Nottinghamshire Rifle Association

Devon and Exeter Gazette, Monday, 21 Dec 1903

NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION
A GENEROUS OFFER

Colonel C.R. Crosse, the Secretary of the National Rifle Association, having informed Lieutenant F.J. Harvey, hon. secretary of the Devon County Volunteer Association, of Mr. Astor's intention to present a challenge cup to each county in England, Scotland, and Wales with not less than two Rifle Clubs affiliated to the National Rifle Association, the cup to be called the "Astor Challenge Cup", to be competed for between the affiliated clubs in the county each year. Lieutenant Harvey called a meeting of the 22 Secretaries of the affiliated clubs in Devonshire at the Great Western Hotel, St. David's Station, Exeter, on Saturday evening.

Mr Norman Kendall, of the Exonia Rifle Club, was voted to the chair, and the Clubs represented at the meeting were Whimple and Rockbeare, Thorverton, Silverton, Filleigh, Exonia, Queen-street Station, and the Three Towns and District Rifle Club, Plymouth.

The meeting decided that Mr. Astor's offer should be accepted, and proceeded to draw up some conditions for the competition. Civilians will be allowed to compete for the trophy, and the competition will take place on a full-charge range. The following Sub-Committee was appointed to draft full conditions for the competition:– Mr. Norman Kendall, representing Exeter and district; Mr. Grieg Wilson, Plymouth and district; Mr. Hepper, Torquay and district; and Mr. J.M. Buckingham, North Devon district.

The Daily News, London, Wednesday, 6 Jan 1904

TO ENCOURAGE RIFLE SHOOTING
THE ASTOR CHALLENGE CUPS

Considerable interest is being shown among the rifle clubs in England, Scotland and Wales which are affiliated to the National Rifle Association in consequence of the announcement that the fund established by Mr. Astor is providing to each county having two or more affiliated clubs a silver challenge cup to be competed for between the clubs of the county.

The following are the general rules governing the competition: (1) A cup is given for each county to be competed for by such of the rifle clubs of the county as are affiliated to the N.R.A. (2) Teams must consist of not less than four members of each club, being either Volunteers or civilians, but not more than half of any team may consist of Volunteers and not more than one team may be entered from each club. (3) No person may fire in more than one team competing for the Astor Challenge Cup in any one year. (4) Service rifles must be used; in the case of miniature ranges they may be used with either adapters of Morris tubes. If the latter are used Martini-Henry and Martini-Enfield rifles are eligible.

Subject to the above general conditions, arrangements will be settled locally by agreement between the several clubs, or in the case of dispute by the Council of the N.R.A. The cups remain the property of the Astor Trustees, and the regulations may be revised from time to time by the N.R.A. The competition must be concluded by the end of June.

The Graphic, London, 5 Mar 1904

This Silver Trophy, which is known as the Astor County Challenge Cup, is to be competed for by Rifle Clubs affiliated to the N.R.A. It weighs over 40 ounces, and was designed and manufactured by Elkington and Co., Regent Street.

A RIFLE CLUB TROPHY

Nottingham Evening Post, Wednesday, 13 July 1904

THE BISLEY MEETING
INTER-UNIVERSITY MATCH

Camp, Wednesday
There were several showers of rain last night which had a cooling effect while they lasted, but were not sufficiently heavy to lay the dust. The meteorological report states:– "The slight depression has passed away, and the bar has been rising steadily for the last 16 hours. The weather will be fine today with variable moderate breezes, some cloud, intermittent sunshine and changing light." The maximum temperature during the past 24 hours was 140deg., and the shade 79½. Today's programme is again mainly composed of match rifle shooting.

.....

For the Astor County Championship Challenge Cup twenty teams have entered. It is open only to one team of six civilian or civilian and volunteer members from each rifle club which has won one of te Astor County Challenge Cups during the year anding June 30th last. The cup is provided by the trustees of the fund given by Mr. W. Astor in 1903 to assist in the formation and development of rifle clubs. There are also seven medals, one of which is given to the captain and each member of the winning team.

