The Twelfth Annual Prize Meeting 1872
The Nottinghamshire Rifle Association's Annual Prize Meeting for Volunteers was held on June 25th and 26th at the town butts. The format of the two day competition was now firmly established. There is no mention of the weather conditions; but judging from the scores, we can assume it was favourable for shooting.
The first day was devoted to five shots to count at three ranges, beginning at 200 yards standing and moving back to 500 yards and 600 yards, presumably either kneeling or prone. Sergeant E.A. Cuckson made a good start only dropping his fourth out of the bull's eye for a total of 19. There were only two points separating the leading ten scores which qualified for cash prizes.
Private W. Cooke made 19 at 500 yards to gain the £5 first cash prize at this range, with the ten top scores falling down to 16.
At 600 yards the top ten scores ran from 16 to 14; but misses were recorded which must have caused grief for Corporal Radford and Captain Hodgkinson but for which they might have been the top scorers.
In the final aggregate table, the winner was Sergeant T. Hodgson with 49 points who gained the Silver Cup by the narrowest of margins. The next three places being made with scores of 48 for Corporal G Carder, Sergeant E A Cuckson and Private W Cooke.
The second days shooting comprised of four separate competitions. First up was the Association's competition for members with 5 shots at 200 yards and 500 yards, the shorter range being fired standing. The nine leading scores shared the £20 purse.
The National Rifle Association's Bronze Medal was shot next, the winner to be awarded the Bronze Medal and £5. There are 21 scores listed which presumably comprised the whole entry. The winner was Private W Lucas with 55 ex 60 over the three usual ranges.
The third shoot of the day was for Snider rifles at 500 yards and 600 yards for a purse of £20 to be shared by the nine top scores. Private S K Clarke, 5 RHR, made the top place with a score of 34 out of 40 on count-back from Sergeant E A Cuckson, 9 RHR.
The final competition was for the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Cavalry who fired from 200 yards only competing for a share of a £10 purse for the top six scores. The winner was Corporal W Clements with 29 ex 40 from ten shots.
Nottingham and Midland Counties Daily Express, Saturday, June 29th, 1872
NOTTS. RIFLE ASSOCIATION
The twelfth annual prize meeting of the association was held at the Nottingham butts on Tuesday and Wednesday, when the competition for the various prizes resulted as follows:–
| A - WINNERS: | 200 yards | Prize £ |
| Sgt Cuckson, 9 RHR | 44434 19 | 5 |
| Col-Sgt H Hart, 5 RHR | 33444 18 | 4 |
| Pte J Shepperley, 1 RHR | 33444 18 | 3 |
| Cl-sgt Bloom, 10 RHR | 44343 18 | 3 |
| Cl-sgt Bryan, 3 RHR | 33344 17 | 2 |
| Cl-sgt Hodgson, 5 RHR | 33443 17 | 2 |
| Pte J Else, 3rd Notts | 34343 17 | 2 |
| Pte E Souter, 10 RHR | 43334 17 | 1 |
| Pte W Miller, 10 RHR | 34433 17 | 1 |
| Pte Vickers, 7 RHR | 34433 17 | 1 |
| Pte R Coupe, 9 RHR | 24434 17 | 1 |
| B - WINNERS: | 500 yards | |
| Pte Cooke, 6 RHR | 43444 19 | 5 |
| Cpl Carder, 9 RHR | 43443 18 | 4 |
| Cpl Black, 1 RHR | 44334 18 | 3 |
| Pte Coles, 1 RHR | 44334 18 | 3 |
| Cpl Kerry, 10 RHR | 33344 17 | 2 |
| Pte McLellan, 2 RHR | 33344 17 | 2 |
| Pte Richardson, 4th Notts | 33344 17 | 2 |
| Pte Clarke, 5 RHR | 33443 17 | 1 |
| Pte Staynes, 3 RHR | 24344 17 | 1 |
| Sgt Hodgson, 5 RHR | 34424 17 | 1 |
| Pte Webster, 5 RHR | 33334 16 | 1 |
| Pte Souter, 10 RHR | 33334 16 | 1 |
| C - WINNERS: | 600 yards | |
| Surgeon Wright, RHR | 33334 16 | 5 |
| Pte Lucas, 10 RHR | 43333 16 | 4 |
| Sgt Clarke, 3 RHR | 43234 16 | 3 |
| Cpl Radford, 4th Notts | 40344 15 | 3 |
| Pte Foulkes, 2 RHR | 23334 15 | 2 |
| Sgt Hodgson, 5 RHR | 33324 15 | 2 |
| Cpl Carder, 9 RHR | 33342 15 | 2 |
| Pte McLeod, 3rd Notts | 33423 15 | 1 |
| Pte J Ellis, 2 RHR | 43323 15 | 1 |
| Sgt C Jackson, 6 RHR | 32244 15 | 1 |
| Capt Hodgkinson, 3rd Notts | 43034 14 | 1 |
| D - WINNERS: | AGGREGATE | ||||
| Name, Rank, Corps | 200 | 500 | 600 | Tl. | Prize |
| Sgt T Hodgson, 5 RHR | 17 | 17 | 15 | 49 | Silver cup |
| Cpl G Carder, 9 RHR | 15 | 18 | 15 | 48 | £3 |
| Sgt EA Cuckson, 9 RHR | 19 | 16 | 13 | 48 | £2 |
| Pte W Cooke, 6 RHR | 16 | 19 | 13 | 48 | £2 |
| Pte TN Coles, 1 RHR | 15 | 18 | 14 | 47 | £1 |
| Pte W Lucas, 10 RHR | 15 | 16 | 16 | 47 | £1 |
| Pte Shepperley, 1 RHR | 18 | 15 | 13 | 46 | £1 |
WEDNESDAY
E - £20 Association. For Sniders or Carbines. Ranges, 200 and 500 yards, 5 shots each. At 200 yards, standing. At 500 yards, any position.
