Partridge of Redditch A

Partridge Code A WidegapeDesigned c. 1930; listed through the late 1990s

Evidence reviewed September 28, 2026. Marks: P photographically · V verified · I inferred · E estimated · S speculative What they mean

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Summary

Code A is the Albert Partridge Widegape down eye hook of Partridge of Redditch. The card states that Albert Partridge developed the Widegape range in about 1930 V.

The recorded specimen is a size 12 packet of 25 hooks on a folded header card. Its telephone code dates the printing to between the early 1970s and April 1995 V.

Photographic record

3 photographs

Partridge Code A Widegape — two hooks shown on measurement grid — size 12 — bronze finish sproat bend

IMG-1Partridge Code A Widegape Size 12 Hooks on Grid Two Code A hooks, size 12, on a grid. Down-turned loop eye, deep rounded bend, short point with a small barb, and bronzed finish.

Details

IMG-1Hooks

Partridge Code A Widegape Size 12 Hooks on Grid

Two Code A hooks, size 12, on a grid. Down-turned loop eye, deep rounded bend, short point with a small barb, and bronzed finish.

Read from this photograph

OBS-1eyeClosed, neatly formed loop eye, turned down, on both hooks. The label calls it a neat ball eye.
OBS-2eyeThe eye is turned down roughly 40 to 50 degrees from the shank axis, not near 90 degrees.
OBS-3shankStraight, plain shank with no markings. The straight section is short and the curve of the bend begins well back from the eye.
OBS-4bendDeep, smooth, continuous rounded bend with no sharp angle; the lower limb runs almost level into the point. Offset cannot be judged in this side view. The label states a slightly offset bend but names
OBS-5pointShort, straight point angled slightly up toward the eye. The tip sits roughly level with the lower bend, well below the shank.
OBS-6barbSmall raised barb cut on the inner face of the point, roughly 0.65 to 0.7 grid squares (about 1.6 to 1.8 mm) behind the tip on both hooks.
OBS-7finishUniform dark olive-brown bronze finish with a faint iridescent sheen at the highlights. A few tiny light specks, likely dust, are on the wire. No rust or bright steel is visible.
OBS-8conditionBoth hooks are intact and undistorted, with no visible corrosion. The two hooks match each other in shape and size.

Cited in the specifications

Eye Shank Bend Point Finish

File

Original 2500 × 1877 pxOpen original ↗

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How to identify it

The header card carries a green panel with the PARTRIDGE OF REDDITCH wordmark and a bird device. A black A sits on each side of a green bar on the top tab. The front reads ALBERT PARTRIDGE WIDEGAPE DOWN EYE HOOKS, with the code in the left cell P.

The back prints a CODE A KEY DIMENSIONS table. A (0527) telephone code dates the printing to before 16 April 1995, when Redditch changed to 01527 V.

Loose hooks show a down-turned loop eye, a deep rounded bend, a short point with a small barb, and a bronzed finish P.

Technical profile and measurements

Features of the model, as recorded
Feature	Recorded	Evidence
Eye	Ball Eye, Turned Down Show noteHide note P Closed loop eye, neatly formed, turned down about 40 to 50 degrees from the shank E. The card calls it a neat ball eye V.	OBS-1OBS-2LBL-14
Wire	Heavy (1X Heavy), Round, est. 0.56 mm (0.022") at size 12, card specification (V)	CMP-3LBL-14 LBL-16CMP-3 compared with 135 catalogued hooks classified Heavy (1X Heavy)
Shank	Short (1X–2X Short) — Plain	CMP-1OBS-3CMP-1 compared with 80 catalogued hooks classified Short (1X–2X Short)
Bend	Sproat, Wide gap, Offset / kirbed Show noteHide note P Deep, smooth, rounded bend; the lower limb runs almost level into the point. The card specifies a slightly offset bend V. Offset direction not recorded.	OBS-4LBL-14
Point	Standard / Spear Show noteHide note E Small raised barb cut on the inner face of the point, about 1.6 to 1.8 mm behind the tip. The card specifies a small barb V.	OBS-6LBL-14
Finish	Bronzed — stated on packaging Show noteHide note P Uniform bronzed finish, dark olive-brown with a faint sheen at the highlights. No rust or bright steel visible. The card specifies bronze V.	LBL-14OBS-7

