Robin Hood Rifles and Shooting at Trent Range 1905
The Nottingham Volunteer Range had been closed on safety grounds in August 1890. The Robin Hoods eventually obtained a new range at Trent which opened in 1895. Now ten years later, with the city expanding to the north-east, the Council decided to reclaim some of the land for recreational space.
Nottingham Evening Post, Thursday, 16 Feb 1905
No one will gainsay the desirability of another recreation ground for Nottingham, particularly as it is to be in perhaps the healthiest part of the district, since there is no surrounding congestion of houses to counteract the effects of the open space. The site is the target end of the old rifle range on the Coppice-road, the situation is picturesque, and the ground, which covers about three acres, is within easy distance of the thickly-populated St. Ann's Well-road district. There is, moreover, a rapid extension of the city in this direction, so that the Council is taking time by the forelock in now undertaking the work. The cost of preparing the ground will only amount to a few hundred pounds, a truly trifling sum for such a purpose.
Regrettably the reporting of Volunteer shooting had by 1905 reduced to very little news. Shooting at Trent was still going on, perhaps even more frequently than before, as judged from the regular weekly Regimental Orders. It is from these that we learn that the Nottinghamshire Rifle Association was still organising its annual prize meeting.
Nottingham Evening Post, Saturday, 10 June 1905
ROBIN HOOD RIFLES
Regimental orders by Colonel Cantrell-Hubbersty Commanding.
Headquarters, Park Hill House, Derby-road, Nottingham, 9th June 1905.
Extract from orders:—
6.– Competitions.– Whit-Tuesday afternoon, Notts. Rifle Association, annual prize meeting; Thursday, 15th inst., letters D, E, and F Companies (both battalions) company competitions.
By Order,
G.N. Gonville, Captain and Adjutant,
Robin Hood Rifles.
The Robin Hoods took a team to Bisley to compete in the National Rifle Association main meeting and the competitors were listed in the Nottingham Evening Post of 16rh June.
Nottingham Evening Post, Friday, 16 June 1905
THE BISLEY TEAM
The undermentioned members of the Robin Hood Rifles will represent the regiment at the National Rifle Association's Meeting at Bisley, which commences on 10th July next:— Major J. Ashworth, Lieut. D.J. Jardine, Corporal J. Lane, Corporal H. Montgomery, Private W.H. Stevenson, Quartermaster-sergt. W. Comery, Sergt. C.O. Higginbottom, Private T. Caunt, Sergt. J. W. Hildyard, Colour-sergt. H. Smith, Corporal G.F. Blakeley, Private J Barnes, Corporal W. Herrick, Corporal B.R. Smedley, Colour-sergt. F. Goodliffe, Sergt. B.T. Fletcher, Corporal G. Smith, and Private W.P. Bland. The latter having won both the National Rifle Association's recruits' bronze medal and the bronze cross is entitled to shoot for the recruits' gold and silver medals and gold and silver crosses, and other prizes in the King's and St. George's competitions at Bisley.
Here is another extract from the weekly Regimental Orders mentioning a new competition arranged by the Nottinghamshire Rifle Association for revolver shooting at 50 yards. A report appeared later (see below) giving more details.
Nottingham Evening Post, Saturday, 17 June 1905
ROBIN HOOD RIFLES
Regimental Orders by Colonel Cantrell-Hubbersty Commanding.
Headquarters, Park Hill House, Derby-road, Nottingham,
16th June 1905.
Extract from regimental orders:—
7. Rifle Range.– The range is placed at the disposal of the Notts. Rifle Association for revolver competition, between the hours of 12 noon and 2 p.m., on Wednesday next, the 21st. inst., and no class firing will take place between those hours.
A. Sim Murray, Captain and Adjutant,
Robin Hood Rifles.
The English Twenty Club local district and divisional competition for the club Jewels was held at Trent.
Derby Baily Telegraph, Saturday, 17 June 1905
NOTTS. AND DERBYSHIRE DISTRICT.
The final of two competitions for the district jewel took place on the Trent Range on Friday with the following result:—
| 1st | 2nd | ||
| shoot | shoot | Total | |
| Captain P.M. Payne, R.H.R. | 98 | 96 | 194 |
| Sergeant T. Gee, 2nd Derby | 94 | 98 | 192 |
| Lance-corpl. W. Ashby (retired) R.H.R. | 94 | 92 | 186 |
| Sergeant W. Glossop, 1st Derby | 89 | 95 | 184 |
| Quartermaster-sergt. W. Comery, R.H.R. | 93 | 89 | 182 |
| Corporal W. Herrick, R.H.R. | 94 | 85 | 179 |
| Corporal G. Smith, R.H.R. | 90 | 88 | 178 |
| Lancce-corporal J. Lane, R.H.R. | 87 | 90 | 177 |
| Colour-sergeant C. Marshall, 1st Derby | 84 | 91 | 175 |
| Lance-corporal G.W. Knowles, 2nd Derby | 77 | 98 | 175 |
| Corporal G.F. Blakeley, R.H.R. | 89 | 85 | 174 |
| Major J. Ashworth, R.H.R. | 86 | 87 | 173 |
Captain Payne's score of 194 points wins the silver jewel awarded to the highest scorer in the division, which includes the Manchester district and the Notts. and Derby district. Therefore the district jewel is won by Sergeant Gee, of the 2nd V.B. Derby Regiment.
The Nottinghamshire Rifle Association revolver competition mentioned in the Regimental Orders above was briefly reported. It seems not to have been a very popular match.
Nottingham Evening Post, Wednesday, 21 June 1905
A revolver competition for members of the above association was held at Trent Range to-day. The conditions were six shots at 50 yards, the time limit being three minutes. There was only a small entry, and the prize, the National Rifle Association's bronze medal, went to Mr. J.G. Spendlove, Sergt. J.W. Hall being the runner up.
One match shot by the Robin Hoods was reported briefly and with little of the scores made. It would seem the reporter left the range after the first distance had been shot and the Robin Hoods were in a leading position.
Nottingham Evening post, Thursday, 28 September 1905
ROBIN HOODS v 2nd MANCHESTERS.
The annual match between teams of the Robin Hood Rifles and the 2nd V.B. Manchester Regiment was shot for on the range at Trent this afternoon. It is an annual shoot, and of the seven matches before today the Robin Hoods had won four and the 2nd Manchesters three. The competition is under Bisley conditions at 200yds., 500yds., and 600yds., seven shots and a sighter from each range. Teams of 22 competed, of which 20 scores will count. The light was dull, and the wind changeable. On the 200yds. range the Robin Hoods obtained an advantage on the 22 men of 16 points, scoring 663 to 647 by the visitors. The best scores for the Second Manchesters were Colour-Sergeant Binney, 35, and for the Robin Hoods, Sergeants J.W. Smith, Hickinbottom, and Hildyard, each the maximum.
Transcripts from Nottingham Evening Post and Derby Daily Telegraph
British Library Newspaper Archive