The Eighth Annual Prize Meeting 1868

The 1868 Nottinghamshire Rifle Association Prize Meeting was held on Tuesday, June 16th, and continued on the Wednesday, 17th. Reports appeared in the Nottinghamshire Guardian covering both days of the Meeting and in two editions of the Nottingham and Midland Counties Daily Express (on 17th and 20th) covering only the first day. The Guardian report is presented here.

The Meeting attracted 72 competitors; but the newspaper noted that, whereas the Robin Hood Rifles were well represented, other companies of volunteers in the county were not, and worried that the Notts. R.A. competition was losing support. The weather on both days of shooting was very good with little wind.

Shooting was at the Town Butts which were situated between the allotments known as the Hungerhill Gardens to the west and Coppice New Road (now called Ransome Road) to the east. The range ran northwards parallel to the road and had probably five lanes at the most.

The first day's shooting was at 200, 500 and 600 yards, 5 shots at each range, 200 yards was fired from the standing position only; but kneeling was permitted as an alternative at 500 and 600 yards. Prizes were awarded for each range and for the aggregate of the scores. Entrance cost 2s. 6d. per range. £25 was distributed in 11 prizes for each range and £15 for the 6 highest scores in the aggregate for which there appears not to have been an entrance fee. These comprised competitions A, B, C and D.

The report of the second day is a little unclear as to what was actually shot. Competition E was for the Association medal open to all who had paid their subscriptions to the Association and is stated as being at 200 and 500 yards only. However later on in the report it is said to have been shot at three ranges (200, 500 & 600 yards). The scores listed are for the National Rifle Association bronze medal and an entry to the Wimbledon Meeting. This could have been competition F. There is a further competition G mentioned shot at only 500 and 600 yards; but no details of scores are listed except for the prize winners.

Nottinghamshire Guardian, Friday, June 19th, 1868

NOTTS. RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

The eighth annual prize meeting of the Nottinghamshire Rifle Association was commenced on Tuesday at the Nottingham Butts, when the weather being fine, and the wind calm, there was some good shooting. The muster of competitors from the different corps in the county was not so large as last year. The Robin Hoods were well and efficiently represented. Colonel Wright of the R.H.R. was present, but there were no officers from the county in attendance. We trust, however, that the interest which has hitherto been felt in the Association by the county Riflemen is not at all on the wane, and that next year may see more of them present, as many as any previous year has yet done. The prizes competed for on Tuesday are as follows:-
A. £25 for Enfields. Entrance, 2s. 6d. Range, 200 yards, 5 shots. Standing: First prize, £5; second, £4 ; third, £3; fourth, £3 ; fifth, £2; sixth, £2, seventh, £2; eighth, £1; ninth, £1; tenth, £1; eleventh, £1.
B. £25 for Enfields. Entrance, 2s. 6d. Range, 500 yards, 5 shots. Kneeling or standing : First prize, £5; second, £4; third, £3; fourth, £3 ; fifth, £2; sixth, £2; seventh, £2 ; eighth, £1; nineth, £1; tenth. £1; eleventh, £1.
C. £25 for Enfields. Entrance, 2s. 6d. Range, 600 yard, 5 shots. Kneeling or standing: First prize, £5; second. £4; third, £3; fourth, £3; fifth, £2; sixth, £2; seventh, £2; eighth, £1; ninth, £1; tenth, £1; eleventh £1.
D. £15 for the six highest aggregate scores in A, B and C. : First prize, £4 ; second, £3 ; third, £3; fourth, £2; fifth, £2 ; sixth, £1; and for yesterday and Wednesday,
E. £20. Association. For Enfields. No entrance. Ranges 200 and 500 yards, 5 shots each. At 200 yards standing. At 500 yards kneeling or standing. First prize,£5; second, £4; third, £3; fourth £2 ; fifth, £2;sixth, £1; seventh, £1; eighth, £1; ninth, £1. Open to members who have paid their subscriptions for the present year.
The following is a return of the shooting, together with the list of the winners:-

There followed a list of all 72 competitors and their detailed shot-by-shot scores at 200 yds., 500 yds., 600 yds. and their Grand Total. Next were listed the winners of the prizes as follows:-

WINNERS - A - 200 YARDS

Cumberland. Col-Sergt, 10th R H R	17
Shepperley, Pvt., 1st R H R	16
Brown, Sergt, 7th R H R	16
Carder, Corpl, 9th R H R	16
Duckett, Corpl, 4th R H R	16
Hadden, Capt, 6th R H R	16
Jackson, Sergt, 6th R H R	16
Shepperd, Sergt, 3rd Notts	16
Webster GD, Pvt, 5th R H R	16
Guyler, Sergt, 4th Notts	15
Bloom T, Col-Sergt, 8th R H R	15