The Code A’s design reflects Albert Partridge’s engineering intent to solve a specific trout-fly-tying problem of the 1930s: providing a hook wide and open enough to accommodate patterns tied to the side of the shank or in half-hitch configurations, while maintaining enough mechanical hold to prevent point deflection during the take. The sproat bend provides a smoothly curved lower limb; the offset point (angled outward relative to the shank) improves alignment when flies are tied off-center. The short, fine point reduces damage to delicate materials and fish tissue upon set and withdrawal. Medium-weight wire (approximately 0.56 mm) balances strength with material economy and casting ease. The bronze finish provides excellent durability under field conditions while maintaining the aesthetic appeal valued in hand-made English hooks. Round-wire construction (non-forged) means the metal is drawn and tempered rather than forged under extreme heat—this preserves the ductility needed for hand-made reliability while avoiding the brittleness sometimes associated with over-forged wire. The ball eye is cleanly formed and turned down to reduce air resistance and visual profile on small flies.

Measurements

Per size, with how each dimension was taken
Size	Overall length	Shank length	Gap width	Bend depth	Wire diameter	Weight	Shank:gap
12Specimen S1	10.9 mm PcaliperMEA-1	5.2 mm Egrid photoMEA-6	4.6 mm PcaliperMEA-2	5.5 mm Egrid photoMEA-5	0.56 mm Vmethod not recorded	36 mg (card specification) Vmethod not recorded	~1.1 : 1 E

Calibrated SVG True-scale preview

Overall length: Eye to the farthest point of the bend.
Shank length: Eye to the start of the bend.
Gap: Point to shank, at right angles to the shank.
Bend depth: Shank to the bottom of the bend.
Wire diameter: Across the wire, measured by caliper where possible.

Catalog records. One specimen recorded: a size 12 packet, with two loose hooks photographed.

Body Length and the Photographed Hooks

The card gives a size 12 body length of 8 mm V. On the photographed hooks the straight shank is about 5.2 mm and the overall length about 10.9 mm E.

The card diagram marks body length along the shank, but the tabulated figure is longer than the straight shank seen here. How Partridge measured body length is not established.

Specimens, packaging, and label

This record documents one specimen. It describes that specimen only, not every example of the model.

Front of a Partridge Code A header card with size 12 handwritten in blue ink — Open full size

Back of a Partridge Code A header card with a key dimensions table and Redditch address — Open full size

S1 · Size 12 packet with two loose hooks

Size: 12 (printed on the label)
Container: Packet
Hook condition: Two loose hooks, intact and undistorted. Uniform bronzed finish with no visible corrosion; a few specks of dust on the wire.
Packaging condition: Good — moderate wear, legible
Wear: back, center, between the two groups of bird devices: Short vertical line with a small x mark beside it; could be a staple leg, a slit, or a printed mark; not identifiable from the image LBL-19
Wear: back, left edge: Clear plastic film or adhesive along the left edge, with a small creased or torn area at mid-height LBL-20
Wear: front, green panel near BRITISH HOOKS: Light scuffing or crease reflection on the green panel surface LBL-21
Wear: front, top edge left of green bar and right margin beside title: Faint pale green smudges along the top edge and a small yellow spot in the right margin LBL-22
Measured: size 12
Photographs: IMG-1 IMG-2 IMG-3

Hook count not visible; the hooks sit in a clear bag with no window. A short vertical line with a small x at the center of the back is unidentified. Clear film along the back left edge shows a small creased area. The two loose hooks are probably from this packet.

What the label says

LBL-1 printed · front, top tab, either side of green bar from IMG-2

A
A

LBL-2 trademark · front, green panel, upper from IMG-2

PARTRIDGE
OF
REDDITCH

LBL-3 printed · front, green panel, lower line flanking bird device from IMG-2

FINEST HAND MADE
BRITISH HOOKS

LBL-4 printed · front, left info cell (CODE printed vertically) from IMG-2

CODE
A

LBL-5 printed · front, center info cell (SIZE printed vertically, no printed value) from IMG-2

SIZE

LBL-6 printed · front, right info cell (QTY printed vertically) from IMG-2

QTY
25

LBL-7 printed · front, below info panel from IMG-2

ALBERT PARTRIDGE
WIDEGAPE
DOWN EYE HOOKS

LBL-8 printed · front, bottom line of header card from IMG-2

HIGH CARBON SHEFFIELD STEEL

LBL-11 printed · back, first paragraph from IMG-3

Albert Partridge developed the "Widegape" range of
trout hooks in about 1930.
By designing the hook with a wider gape, an offset
bend and a shorter point. Albert gave it excellent
"hooking" characteristics.

