Nottingham Evening Post, Friday, 2 July, 1909

EDITORIAL ITEM

MINIATURE RIFLE SHOOTING.

The increasing popularity of miniature rifle shooting as a pastime is a matter of universal congratulation. Well would it be for the country if zeal to excel with the rifle inspired in our young men the same healthy local rivalry as cricket and football. Happily there are some signs of this being attained and locally we now have many flourishing clubs. A draw-back, however, is the cost of ammunition, for many of the members are but poor, and though willing to give their time they cannot, in justice to themselves and their families, afford to expend much money. An interesting letter from Lord Roberts to the secretary of the Arnold and Daybrook Club shows that this is fully recognised at headquarters. The next step is to provide the obvious remedy, and the desirability of skill with the rifle is so generally admitted that this is not likely to be long delayed. Some scheme for bringing the rifle clubs into line with the Territorial County Associations ought readily to be devised and carried out.

Nottingham Daily Express, Friday, 2 July, 1909
(Indexed as Nottingham Journal)

MINIATURE RIFLE SHOOTING

LORD ROBERTS AND THE GRANTING OF FREE AMMUNITION

Field-Marshall Lord Roberts, who is the president of the Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs, has written an interesting letter in reply to a communication from Mr. J. Farr, the secretary of the Daybrook and Arnold M.R.C. Mr. Farr in the course of his letter, wrote:-

We have fixed a low annual subscription for our members, particularly to encourage the working men to join, and the only difficulty, we anticipate, is making the club a greater success than it already is, is the cost of ammunition. Arnold and Daybrook are two large parishes adjoining, and I have reason to believe that we could shortly have 300 active members if the cost of "practice" ammunition could be reduced.

If State aid, which is now talked of, could be given in the supply of ammunition, and a qualification of this, that members were required to put in a specified number of drills, under an army instructor (which could be held on the ranges generally), I find that the majority of the members of a small club like my own would be only too pleased to avail themselves of the opportunity. The members are very anxious to shoot, but working men cannot afford two or three shillings weekly in ammunition.

I trust you will not take it that I am presuming to offer any suggestions, but this view meets our own particular case, and I am sure that could some similar arrangements be possible the number good shots who are now civilians. but who, after partaking of some limited course of military instruction, would be of some value in case of a national danger would be very largely augmented.

The reply of Lord Roberts was:–

I am very glad to hear that the Arnold and Daybrook Miniature Rifle Club has been started under such favourable conditions, and trust it may have a long and useful career.

The cost of ammunition is, I know, a difficulty in all clubs, but I trust that before long rifle clubs may have some definite position assigned to them in connection with the Territorial County Associations, and that some means may be adopted for lessening the cost on some such conditions as you suggest.

With all good wishes for the success of the club.

Nottingham Evening Post, Saturday, 3 July, 1909

ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST.

At last evening's meeting of the Nottingham Alliance Miniature Rifle League a proposal was made by St. Thomas's, that ladies should be allowed to fire in the Alliance teams, but it did not find a seconder. The committee expressed the opinion that, while they did not wish to discourage ladies from shooting, they did not think it desirable to have mixed teams.

Nottingham Evening Post, Tuesday, 20 July, 1909

ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST

Sneinton Miniature Rifle Club have decided upon the provision of additional attractions for members during inactivity at their indoor range in George-street.

This will take the shape of special accommodation for reading, smoking, and card playing for members who are not firing. The committee will meet on the premises also, and should thus secure a larger attendance of its members.

The Arnold and Daybrook Miniature Rifle Club have come in for a surprise present from the President, Lord Osborne Beauclerk, in the shape of a handsome silver cup for annual competition.

It is of solid silver, unchased, and, mounted on an ebony pedestal, is about a foot in height. The donor has left it to the committee to decide under what conditions it shall be competed for, but the winner will be entitled to hold it for one year.

The members of the club are making gradual improvement in their marksmanship, and have just had the satisfaction, after five or six weeks' shooting in the Second Division of the Nottingham League, of registering their first victory.

Nottingham Evening Post, Saturday, 24 July, 1909

ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST

The second annual miniature rifle meeting of the Notts. Association was held this afternoon on the ranges of the Carrington and Municipal Officers' Clubs. The weather was fine, although dull.

The "Bisley" was a much more successful function than its predecessor, for although there were fewer competitions, thus contributing to the compactness of the meeting, there were considerable more entries. The chief range officers were Lieut. D.J. Jardine and Mr. W.H. Davis, who were assisted by the following range committee: Messrs. A.E. Sutton, A.E. Emmerson, G.H. Owen, H. Gibson, and W.A. Barrow.

The competitions were five in number. The Nottingham Guardian Challenge Cup rapid firing disc competition was competed for by 22 teams, as against 14 last year, and the other team competition was on the Skerritt battle practice target, shot at disappearing figures.

The remainder of the events were one on the battle practice target, one on the skirmisher target, and the third on a single decimal target, all three were unlimited.

