The theory and practice of archery

by Horace A. Ford; W. Butt

SCOTCH PUBLIC MEETINGS

The Eleventh Annual Scottish Archery Meeting was held on the Cricket-ground (Lavilands), near Stirling, on August 4 and 5, 1865.

Ladies	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Miss Betham	88	424	46	290	134	714
Mrs. Horniblow	82	432	43	253	125	685

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. P. Muir	85	315	61	239	44	266	190	820
Mr. J. Murdoch	54	194	58	238	39	193	151	625
Mr. P. Murdoch	59	243	49	163	40	208	148	614
Mr. J. Allan	52	162	42	206	40	226	134	594

Thirteen ladies and thirty-six gentlemen shot.

*****

The Twelfth Annual Scottish National Archery Meeting was held on the County Cricket-ground in Raeburn Place, Stockbridge, Edinburgh, on August 17 and 18, 1866.

——	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mrs. Horniblow	82	368	45	241	127	609

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. P. Muir	67	279	63	261	42	212	172	752
Captain Betham	47	195	56	232	42	196	145	623

Nine ladies and thirty-eight gentlemen shot.

It was only on these two occasions that the Double Rounds were shot at these meetings.

IRISH PUBLIC MEETINGS

The Second Irish Grand National Archery Meeting was held at Bray, not far from Dublin, on August 12 and 13.

Twenty-three ladies and twenty-eight gentlemen shot.

Ladies	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mrs. Horniblow	86	428	47	263	133	691
Miss Betham	78	362	47	245	125	607
Miss Warde	69	301	42	218	111	519

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. G. Edwards	68	266	77	357	48	298	193	921
Mr. R. W. Atkinson	69	303	66	298	42	228	177	829
Mr. T. L. Coulson	60	230	52	248	39	195	151	673
Mr. H. Walters	63	223	57	235	36	180	156	638
Mr. Macnamara	46	160	62	254	42	224	150	638
Mr. E. Popham	54	198	63	287	34	134	151	619
Captain Betham	48	178	61	263	42	170	151	611

Mr. G. Edwards scored 404 in the handicap match on August 14.

*****

The Third Irish Grand National Archery Meeting was held in the Rotunda Gardens, Dublin, on July 27 and 28, 1864.

Ladies	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Miss Betham	85	437	42	218	127	655
Miss H. Tarleton	72	320	32	134	104	454

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. G. Edwards	70	276	73	308	48	248	191	827
Captain Betham	64	234	66	276	43	215	173	725
Mr. Betham	58	210	60	246	44	226	162	682
Mr. R. W. Atkinson	51	179	68	282	42	202	161	663
Mr. Maconchy	63	215	55	207	40	214	158	636
Mr. H. Elliott	48	150	59	269	44	200	151	619

Twenty-two ladies and twenty-one gentlemen shot.

*****

The Fourth Irish Grand National Archery Meeting was held in the New Winter Gardens, Dublin, on May 31 and June 1, 1865.

Ladies	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Miss Betham	85	375	46	264	131	639
Mrs. Ormsby	65	257	41	175	106	432

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. G. Edwards	50	192	77	387	45	231	172	810
Mr. Betham	74	306	62	248	42	204	178	758
Captain Betham	59	227	61	277	39	157	159	661
Captain Whitla	59	223	57	237	28	130	144	590

Thirteen ladies and seventeen gentlemen shot.

*****

The Second Grand Leinster Archery Meeting was held in the grounds of the Exhibition Palace, Dublin, on September 19 and 20, 1865.

Ladies	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Miss Macpherson	75	343	42	220	117	563
Miss Hendley	67	305	41	187	108	492
Miss Betham	66	290	36	200	102	490

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Captain Whitla	41	149	64	310	40	230	145	689
Mr. Betham	49	197	56	234	39	171	144	602

Twenty-six ladies and sixteen gentlemen shot.

*****

The Fifth Irish Grand National Archery Meeting was held in the New Winter Gardens in Dublin on August 1, 2, and 3, 1866. Eighteen ladies and seventeen gentlemen shot.

Ladies	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mrs. Horniblow	86	386	46	268	132	654
Miss Betham	80	378	40	244	120	622
Miss A. Betham	61	291	44	238	105	529

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. Betham	63	241	68	272	45	287	176	800
Mr. G. Edwards	36	134	70	348	45	231	151	713
Mr. R. W. Atkinson	54	210	57	259	41	213	152	682
Captain Whitla	58	226	60	260	40	192	158	678
Captain Betham	36	130	60	240	46	238	142	608

*****

The First Ulster Grand Archery Meeting was held at Ulsterville, Belfast, on August 8, 9, and 10, 1866.

Ladies	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Miss Betham	88	418	46	274	134	692
Mrs. Horniblow	79	349	40	202	119	551
Miss Ada Betham	70	320	41	209	111	529

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. Betham	72	274	65	257	40	196	177	727
Captain Betham	50	172	53	255	41	173	144	600

Eighteen ladies and nine gentlemen shot.

*****

The Third Grand Leinster Archery Meeting was held in the grounds of the Exhibition Palace at Dublin on September 4 and 5, 1866.

