BB

Writer and illustrator Denys Watkins-Pitchford, better known as ‘BB’, was born in Lamport, Northamptonshire on 25th July, 1905. His father, was the rector of All Hallows Church in Lamport and Denys was his second son (one of twins). ‘BB’ grew up in Lamport Rectory, a large house in a rural setting and it was here he developed a great love of the outdoors. ‘BB’ was first encouraged to go fishing by an angling uncle, who taught him how to fish for trout. However, ‘BB’ was obsessed with carp, ever since he first discovered one as a small child, in a pond along a country lane.
  
‘BB’ began his writing career after leaving Art School, when he obtained a position as assistant art master at Rugby College. He remained there for seventeen years and regularly contributed to the Shooting Times magazine. His first book The Sportsman's Bedside Book, was published in 1937. He wrote using the pen name ‘BB’ (the size of lead shot used for shooting geese), though he continued to sign his illustrations with his real name. He wrote more than fifty books, many of them children's stories and In 1942  he won the Carnegie Medal for The Little Grey Men. 'BB' also illustrated over thirty books by other authors. In 1949 he published Be Quite and go A Angling under the name of Michael Traherne, a pseudonym he used only once.

Though he went on to become an enthusiastic all-round angler, catching salmon and trout, that vision in a carp pond stayed with him all his life and resulted in the publication of Confessions of a Carp Fisher, in 1951. He also played a leading role in the legendary Carp Catchers’ Club, along with Dick Walker and Maurice Ingham. His last book A Fisherman's Folly was published in 1987. In 1989 his contribution to literature was officially recognised when he was awarded the MBE. He lived for many years at the Round House, Sudborough and died in 1990 at the age of eighty-five. In 2000 the BB Society was formed as a focus for admirers and collectors of ‘BB's’ books, paintings and illustrations.


Medlar titles By BB:
Be Quite and go A Angling (written as Michael Traherne) 1949, Medlar edition 1998
The Whopper 1967, Medlar edition 1997
A Carp Water (Wood Pool) 1958, Medlar edition 1996

BB also contributed significantly to the The Carp Catchers' Club.