London Daily News, Thursday, 14 July 1904

BSLEY SHOOTING
INTER-UNIVERSITY MATCH
SOME FINE SCORING

(From Our Own Correspondent)

Bisley, Wednesday.

.....

The Astor Cup.

The principal interest of the afternoon's shooting was confined to the Astor Cup and the Watts Cup. The former, an entirely new competition, is styled the Astor County Championship Challenge Cup, and is provided by the trustees of the fund given by Mr. W.W. Astor in 1903 to assist in the formation and development of rifle clubs. The competition is open to one team of six civilian or civilian and Volunteer members from each rifle club which has won one of the county cups. Twenty clubs entered the contest, and the following table shows the scoring:

THE "ASTOR" COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGE CUP
Rifle Clubs Competition

Open to teams of six members from each Rifle Club which has won one of the Astor County Challenge Cups during the year ending 30th June, 1904. S.R., 200 and 500 yards, seven shots at each distance, one target for each team, 90 minutes allowed for completion. Winners of Cup and Medals, one of each being given to the captain and each member of team.

Winners: Queen's Edinbro' Rifle Club.
Pte. Robertson	34	34	68
Lt. F.R. Martin	35	32	67
Lce.-Sgt. Ommundsen	32	34	66
Pte. J.M. Jeffrey	31	32	63
Mr C.M. Black	31	30	61
Mr. J.L. Thomson	31	26	57
Totals	194	188	382

The next best scores were made by the South London Rifle Club, 381; Stock Exchange Rifle Club, 376; Harborne Rifle Club, 374; Midland Counties Rifle Club, 369; Kidderminster Rifle Club, 366; Great Yarmouth Rifle Club, 366.

.....

Derby Daily Telegraph, Friday, 18 Nov 1904

MIDLAND RAILWAY RIFLE CLUB LEAGUE

The following is the table up to date:—

					Total
					Target Scores
	Fired	Won	Drn	Lost	For	Agst	Pts
Cariage & Wagon	5	5	0	0	520	453	10
Superintendent's	5	4	1	0	506	455	9
H Shop, Car. & W.	5	4	0	14	478	464	8
General Manager's	4	4	0	0	402	351	8
Engineer's Dept.	5	3	0	2	478	481	6
Loco Dept.	4	3	0	1	385	374	6
St. Mary's Goods	5	2	0	3	461	481	4
Gas Dept.	5	2	0	3	461	481	4
S Shop, Car. & W.	5	2	0	3	374	435	4
Minerals Dept.	5	1	1	3	431	463	3
Rates, C.G.M.	5	1	0	4	488	503	2
Generals & Claims	5	1	0	4	465	463	2
E Shop, Car. & W.	5	1	0	4	455	478	2
Accountant's Dept.	5	0	0	5	410	459	0

Notes. The Carriage and Wagon Office team still hold the lead, their score on Wednesday evening being 108 or only 12 short of a possible. The General Manager's Department team in another match made exactly the same points, thus sharing the honour of having obtained the highest target score made by any team in the League. The latter team's individual scores were: A. Bannister 28, W. Wallace 28, G.F. Shepherd 27, J. Mead 25; highest possible 30. They accordingly win the weekly ammunition prize. The other scores of note were: H Shop, Carriage and Wagon, 105; Superintendents, 104; Engineers' Department, 100; Rates, C.G.M., 99.

I have received the following from Lieut.–colonel C.R. Crosse, secretary of the National Rifle Association:– "Rule 2 of the conditions of the Astor County Challenge Cup competition should be altered to read as follows: Teams must consist of not less than four members of each club, no one who is borne on the strength of any branch of his Majesty's forces or who is a Reservist is eligible. Not more than one team may be entered from each club." As the Midland Railway Rifle Club have about 280 civilian members out of a total membership of 352 it is to be hoped that sufficient interest will be taken in long distance shooting (as opportunities arise) to enable a strong team to be placed in the field next year to retain this Challenge Cup, which was won by the club last May.