LBL-12 trademark · back, row of six bird devices in two groups of three from IMG-3

LBL-13 printed · back, USES paragraph from IMG-3

USES:– An excellent wet fly or short nymph hook.
The wide gape makes them suitable for buzzers and
other patterns tied "round the bend". They can
also be used as medium weight dry fly hooks.

LBL-14 printed · back, SPECIFICATION paragraph from IMG-3

SPECIFICATION:– Bronze finish/medium weight
wire (2 x fine)/slightly offset bend/down turned
neat ball eye /short point/small barb.

LBL-15 printed · back, hook diagram labels above table, right from IMG-3

Body
Length
Gape

LBL-16 printed · back, dimensions table from IMG-3

CODE A
KEY DIMENSIONS
Size of Hook 8 10 12 14 16
Body Length mm 12 10 8 6.5 5.5
Gape mm 6.5 5.5 4.5 4 3.5
Wire Diameter mm .66 .61 .56 .51 .46
Hook Weight mg 74 52 36 24 18

LBL-17 printed · back, below table from IMG-3

Send £1 for current literature on our hooks
and please specify your particular interests.

LBL-18 printed · back, address block at foot from IMG-3

PARTRIDGE OF REDDITCH,
REDDITCH B97 4JE, ENGLAND.
TEL: (0527) 43555

LBL-9 handwritten · front, center SIZE cell, right of the vertical SIZE label from IMG-2

12 (blue ink)

LBL-10 handwritten · front, QTY cell from IMG-2

Single blue-ink stroke drawn diagonally through the printed 25, running from lower left up past the cell's right border

Trademark: Black PARTRIDGE wordmark on a green panel with OF above an arched line and REDDITCH flanked by arrow- or trident-like flourishes; a black bird silhouette device sits between FINEST HAND MADE and BRITISH HOOKS. The back repeats the bird device six times in two groups of three. The top tab shows a black A on each side of a green bar.

As entered on the specimen record

A
A
PARTRIDGE
OF
REDDITCH
FINEST HAND MADE
BRITISH HOOKS
CODE
A
SIZE
QTY
25
ALBERT PARTRIDGE
WIDEGAPE
DOWN EYE HOOKS
HIGH CARBON SHEFFIELD STEEL
Albert Partridge developed the "Widegape" range of
trout hooks in about 1930.
By designing the hook with a wider gape, an offset
bend and a shorter point. Albert gave it excellent
"hooking" characteristics.
USES:– An excellent wet fly or short nymph hook.
The wide gape makes them suitable for buzzers and
other patterns tied "round the bend". They can
also be used as medium weight dry fly hooks.
SPECIFICATION:– Bronze finish/medium weight
wire (2 x fine)/slightly offset bend/down turned
neat ball eye /short point/small barb.
Body
Length
Gape
CODE A
KEY DIMENSIONS
Size of Hook 8 10 12 14 16
Body Length mm 12 10 8 6.5 5.5
Gape mm 6.5 5.5 4.5 4 3.5
Wire Diameter mm .66 .61 .56 .51 .46
Hook Weight mg 74 52 36 24 18
Send £1 for current literature on our hooks
and please specify your particular interests.
PARTRIDGE OF REDDITCH,
REDDITCH B97 4JE, ENGLAND.
TEL: (0527) 43555

Layout: Front: A markers on the top tab, green logo panel, three cells for CODE, SIZE, and QTY with labels printed vertically, model name, and steel line. Back: design paragraph, six bird devices in two groups of three, USES and SPECIFICATION paragraphs, dimensions table with a hook diagram, literature offer, and address block.
Later marks: 12 in blue ink in the SIZE cell.
Single blue-ink stroke drawn diagonally through the printed 25 in the QTY cell.

Condition

Two loose size 12 hooks: intact, undistorted, no visible corrosion P.
Packet: clean header card with sharp corners, light scuffs, and clear film along the back edge P. Hook count not visible.