B - 500 YARDS

Hadden. Capt. 5th R H R	19
Pratt, Capt. 9th R H R	18
Cumberland, Col-Sergt, 10th R H R	17
Bertie, Corporal, 8th R H R	17
Kerry. Corpl, 8th R H R	16
Toplis, Sergt. 8th R H R	16
Webster, Pvt 5th R H R	16
Lambert, Pvt. 5th R H R	15
Mallett T, Pvt. 9th R H R	15
Cuckson, Sergt, 9th R H R	15
Widnall, Pvt, 6th Notts	15

C. - 600 YARDS.

Milnes Private, 1st R H R	18
Dracott, Corporal, 1st R H R	15
Lambert T, Private, 1st R H R	15
Sheppard, Sergeant, 3rd Notts	15
Hadden, Captain, 5th R H R	14
Wright, Surgeon, 5th R H R	14
Bealby, Private, 6th Notts	14
Davies, Private. R H R	14
Webster, Private, R H R	13
Coupe, Private, R H R	12
Widnall, Private, 6th Notts.	11

D.

Hadden, Captain, R H R	49
Milnes, Private, R H R	47
Shepperd, Sergeant, 3rd Notts.	45
Webster, Private, R H R	45
Lambert T, Private, R H R	44
Dracott, Private, R H R	44

The shooting was continued on Wednesday at the Town Butts. The weather was again beautifully fine. In three rounds at 200, 500, and 600 yards Captain F. J. Hadden scored 43 points. and became the winner of the bronze medal and £5, offered for competition by the National Rifle Association. The victory entitles the captain to go to the Wimbledon meeting: should he be prevented, the stipulations confer the privilege on the next highest scorer. The following is a return of yesterday's shooting, with the names of the competitors:-

	200	T.	500	T.	600	T.	GT
Hadden, Capt JT, RHR	22322	11	33444	18	43430	14	43
Lambert, Pvt T,5th RHR	33333	15	22333	13	02423	11	39
Milnes, Pvt JT, 1st RHR	23423	11	44040	12	3r333	12	38
Webster, Pvt GD, 9th RHR	33324	15	23333	14	02403	9	35
Bloom, Co-Ser T, 8th RHR	43432	16	42403	13	00242	8	37
Toplis, Sergt J, 8th RHR	22223	11	34333	16	03033	9	36
Carder, Pvt G, 9th RHR	33334	16	30233	11	30330	9	36
Mallet, Pvt R, 6th RHR	23423	14	24333	15	20320	7	36
Coupe, Pvt R, 9th RHR	32224	13	33230	11	32033	11	35
Guyler, Sergt, 4th Notts	33232	13	03224	11	32032	10	34
Pratt, Capt N, 9th RHR	42323	14	r4332	12	33020	13	33
Shepperley, Pvt J, 1st RHR	43322	14	00024	6	00032	5	32
Cumberland, C-S J, 10th RHR	33333	15	32242	13	00202	4	32
Cuckson, Sergt EA, 9th RHR	24243	15	32242	13	00202	4	32
Dracott, Corp E, 2nd RHR	42322	13	23400	9	02223	9	31
Davis, Pvt H, 3rd RHR	32333	14	22430	11	02004	6	31
Duckitt, Corpl H, 4th RHR	23224	13	23200	7	20400	6	26
Wright, Sergt T, RHR	22322	11	04332	12	00200	2	25
Bertie, Corpl J,8th RHR	32323	13	40032	9	00200	2	24
Sheppard, Sergt, 3rd Notts	23323	13	02200	4	00030	3	20

WINNER

Hadden , Capt JT, RHR

The first prize (£5) in section E, distance 200, 500, and 600 yards, 5 shots each, was won by Colour-Sergt. Cumberland, No. 10 Company, making 32 points; the second, £4, by Private Coles, No. 1 Company, 30; and the third, £3, by Sergeant Toplis, No. 8, 30. The fourth was won by Private T. Lambert, the fifth by Lieutenant Hunt, the sixth by Captain Evans, the seventh by Corp. Dracott, the eighth by Captain Lambert (No 5), and the ninth by Captain Hadden.

The first prize, in section G, distance 500 and 600 yards, five shots each, was won by Sergeant Aves, 4th Notts.. making 30 points; the second by Corp. Carder, No. 9 Company, 28; the third by Private T. Lambert, No. 5, 28; the fourth by Captain Lambert, 26. The other prizes were won by Private T. N. Coles, Private Shepperley, Corp. Dracott, Corp. Bryan, and Corporal Duckett.

Transcript from the Nottinghamshire Guardian 19 June 1868
British Library Newspaper Archive