Miniature Rifle Shooting in the Midlands 1905
The Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs had been formed in the early years of the new century and participation in what is now called small bore shooting was growing apace, with the formation of civilian and works clubs. One of these was the Midland Railway Rifle Club in Derby which encompassed both small bore and full bore shooting. They had won the Derbyshire Astor Challenge Cup in 1904 and repeated the success in 1905. The extent of shooting in Derbyshire is reflected in this account of the Annual General Meeting of the Midland Railway Rifle Club.
Derby Daily Telegraph, 15th Feb 1905
ANNUAL MEETING
The annual meeting of the members of the Midland Railway Rifle Club was held at the Midland Institute on Tuesday night, Mr D Bain (captain of the club) presiding. The report of the committee and balance-sheet were submitted, showing the receipts on the capital account to have been £250 and the expenditure £243, and the receipts on the current account £201 and the expenditure £179. The membership numbered 352. The club now possesses two 25 yards ranges, and one 50 yards range, which are in use each evening, accommodating 13 members to shoot at one time. There are in addition a set of moving targets, a marksman's pool target, and eight disappearing targets. The club has 25 Lee-Enfield rifles, including 12 special service match rifles, 12 Greener's club rifles, and 13 Morris tubes. During the past year the number of rounds of ammunition fired on the indoor ranges was 129,154, or an average of 367 per member.
On May 21st, 1904, the club competed on he Nottingham-road range at 200, 500, and 600 yards, for the Derbyshire Astor Challenge Cup, and succeeded in winning the same, beating the Matlock, Staveley, Dore and District, Chesterfield, Ashbourne, and Belper clubs. As the winners of the County Cup the club were entitled to enter a team at Bisley to compete for a championship trophy, which was done. The team sent succeeded in obtaining 12th place, and beating the following counties: Devonshire, Wiltshire, and Yorkshire. In the Miniature Bisley Competition, at Olympia, London, in April last, for team shooting, the club obtained 8th place in the Regiment Cup, 31 rifle clubs competing, and 6th place in the "Daily Telegraph" Cup, 27 clubs competing. Locally the club has fired six matches, winning two, losing three, and drawing one.
The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, described them as of a highly satisfactory character. He advocated a greater amount of out-door practice, and promised to do what he could towards securing a suitable site for a private range for the club. They had an excellent indoor range, and their numbers included a number of very good shots. They were the second largest club in the kingdom in point of numbers, and certainly the best equipped. He concluded by paying a tribute to the zeal and energy displayed by the Secretary (Mr L.S. White) in the management of the club's affairs. The motion was seconded by Mr C.E. Etches, and carried unanimously.
The election of officers was then proceeded with. Mr. John Mathieson was re-elected President; Mr. D, Bain, captain; Mr. G.H. Kiddy, treasurer; hon. sec., Mr. L.S. White; assistant hon. sec., Mr. T.H. Bolton. Retiring members of the committee were re-elected except Messrs. H.E. Simpson, A.W. Sealey, and O. Rees, who resigned, and in their places Messrs. H. Hacker, J. Bell, and J. Mead were appointed. One or two rules were revised, and on the motion of the Secretary it was resolved to allow members to introduce friends, provided they are in the company's service, to the range with the right to shoot on payment of a small charge. The customary votes of thanks were accorded to the honorary officers, and Mr. Bain was also thanked for presiding.
The Volunteers in Derby were also interested in shooting on miniature ranges as reported in this extract.
Derby Daily Telegraph, Monday, 20 Feb 1905
Extract from:–
BY "MENTOR"
(Specially contributed)
C Company:— The officers and non-commissioned officers of this company do not mean to be behind in the matter of practice on the miniature range. A series of competitions for members have been arranged for Wednesdays, 22nd February, the 1st and 8th of March, at the Midland Railway Rifle Club's range (Pullman car shed) at 7.30 each evening. The conditions will be seven shots with one sighter on the B range (25 yards) with service rifles fitted with Morris tubes. Money prizes will be given, the number depending on the entries. The greater number of members shooting, the greater the prize list. This opportunity will afford a good preliminary to the outdoor shooting later on, and, being with the service rifle, it has a great advantage over the lighter weapons. Colour-sergeant Simpson as at the head of arrangements.
Lowdham and District Rifle Club, who shot out-doors at the Epperstone range, were also shooting in the village on their own miniature range, as has already been noted. This range certainly went to 50 yards as can be seen from the two following reports.
Nottingham Evening Post, Friday, 19 May 1905
A competition was held on the Miniature Range, Lowdham, yesterday evening, for those who have not won a first prize for three seasons. Conditions, seven shots and a sighter at each distance; total possible, 105 points. Scores:—
| 25yds. | 40yds. | 50yds. | H'cap. | Tl. | |
| A.H. Pearson | 26 | 30 | 27 | 12 | 95 |
| R.N. Whiston | 18 | 30 | 29 | 15 | 92 |
| J.C. Belton | 30 | 30 | 31 | 0 | 91 |
| G.H. Ulyett | 28 | 27 | 27 | 9 | 91 |
| C.W. Avins | 23 | 28 | 23 | 15 | 89 |
| H. Tyler | 26 | 27 | 26 | 9 | 88 |
Nottingham Evening Post, Friday, 23 June 1905
LOWDHAM CHALLENGE CUP.
The third monthly shoot for the Lowdham District Rifle Club's silver challenge cup took place yesterday, at the miniature range, Lowdham. Leading scores:—
| 25 yds. | 40yds. | 50yds. | Hcp. | Total. | |
| J. Simpson | 30 | 33 | 31 | 6 | 100 |
| C.C. Reed | 30 | 33 | 34 | 0 | 97 |
| S.F. Clarke | 31 | 33 | 32 | 0 | 96 |
| A.H. Pearson | 29 | 32 | 29 | 6 | 96 |
| G. Clarke | 30 | 33 | 32 | 0 | 95 |
| J.D. Pearson | 31 | 34 | 30 | 0 | 95 |
Leading positions to June 22nd:—
| Best | |||||
| score. | 2nd. | 3rd. | Hcp. | Total. | |
| G.H. Ulyett | 94 | 88 | 83 | 27 | 292 |
| J.D. Pearson | 98 | 97 | 95 | 0 | 290 |
| A.H. Pearson | 90 | 86 | 82 | 18 | 276 |
| J.C. Belton | 93 | 92 | 87 | 0 | 272 |
The development of miniature range shooting was largely down to the support given to it by Earl Roberts, following lessons learnt the hard way during the South African Wars at the turn of the century.
Nottingham Evening Post, Friday, 25 August 1905
Earl Roberts, having been invited to open a new miniature rifle range at Deptford, has written to Mr. H.F. Agar, the secretary of the Deptford Rifle Club as follows:—
"It is a great pleasure to me to hear that shooting in miniature ranges is becoming more and more popular, because I know how valuable it is as a means of teaching men to be skilful with the rifle where practice on long ranges is not possible. In this opinion I am supported by some of the best long–range rifle shots, amongst others by Armourer-Sergeant Coomber, who won the King's Prize at Bisley last month."
Transcripts from Derby Daily Telegraph and Nottingham Evening Post
British Library Newspaper Archive