Nottingham Evening Post, Tuesday, 17 August, 1909

ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST.

The newly-formed Nottingham and District Rifle Club, which is designed to provide instruction and practice in the use of the rifle, and also to encourage recruiting for his Majesty's forces, including the Territorial forces, has the support of not only the Mayor of Nottingham, but most of the best shots in the neighbourhood.

Already 120 names have been given in. The first shoot will be held on Trent Range on Tuesday, the subsequent dates being September 7th, September 21st, and October 5th.

Another new miniature rifle club has been started in Nottingham, namely, among employees of the Great Central Railway, and it is already a sturdy organisation. The company has taken considerable interest in the movement, and is allowing the members the use at night of one the messrooms at the goods station, Queen's-walk.

The club have, therefore, a handy range of 18 yards distance, wide enough for half a dozen targets, and lighted electrically. They are using converted Martini rifles, and have already made a start, having shot a couple of friendly matches. The membership is at present between 40 and 50.

Sir Edward Fraser, who is a director of the company, has consented to be president, and the chief local officials of the company have been asked to act as vice-presidents.

Nottingham Evening Post, Tuesday, 24 August, 1909

ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST.

The first shoot of the Nottingham and District Rifle Club is being held at Trent to-day. Miniature riflemen are reminded that this club marks a further stage in the connection between miniature shooting and the territorial army.

Miniature shooting is mainly a preliminary to long range work, facilities for which this new club is designed to afford, and it is hoped that, as enrolment in a branch of his Majesty's forces is the natural sequence, recruiting will be stimulated thereby.

It is fitting that the Duke of Portland's Cup held on the first occasion by a representative of North Notts., and the oldest club in the county, should have passed into the hands of the senior club in the south of the county.

Jardine's may justly put forward a claim to the title of champion club of the city, for not only is the Duke of Portland's Cup now theirs, but they won the Notts. Astor Cup this season, and are at present well at the head of the Nottingham League, while their second team tops the Nottingham Alliance.

Formed in 1904, they are the pioneers of the present movement (the only prior organisation being the Arboretum Club now defunct), and under the fostering care of Lieutenant D.J. Jardine have had an active career. They won the Newark and District Miniature Rifle League Cup in 1906 and 1907, and have been the runners-up in the Nottingham League.

One of the most interesting miniature rifle matches of the season has been fired by Boots, a postal contest with the Christchurch Club, New Zealand. Miniature rifle clubs are forming at a rare speed in that distant possession of ours, and all are affiliated to the British N.R.A. or the S.M.R.C. A few postal matches have been shot with them by English teams, but this is the first in which a Nottingham Club has taken part. The conditions were: Teams of 10 men, all to count, distance 17 [?] yards, 10 shots on 25 yards "Roberts" targets. Boots' score was 971.

Nottingham Evening Post, Tuesday, 14 September, 1909

MINIATURE RIFLE SHOOTING.

BOOTS DONEGALL BADGE COMPETITION.

Boots Athletic arranged a stiff test for their Donegall Badge Competition, which was shot for from scratch. It was fired in three stages. The first two were 10 shots deliberate on decimal targets at 25yds. and 50yds., the scores being:–

	25	50			25	50
	yds	yds	Tl.		yds	yds	Tl.
H. Pearce	98	91	189	G. Tomlinson	88	90	178
H.G. Hooke	97	91	188	A. Thompson	95	81	176
P. Farrands	95	90	185	N.L. Whittaker	94	81	175
F. Freer, sen	93	91	184	H. Taylor	90	83	173
A. Rowe	95	86	183	O. Fischer	85	83	168
J. Hunt	96	86	182	E.S. Waring	89	77	166
H.B. Holthouse	91	90	181	R. Roberts	90	75	165
J. Boyce	94	85	179

The leaders then took part in a third stage. for which the conditions were 10 shots at 25 yards, first deliberate and then rapid. H. Pearce deserved the badge, for he was unbeaten at each stage. Details:–

	1st & 2nd	3rd stage
	stages	delib.	rapid.	Ttl.
H. Pearce	189	97	93	379
H.G. Hooke	188	96	92	376
A. Rowe	183	97	92	372
F. Freer, sen	184	97	90	371
J. Hunt	182	87	91	360
P. Farrands	185	87	81	353

A.C. PEARSE AND CO. v. ST. THOMAS'S

A friendly match was fired yesterday between A.C. Pearse and Co. and St. Thomas's. Scores:–

A.C. Pearse and Co.		St. Thomas's
F. Lister	96	H.E. Hart	96
H. Peters	94	A. Mitchell	94
C.E. Spratt	93	E.C. Rix	94
J. Ashby	90	J.W. Smith	94
A.E. Boardman	89	W.H. Dean	93
G. Stoby	85	A. Lowther	93
C.J. Scofield	83	G.H. Rooston	93
F.R. Groves	82	E. Rooston	92
A. Gibson	77	J.R. Harris	80
		D. Sampson	72
	788		900
Counted out	77	Counted out	152
Total	711	Total	748