Nottinghamshire Rifle Association

Nottingham Evening Post, Thursday, 16 April 1908.

NOTTS. RIFLE ASSOCIATION.
FORTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL MEETING.

The 48th annual meeting of the Nottinghamshire Rifle Association was held last evening, in the Nottingham Mechanics' Institute, Captain E.H. Spalding presiding. Others present were Captain P.M. Payne (hon secretary), Quartermaster-Sergeant W. Comery, Armourer-Sergeant F. Dominic, Sergeant A.E. Sutton, Sergeant W. Hall, Sergeant J.W. Hillyard, Sergeant C.O. Hickinbottom, Colour-Sergeant F. Goodliffe, and Mr. J.T. Radford (secretary of the Notts. Civilian Rifle Clubs).

The Chairman said he was glad to note that the financial position of the association was entirely satisfactory. The subscriptions were £60, against £65 in the previous year, the slight decrease being no doubt due to the fact that the meeting last year was postponed at very short notice. The bank balance was £12 17s. 3d., against £13 8s. 9d.

The council was re-elected en bloc, with the substitution of Captain Spalding for Sergeant B.T. Fletcher, who has gone to Canada.

At the council meeting which followed, Captain Spalding resigned his position as hon treasurer, and Captain Hanson was appointed in his place. Captain Payne was re-elected hon. Secretary, and Sergeant S.H. Page and Mr. W Ashby hon. Auditors.

Saturday, June 20th, was fixed as the date for the annual prize meeting.

Nottingham Daily Express, Monday, 22 June 1908

NOTTS. RIFLE ASSOCIATION
48TH ANNUAL PRIZE MEETING AT TRENT

Under the auspices of the Notts. Rifle Association, the forty-eighth annual prize meeting was held on Saturday at the Trent Range. The weather was ideal, though a pleasant breeze blew across the range from a northerly direction, often becoming "tricky", to use the rifleman's expression. There were three rifle events, which were shot off simultaneously, the score in the competition for the silver medal of the Notts. Rifle Association at ranges of 200 yards, 500 yards, and 600 yards being counted in the other two contests, the Bronze Medal of the National Rifle Association and the recruits' prizes. The number of entrants in the main event for the silver medal was some half-dozen more than those of last year, and 55 cards were returned. The competition resulted in a tie for first place between Captain P.M. Payne and Private W.A. Harrison, which will be decided at a future date. Each compiled 97 points out of a possible 105, Captain Payne scoring six "bull's-eyes" and a four at 600 yards with seven shots, and Private Harrison 34 out of a possible 35 at 200 yards. There were 14 contestants for the N.R.A. Bronze Medal (denoted in the score list by asterisks), of whom Private W.A. Harrison proved to be the winner with 97 - a dual success. In the recruits' prizes there were only three competitors, Private F.G. Hickling finishing highest with 90; and in the revolver shooting contest at 50 yards, which claimed a much improved entry, the following were the prize winners, out of a possible 35 points:- First, Lieutenant G.H,. Stubbington, 24; second, Mr. C.C. Elborne, 19; third, Captain P.M. Payne, 17; and fourth, Sergeant A.E. Sutton, 17. Major A.C. Chauncy (20th Battalion County of London Regiment) acted as range officer, and Captain P.M. Payne was in charge of the general arrangements.

