartley has continued, almost four decades after the advert was first broadcast. There has been speculation that the character was based on a real person. In 2013, a feature in the Daily Mail newspaper suggested Hartley was based on William Blacker, a 19th-century author, angler and fishing tackle dealer. He wrote a book, Art and Angling: Complete System of Fly Making, in 1842, featuring designs and patterns for flies. The book was published by Enderson and Bryce of Edinburgh. In 2005, a signed first edition was valued at between £1,500 and £2,000, but sold at auction for almost £22,000! The book also included 31 flies attached with silver seals and Blacker's trade card, enclosed in a marbled paper pocket within a red wallet. When the book was first published, it was sold with 33 pre-made flies and became a bestseller. It was said to have transformed angling from a gentlemen's pursuit into a hobby for people from all social circles. Why fly fishing is popular Fly fishing remains a much-loved sport and leisure activity today, with anglers enjoying its challenges - not to mention the spectacular views, and the peace and quiet that a day by the river can provide. Spring is a particularly popular time for fly fishing, as more insects make it on to the trout's menu, so keen anglers can create flies using bait such as midges, mayflies, caddis flies and stoneflies. Almost 75% of the insect life at this time of year centres on these bug categories. Many anglers focus on using midges for fly fishing during the first two months of spring, using all forms, including the pupa and nymphs. Then, the caddis will start to hatch and the trout will begin to feed on the larger flies that are appearing in numbers. Canny anglers can enjoy success with fly fishing for an entire day with the correct bait in the right conditions. When you're planning a fishing trip, make sure you have the correct outdoor clothing that's suitable for all weather conditions. MA Griggs stocks a large range of high-quality, branded clothing for fishing and other outdoor pursuits.