| Name | 200 yds | 500 yds | Tl. | Pr £ |
| Sgt Birks, 4th Notts | 33433-16 | 44433-18 | 34 | 5 |
| Sgt EA Cuckson, 9 RHR | 24244-16 | 34344-18 | 34 | 4 |
| Pte W Lucas, 10 RHR | 33433-16 | 34433-17 | 33 | 3 |
| Cl-sgt H Hart, 5 RHR | 24442-16 | 33344-17 | 33 | 2 |
| Cl-sgt T Bloom, 10 RHR | 43343-17 | 23443-16 | 33 | 2 |
| Pte E Draycott, 5 RHR | 32333-14 | 42444-18 | 32 | 1 |
| Cl-sgt Cumberland, 8 RHR | 43323-15 | 32444-17 | 32 | 1 |
| Pte T Templeman, 5 RHR | 43333-16 | 42343-16 | 32 | 1 |
| Sgt T Hodgson, 2 RHR | 32333-14 | 33443-17 | 31 | 1 |
F - The Bronze Medal of the National Rifle Association, and £5. For Sniders.
| 200Yds | 500 Yds | 600 Yds | Tl. | |
| Private W Lucas, 10 RHR (Bronze Medal and £5) | 18 | 18 | 19 | 55 |
| Private E Souter, 10 RHR | 16 | 17 | 16 | 53 |
| Captain C Carder, 9 RHR | 16 | 17 | 16 | 49 |
| Capt W Richardson, 4 Notts | 14 | 18 | 14 | 46 |
| Sergt T Hodgson, 5 RHR | 17 | 15 | 13 | 45 |
| Private J Shepperley, 1 RHR | 16 | 13 | 15 | 44 |
| Capt. H Kerry, 10 RHR | 17 | 16 | 11 | 44 |
| Private R Coupe, 9 RHR | 14 | 16 | 14 | 42 |
| Private T N Cole, 1 RHR | 16 | 13 | 13 | 42 |
| Private H Foulkes, 2 RHR | 17 | 14 | 11 | 42 |
| Sergt T Bloom, 10 RHR | 17 | 15 | 10 | 42 |
| Surgeon T Wright, RHR | 15 | 13 | 13 | 41 |
| Private S K Clarke, 5 RHR | 15 | 14 | 11 | 40 |
| Sergt W B Bryan, 3 RHR | 16 | 15 | 9 | 38 |
| Privare W E Cooke, 6 RHR | 13 | 13 | 12 | 38 |
| Sergt G D Webster, 5 RHR | 14 | 15 | 9 | 38 |
| C Sergt H Hart, 5 RHR | 13 | 6 | 16 | 35 |
| Private W H Staynes, 3 RHR | 14 | 12 | 8 | 34 |
| Private H McLellan, 2 RHR | 11 | 8 | 13 | 32 |
| Sergt T S Clarke, 3 RHR | 9 | 13 | 5 | 27 |
| Private C Ellis, 2 RHR | 15 | 10 | 0 | 25 |
G - £20. For Sniders.
| Name | 500 yards | 600 yards | Tl | Pr £ |
| Pte Clarke, 5 RHR | 43343-17 | 43343-17 | 34 | 5 |
| Sgt E A Cuckson, 9 RHR | 33344-17 | 44333-17 | 34 | 4 |
| Cpl T Gilliver, 4 RHR | 34343-17 | 23434-16 | 33 | 3 |
| Pte H Duckett, 4 RHR | 43332-15 | 43334-17 | 32 | 2 |
| Sgt Aves, 4th Notts | 34333-16 | 33334-16 | 32 | 2 |
| Cl-sgt Cumberland, 8 RHR | 43433-17 | 33234-15 | 32 | 1 |
| Cpl Tomlinson, 4 RHR | 34343-17 | 24324-15 | 32 | 1 |
| Surgeon T Wright, RHR | 34343-17 | 24324-15 | 32 | 1 |
| Cpl Richardson, 4 RHR | 23433-15 | 42424-16 | 31 | 1 |
H - £10. Yeomanry Cavalry of Notts.
| Name | 200 yards | Total | Prize £ |
| Cpl W Clements | 3 4 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 | 29 | 3 |
| Sgt J Clements | 0 2 4 3 3 3 4 2 4 3 | 28 | 2 |
| Pte G Kinder | 3 4 3 2 3 2 3 3 2 3 | 28 | 2 |
| Pte G Kirby | 3 4 3 0 2 3 3 3 3 3 | 27 | 1 |
| Pte S Johnson | 2 3 3 2 2 3 2 4 4 2 | 27 | 1 |
| Pte J Wheatley | 0 2 2 4 3 2 2 4 3 3 | 25 | 1 |
Transcript from the Nottingham & Midland Counties
Daily Express 29 June 1872
British Library Newspaper Archive