Pattern history and manufacturer context

Series

The card states that Albert Partridge developed the Widegape range of trout hooks in about 1930 V. The front names the model Albert Partridge Widegape Down Eye Hooks, Code A. The card lists sizes 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 V.

A late-1990s listing of the Partridge range still carries Code A in the same five sizes, with an offset bend and bronze finish V.

Design lineage

The card attributes the design to three features: a wider gape, an offset bend, and a shorter point V. The gape is the distance between the point and the shank.

Dating

The card states that Albert Partridge developed the Widegape range in about 1930.
The back gives TEL: (0527) 43555. Redditch used the 0527 code from the early 1970s until 16 April 1995, when it became 01527, so this card was printed within that window. The £1 literature offer is consistent with that period.
A late-1990s listing of the Partridge range still carries Code A.

Designer

Albert Partridge is the founder whose name Partridge of Redditch carries. He left the firm to his son Ted, who sold it to Alan Bramley in 1970 V.

Partridge of Redditch — Printed while Alan Bramley owned Partridge of Redditch; he bought the firm from Ted Partridge in 1970. O. Mustad & Son acquired it from Bramley in 1996 V. Read the maker’s history →

Use

Wet fly
Nymph
Dry fly

Primary application

The card presents Code A as a wet fly or short nymph hook V. It names the wide gape as suited to buzzers and to patterns tied “round the bend,” where the dressing continues around the bend onto the rear of the hook.

Other uses

Medium weight dry flies V. A late-1990s listing notes that some tyers recommended the range for dry flies V.

Fly patterns

Buzzers; wet flies; short nymphs; patterns tied round the bend; medium weight dry flies.

Collecting and buying

4 / 10CollectabilityRarity: Uncommon

Rated 4/10, uncommon. The model was offered in five sizes over a long span, from a design of about 1930 to late-1990s listings, which holds the rating down; no sales records or survival counts are on file to support a higher figure.

Basis: No sold-sales records or survival counts recorded. The rating rests on the documented production span: a design of about 1930 stated on the card and continued listing in the late 1990s.

Interest in the model rests on its designer’s name printed on the card and on Redditch-printed packets that can be dated from their address block. Against that, five sizes were made across several decades, and the range was still listed in the late 1990s V.

No sold sales or survival counts are recorded for this entry.

Market value

Insufficient recorded sales data to estimate a reliable value.

0 sold observations recorded; 2 are needed, with the basis and date of the range, before a value is shown. Asking prices are shown as asking prices only.

No sold sales are recorded for this model.

Where to find

eBay UK (most common platform for British Redditch-era hooks), occasional eBay US listings. Specialist vintage fly-tying dealers and UK tackle fairs (Midlands region near Redditch). Not typically stocked by modern tackle retailers. Prices vary widely based on condition and completeness; original cards with full counts are less frequent than individual loose hooks.

Label and source analysis

Key Dimensions Table

Source: Partridge of Redditch Code A header card, reverse, CODE A KEY DIMENSIONS table

The back of the card prints a table headed CODE A KEY DIMENSIONS for sizes 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 V. It gives body length, gape, and wire diameter in millimeters, and hook weight in milligrams. For size 12 it lists body length 8 mm, gape 4.5 mm, and wire diameter .56 mm.

A small diagram marks body length along the shank and gape from shank to point. The caliper gap of 0.18 in (4.6 mm) on the recorded hooks agrees with the tabulated gape P. The wire diameter has not been measured on the specimen.

Handwritten Markings

The size cell carries a handwritten 12 in blue ink, beside the vertical printed SIZE label P. The card has no printed size value.

A single blue-ink stroke runs diagonally through the printed quantity 25 and past the cell border P. Its purpose is not recorded; it may mark an altered count S.

Modern equivalents and related hooks

Modern equivalents
Hook	Match	Notes
Partridge K4A Grub/Shrimp	Good	Modern widegape nymph with curved shank; functionally similar for wet/nymph applications but different bend geometry and shank profile.
Daiichi 1180 Widegape	Moderate	Japanese contemporary widegape; similar gap and point geometry but different wire profile and no bronze finish option.
Tiemco TMC5262 Widegape	Moderate	Contemporary widegape nymph; functions similarly but lacks historical Redditch craftsmanship and character.