The following are the scores and results:–

	200 yards	500 yards	600 yards	Total
Capt P.M. Payne	32	31	34	97
*Private W.A. Harrison	34	33	30	97
*Lieut. G.H. Stubbington	31	33	32	96
Mr. W. Ashby	32	34	30	96
Sergeant W.S. Lewitt	30	33	32	96
*Private G. Allen	32	32	30	94
Private A. Thompson	32	34	28	94
Qtrmstr-Sergt. H. Tomkins	31	31	31	93
Mr. F. Goodliffe	31	31	31	93
*Sergeant J.W. Hillyard	32	31	30	93
*Sergeant P. Robinson	34	29	30	93
Lance-Sergt. W. Crossland	32	31	29	92
Private J. Lane	32	32	28	92
Sergeant J. Smart	33	31	28	92
Corporal F. Mackenzie	33	28	30	91
*Sergant J.W. Hall	31	31	29	91
*Captain H. Hanson	30	33	28	91
*Sergt. A.E. Sutton (ret.)	30	27	33	90
*Captain Hardstaff	32	30	28	90
Private F.G. Hickling	30	33	27	90
Qtrmtr-Sergt. S.W. Comery	32	31	27	90
Staff-Sergt. J.T. Roper	32	32	26	90
Mr. W.E. Clifton	27	32	30	89
*Private W. Bailey	33	27	29	89
Private H. St. Leo Smith	32	28	28	88
Sergt. J.W. Smith (ret.)	29	33	26	88
Mr. C.C. Elborne	31	28	28	87
Private T. Wood	31	30	26	87
*Private T. Caunt	30	32	25	87
Lance-Corporal Whitworth	32	26	28	86
Private J. Swindall	27	28	30	85
Lieutenant D.J. Jardine	30	21	26	85
Colour-Sergeant Wilkinson	27	25	32	84
Lne-Corpl. J.H. Scothern	27	28	29	84
Colour-Sergt. Dominic	28	31	25	84
Clr-Sergt. W.A. Barrow	31	28	25	84
*Sergt. J.G. Brex (ret.)	27	31	25	83
*Colour-Sergt. D. McCaig	30	30	23	83
Private J. Astle	30	25	27	82
Clr-Sergt-Inst. M Watts	27	29	26	82
Trooper F. Comery	30	29	22	81
Mr. A.E. Mee	33	30	21	81
Sergeant G.F. Thompson	28	28	24	80
Mr. H.G. Laker	28	30	22	78
Sergeant A. Mann	29	27	22	78
Mr. J.T. Radford	24	27	25	76
Sergeant J. Seymour	27	27	21	75
Private H. Wood	26	25	21	72
Corporal G.C. Dunstan	29	23	17	69
*Mr. F. Roscher	28	26	14	68
Lance-Corporal F. Bottoms	29	33	2	64
Lne-Corpl. W.H. Barnes	29	26	7	62
Trooper W. Willies	23	18	14	55

* Denotes N.R.A. Bronze Medal competitor.

The following are the final figures of Captain Payne and Private Harrison respectively:–

	Str
200 yards	3	5 4 5 5 4 4 5 = 32
500 yards	5	3 5 3 5 5 5 5 = 31
600 yards	4	5 5 5 4 5 5 5 = 34
Total		97
200 yards	3	5 5 5 5 5 4 5 = 34
500 yards	5	5 5 5 5 3 5 5 = 33
600 yards	5	3 5 5 3 5 4 5 = 30
Total		97

Nottingham Evening Post, Saturday, 4 July 1908

NOTTS RIFLE ASSOCIATION
SILVER MEDAL TIE.

The tie between Captain P.M. Payne, of the Robin Hoods, and Private W.A. Harrison, of the Army Service Corps company, for the Notts. Rifle Association Silver Medal was decided, the former winning by three points. The scores were as follows:–

	200	500	600	Tl.
Captain P.M. Payne	33	29	31	93
Private W.A. Harrison	31	31	28	90

This is the third occasion on which Captain Payne has won the medal since it was instituted in 1894, namely, 1904, 1907, and 1908. Sergeant J.W. Smith, who recently retired from the Robin Hoods, has also won the medal three times, viz., in 1899, 1900, and 1902.

Nottingham Evening Post, Monday,23 November 1908.

ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST

The Notts. Rifle Association have decided to be represented at a conference called by the National Rifle Association with reference to the changes brought about by the Territorial Forces Act, affecting the constitution of the old established county rifle associations.

The Notts. body considers that there ought to be a central organisation in each county to combine all the rifle clubs and associations of the county.