Alfred Woodham was born in New York, NY in 1825. His first ads can be seen in 1857 for the “Sportmen’s Depot.” The store advertised they sold guns, pistols and fishing tackle. Woodham didn’t make fishing reels, but sold those made by the great makers in New York. He also sold imported reels from England. The first reels where a date can be assigned to his reels were in the 1860’s. They were predominately from the F. vom Hofe and Son manufacturing companies. These reels are recognizable and able to be attributed to the vom Hofes. A classified ad in the March 25, 1870 edition of the New York Daily Herald newspaper stated he was selling out his entire stock. This was the end of Woodham’s Sportsmen’s Depot. That year in the 1870 Brooklyn, NY Census, his occupation was listed as Real Estate Agent. His future advertisements were for renting warehouse storage space.
The ALFRED WOODHAM Reel Made by F. vom Hofe & Son, Circa 1868
The ALFRED WOODHAM Ad in the 1857 “The Canada Directory for 1857-1858” Book
The ALFRED WOODHAM Ad in the 1868 “Fur, Fin and Feather” Magazine
The ALFRED WOODHAM Ad in the April 25, 1870 “The New York Daily Herald” Newspaper
ALFRED WOODHAM Listed in the 1870 Brooklyn, NY Census
Another great antique fishing tackle website :