Hook Model	Match	Analysis	Compare
G3A No. 12 / 16 — G3A Sproat Wet Fly Hook	79%	Matches: Bend, Shank, Gap, Eye Orient., Point +3 moreDiffers: Wire: Heavy (1X Heavy) vs Standard; Eye: Ball Eye vs Tapered Eye; Forging: Round vs Forged +4 more	Compare
38943 No. 14 — Mustad 38943 Special Sproat	75%	Matches: Bend, Gap, Eye, Eye Orient., Finish +5 moreDiffers: Shank: Short (1X–2X Short) vs Standard; Wire: Heavy (1X Heavy) vs Extra-Heavy (2X+); Point: Standard / Spear vs Hollow Point +2 more	Compare
Not visibly printed No. 10 — Up Eye Forged Short Shank	75%	Matches: Shank, Wire, Gap, Eye, Point +5 moreDiffers: Bend: Sproat vs Round / Kendal; Eye Orient.: Turned Down vs Turned Up; Forging: Round vs Forged +2 more	Compare
2616 No. 1/0 — Milward 2616 Sheepshead Hook	75%	Matches: Bend, Shank, Wire, Gap, Eye +5 moreDiffers: Eye Orient.: Turned Down vs Straight / Inline; Finish: Bronzed vs Black Japanned; Application: Wet Fly, Nymph, Dry Fly vs Bait, Saltwater +2 more	Compare
S80-3906 No. 14 — Nymph Sproat	73%	Matches: Bend, Gap, Eye, Eye Orient., Point +3 moreDiffers: Shank: Short (1X–2X Short) vs Standard; Wire: Heavy (1X Heavy) vs Extra-Heavy (2X+); Forging: Round vs Forged +4 more	Compare

Silhouette	Hook Model	Match	Compare
	9557 No. 4 — 9557 Beak Hook	61%	Compare

Sources, open questions, and record notes

Sources & Documentation

This specimen and its packaging — photographed, 3 images

Supports: wireshankdesigner collaboratorfactory locationquantity per packageconstructionis snelledfinisheyebendbarbcondition noteswire diameter measuredoverall lengthgap widthshank gap ratioweightmeasurement notescumulative records notedating rangepackagingsecondary applicationsfly patternscollectability summarycollectability ratingrarityrarity basismanufacturer period contextfun factfun fact titlemeta descriptionprimary search termssummaryseries historydesign lineageprimary applicationcollectability detailidentification

Hook section part III, Partridge hooks (Partridge dry fly hooks) — Special dry fly hooks section VSupports: Series History, Era Text, Era Dating Reasoning, Secondary Applications, Collectability Rating, Rarity — Basis.
01527 (Wikipedia) — infobox and exchange-code table VSupports: Era Dating Reasoning, Collector ID Tips, Manufacturer — Period Context, Where To Find.
Partridge Trout Spider Wide Gape | 54 Dean Street Shop — company history paragraph VSupports: Manufacturer — Period Context, Named Collaborator Bio.

Quick facts

Maker: Partridge of Redditch
Model: A
Bend: Sproat
Eye: Ball Eye, Turned Down
Point: Standard / Spear
Finish: Bronzed
Sizes: 12
Country: England
Dating: Designed c. 1930; listed through the late 1990s
Value: Not enough recorded sales

This record

3 photographs
1 specimen
22 labels & marks
3 sources

Confidence marks

Photographically verified — Directly observable in the photograph(s) on this page.
Verified by documentation — Confirmed by manufacturer catalog, spec sheet, or published reference.
Inferred — A logical deduction from observable or documented evidence, not directly stated.
Estimated — An approximation based on visual comparison, proportional analysis, or limited data.
Speculative — A reasoned hypothesis that cannot be confirmed from available evidence.

Unmarked claims are the compiler’s synthesis; see Sources. Photographs are taken on a grid of 0.1″ (2.54 mm) squares. Tags such as IMG-1 name the photograph (IMG), label region (LBL), observation (OBS), measurement (MEA), or source (SRC) a statement rests on; CMP marks a classification compared with every measured hook in the catalog. Glossary

Entry last updated June 15, 2026. Entries are updated as new specimens, measurements, or documents come to light.

1Summary

2How to identify it

3Technical profile and measurements