Nottinghamshire Rifle Association

Nottingham Evening Post, Saturday, 6 April 1907

MINIATURE RIFLE SHOOTING
PROPOSED COUNTY ASSOCIATION FOR NOTTS.

The Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, the Duke of Portland, has been approached by Lord Roberts, who since the South African war has devoted a great deal of his time and energy to fostering a desire among his countrymen to make themselves proficient marksmen, on the matter of lending his support to the formation of an association for Nottinghamshire of all the miniature rifle clubs in the county, and to encourage the formation of other clubs. Lord Roberts urged strongly that any association started in a county would suffer in prestige if it were not originally called into being at the instance of the Lord-Lieutenant.

The Duke of Portland has consented to be president of the county association, and has asked Lieut.-Colonel A. E. Whitaker, Sherwood Rangers Imperial Yeomanry, to undertake the organisation of such an association, and to endeavour to bring together the clubs which already exist. In Nottingham Captain D.J. Jardine is giving his active assistance to the movement. A meeting is to be held shortly in Nottingham for the purpose of discussing the project, and, if possible, forming an organising committee.

Nottingham Evening Post, Monday, 15 April 1907, p7.

ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST

At a representative meeting of members of miniature rifle clubs in Nottingham and the district, held on Saturday at the Mechanics' Institute, it was decided to form a new county association, which should govern all miniature rifle shooting.

The Duke of Portland is taking great interest in the movement, and has intimated that as Lord Lieutenant of the county he will be glad to be president of the association, and to help in any way he can.

Col. Whitaker, of Retford, who presided at the meeting, has done much to further the cause of miniature rifle shooting in the north of the county, where it is largely practiced.

At Retford, for instance, there are two ranges, open all day long, with a man in charge of each, and the shooting is engaged in by a very large percentage of the male population.

Nottingham Evening Post, Monday, 15 April 1907, p4.

Editorial Article

A COUNTY OF MARKSMEN.

The movement for the formation of a county miniature rifle association in Notts. is due to the initiative of Lord Roberts, and deserves hearty support. Such an organisation in every county under the auspices of the Lord-Lieutenant would be in a position to foster the ambition of young men to become marksmen, and the inter-county competitions between selected teams. would have something of the sporting interest of football, which draws its hundreds of thousands of spectators every Saturday. Colonel Whittaker has done admirable work in Retford in forwarding the general scheme of Lord Roberts, and if it is possible to make practically all the males of Retford shooting men it should not be impossible to obtain a good proportion of marksmen in every town in the county. The proposed county association has our warm approval, and we wish for it every success.

Nottingham Evening Post, Monday, 3 June 1907, p4

Editorial article.

RIFLE SHOOTING.

The progress which is just now being made in this district in the rifle shooting movement ought to delight the heart of Earl Roberts. We commented the other day on the gratifying enterprise shown in Derbyshire. On Saturday a further step forward was taken in Nottinghamshire, the county association proposed some time ago being duly formed. Arrangements were also made for very interesting competition on the Radcliffe range on Saturday week, and the spirit of hearty co-operation which was manifested holds promise for the future. Colonel Whitaker admirably explained the aims of the association, and with the Duke of Portland leading the way it should do a great deal to stimulate interest in rifle shooting among the young men of the county, and incidentally result in a larger number of them eventually joining the volunteer force.

Nottingham Evening Post, Monday, 3 June 1907, p7

THE MINIATURE RIFLE IN NOTTS.
NEW COUNTY ASSOCIATION.
THE ASTOR CUP COMPETITION.

Representatives of most of the miniature rifle clubs in Notts. spent a busy time on Saturday afternoon and evening at the Mechanics' Institution, Nottingham, attending a meeting of the Notts. League of Civilian Rifle Clubs and a subsequent gathering to discuss the suggested new county association, by means of which it is hoped to include all the clubs in one organisation. At the first meeting Mr. J. R. Starkey, M.P. (the president) occupied the chair, and those also present were: Messrs. C. J. Walker (Beeston), C. Potts (Carrington), S. C. Wilkins (Castle Brewery, Newark), W. Barron (Jardine's), T. Mills (Kirkby-in-Ashfield), F. E. Tyler (Lowdham), A. E. Mee (Mapperley) , A. E. Sutton (Notts. Civilian), H. Gibson (Radcliffe-on-Trent), E. A. Merryweather (Southwell), E. Josselyn (Stanley Works, Newark), C. G. Kirk (Burton Joyce), A. E. Crabtree (Retford), C. W. E. Brown (Mansfield), and J. T. Radford (hon. secretary.)

The main business was to make arrangements for the Astor Cup competition, which is to take place at the Radcliffe-on-Trent range on Saturday, the 15th inst. The hon. secretary reported that 15 clubs had entered, and ballot for time of shooting resulted as follows: 2.30 p.m., Carrington, Castle Brewery (Newark), Lowdham, Newark, Notts. Civilians, and Stanley Works (Newark). 4.30, Beeston, Jardine's, Southwell, and Mapperley. 5.30, Burton Joyce, Radcliffe, Mansfield, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, and Retford.

The President then moved his resolution to dissolve the league, but the following amendment was put and carried: That the question of altering the name and the rules of the league of Civilian Rifle Clubs be deferred until after the Astor Cup competition.

The subsequent gathering was convened at the instance of Colonel Whitaker, with the object, as already explained, of forming a new and comprehensive association covering the whole of the county, under the title of the Notts. County Association of Miniature Rifle Clubs, the desire being to incorporate the league of civilian rifle clubs, and thus secure the continuity of the latter.

Colonel Whitaker explained that there was no wish to be antagonistic to the existing organisation, but rather that the latter should extend its borders, and unite all the rifle clubs in the county and city in one association. He recommended the various clubs to make it one of their principal aims to encourage boys in learning to shoot, as they were the source to which rifle clubs must look for future members. In addition such a course would undoubtedly prove of material service in inducing the lads to eventually join the volunteer force.

Mr. J. R. Starkey, M.P., expressed himself as in entire agreement with what Colonel Whitaker had said, and added that he should be very pleased to help the new organisation by all the means his power.

The Association was duly formed, on the motion of Colonel Whitaker, seconded by Mr. J. R. Starkey, subject to confirmation by the Notts. League of Civilian Rifle Clubs, and while the consideration of the rules and the method of procedure was left over to a subsequent meeting, officers were elected as follows: President his Grace the Duke of Portland, who is keenly interested in the movement; vice-presidents, Colonel Whitaker and Mr. J. R. Starkey M.P., others to be added later; organising secretary, Captain D. J. Jardine; hon. secretary, Mr. J. T. Radford.