The Build Up To The 1901 Bisley Meeting
This was the first year that the Bisley Meeting included a King's Prize following the death of Queen Victoria, who had supported the Queen's Prize annually since its inception in 1860. The Nottingham Evening Post carried several reports in the period leading up to the close of ordinary entries giving details of changing conditions of competitions and the numbers taking part. The first report seemed to suggest that there were not many changes to report; but only 5 days later the paper was reporting considerable numbers of changes in the format of various competitions.
Nottingham Evening Post, 11 May 1901
Yesterday the National Rifle Association issued the regulations for the annual prize meeting at Bisley in July. Entries for the King's Prize, being the continuation of the prizes given for so many years by Queen Victoria, also those for the St. George's Vase, the second great volunteer competition, must be made by noon on the 13th of June, after which post entry fees will be charged: but winners of recruits' bronze medals competing for the recruits' medals in the King's Prize may be nominated up to the evening of July 13th. The regulations as a whole show but little alteration as compared with those of recent years.
This second report indicates that the types of competition being held for the volunteer forces were changing better to reflect combat conditions, with greater emphasis on rapid firing. The details make interesting reading.
Nottingham Evening Post 16 May 1901
Yesterday the National Rifle Association announced the addition of several important prizes to the Bisley list, as well as changes in conditions of several of the old competitions, to make the firing of a more practically military character. Beyond the alterations in the King's Prize and in the dimensions and divisions of targets, and greater freedom of position in firing already made public, it is announced that there will be a Duke of Cornwall's Cup, to be competed for under English Twenty Club regulations, and a Commander-in-Chief's Prize, a snap-shooting competition at 150 yards for battalion teams of ten from all branches of his Majesty's forces. The Donegal Challenge Cup is to be open to winners of the Bronze Badges, which the National Rifle Association will present to rifle clubs, to be competed for as club committees may direct, the Challenge Cup being shot for at 200 and 600 yards: and other prizes are offered for rifle club teams at 200 and 500 yards, shooting individually and by teams.
For the Alexandra, the first range will be 300 yards, instead of 500 yards as last year, and the firing will be from the magazine in one minute, competitors sitting of kneeling: the Martins standing shoot at 200 yards will be made "rapid firing", but not from the magazine, 90 seconds being allowed for the seven shots: the Belgian Volley Cup for battalion teams will be at 600 yards, instead of 500, and for rapid magazine fire: and in the Barlow a 500 yard range has been added to the 200 and 600 of last year, and the prizes thrown open to any member of the King's forces who was not enlisted or enrolled before November 1st, 1888.
The Gregory, at 200 yards, has been made an individual rapid firing competition, corresponding with the Martins: and the Burt, formerly an individual contest at 800 yards, is to be an individual squadded rapid firing shoot at 200 yards. A Winans telescope sights competition is to be introduced at 1,000 yards for the Service rifle, with unlimited entries: the number of revolver competitions has been reduced but the prize lists of those retained are to be extended: and in several competitions besides those mentioned, the rapid firing principle, either with or without the magazine, is to be introduced.
The final report is from June when the normal entries had closed. Comparisons are made between the previous year's and the current year's entries.
Nottingham Evening Post 15 June 1901
Up to the first closing of the entries for the King's Prize at Bisley the Council of the National Rifle Association have received 1,492 names, an increase of 258 upon the 1,234 received up to the same point for the Queen's Prize last year. The increase is due partly to the return of many marksmen who last year were absent in South Africa, and partly to there being in the present season none of the special emergency training camps, which reduced the attendance of the volunteers at the Bisley Meeting of 1900. Last year post entries brought up the full total of Queen's competitors to 1,399, and it is expected that the first King's Prize will be increased beyond the present 1,492 competitors by similar post entries. The entries for the St. George's Prizes, the other great volunteer contest, which also have now closed for ordinary entry, number 1,418, an increase of 278 over the 1,140 reached at the same point of last year, when, with post entries, there were in all 1,304 competitors.
Transcripts from Nottingham Evening Post 11/05/1901, 16/05/1901 and 15/06/1901
British Library Newspaper Archive