Ladies	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Miss Betham	87	467		287	134	754
Miss L. Quin	74	336	39	191	113	527

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. Betham	59	209	71	287	41	205	171	701
Captain Betham	59	201	71	305	41	195	171	701
Mr. R. W. Atkinson	54	214	67	305	41	181	162	700
Mr. W. Butt	52	192	50	236	38	172	140	600

Twenty-three ladies and twenty-three gentlemen shot.

*****

The Second Ulster Grand Archery Meeting was held in the grounds of the Armagh Archers, at Armagh, on August 7 and 8, 1867.

Ladies	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Miss Betham	84	400	48	294	132	694
Miss H. Hutchinson	81	367	44	226	125	593
Miss A. Betham	73	329	43	237	116	566
Miss Davison	72	296	42	220	114	516

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. Betham	63	281	73	291	43	233	179	805
Mr. R. W. Atkinson	55	191	56	234	43	231	154	656
Mr. Russell	58	216	58	244	36	162	152	622

Twenty ladies and seventeen gentlemen shot.

*****

The Grand Munster Archery Meeting was held at Limerick, on September 21 and 22, 1867.

Ladies	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Miss Betham	84	424	48	234	132	658
Miss A. Betham	82	380	46	246	128	626
Miss Warde	64	312	41	225	105	537
Mrs. Ormsby	68	294	44	214	112	508

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. Betham	63	267	58	246	41	227	162	740
Mr. A. E. Knox	60	212	58	270	38	186	156	668
Mr. R. W. Atkinson	58	204	52	220	37	169	147	593

Twenty-eight ladies and eighteen gentlemen shot.

*****

The Fourth Grand Annual Meeting of the Leinster Archers was held in the grounds of the Exhibition Palace, Dublin, on August 26 and 27, 1867.

Ladies	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Miss Betham	84	416	46	278	130	694
Miss A. Betham	84	390	47	231	131	621
Miss H. Hutchinson	75	329	42	224	117	553
Miss Mayne	73	313	46	226	119	539

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. Betham	70	282	80	358	45	231	195	871
Mr. A. Knox	63	277	66	252	38	196	167	725
Mr. Russell	53	205	59	299	40	186	152	690
Mr. R. W. Atkinson	59	217	44	176	45	225	148	618

Twenty-three ladies and seventeen gentlemen shot.

*****

The Sixth Irish Grand National Archery Meeting was held in the grounds of the Exhibition Palace in Dublin, on September 14 and 15, 1867.

Ladies	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Miss Betham	88	440	47	303	135	743
Miss Ormsby	83	425	44	232	127	657
Miss L. Quin	76	384	47	259	123	643
Miss A. Betham	76	328	46	258	122	586

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. Betham	61	269	70	268	44	230	175	767
Mr. Russell	65	247	59	251	38	192	162	690
Mr. N. A. Knox	63	253	58	244	34	154	155	651

Fourteen ladies and fourteen gentlemen shot.

*****

The Second Grand Munster Archery Meeting was held in the grounds of Cortigan (Sir Denham Norreys, Bart.), near Mallow, on September 2 and 3, 1868.

Ladies	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Miss Betham	87	473	48	292	135	765
Miss L. Quin	72	326	43	217	115	543
Miss Ormsby	72	334	40	198	112	532
Mrs. Vansittart	74	326	35	181	109	507

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. Betham	52	182	65	269	41	219	158	670

Nineteen ladies and twelve gentlemen shot.

*****

The Third Grand Munster Archery Meeting was held in Sir D. Norreys's grounds at Cortigan, near Mallow, on September 8 and 9, 1869.

Ladies	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Miss Peel	85	373	45	199	130	572
Mrs. V. Forbes	70	308	46	236	116	544
Miss L. Quin	83	359	42	176	125	535
Miss Ormsby	73	313	44	220	117	533

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. Betham	66	232	67	305	41	189	174	726

Twenty-four ladies and fourteen gentlemen shot.

*****

A Grand Leinster Meeting was held in the grounds of the Exhibition Palace, Dublin, on October 6 and 7, 1869.

Ladies	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Miss H. Hutchinson	84	412	46	254	130	666
Mrs. V. Forbes	88	408	46	252	134	660
Miss Mayne	73	323	41	239	114	562
Mrs. C. W. Betham	73	333	40	212	113	545
Miss Peel	80	374	38	164	118	538

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. Betham	65	285	57	223	42	208	164	716
Mr. McNamara	47	183	45	199	43	183	135	565

---

AMERICAN NATIONAL ARCHERY MEETINGS

The First American National Archery Meeting was held at Chicago on August 12, 13, and 14, 1879. On this occasion the ladies shot forty-eight arrows at each of the distances of 30, 40, and 50 yards. The gentlemen shot forty-eight arrows at 60 yards, and ninety-six arrows at 80 yards, on the first day, and seventy-two arrows at 100 yards on each of the other days; thus making up the quantities of a York Round, though in unusual order. The best results were as follows:—

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. W. H. Thompson	39	155	43	155	68	236	150	546
Mr. T. McMechan	35	175	47	177	34	126	116	478
Mr. E. P. Hall	37	157	50	178	28	104	115	439
Mr. C. Leach	34	152	38	138	39	149	111	439

*****

The Second Annual American National Archery Meeting was held at Buffalo, near New York, on July 11 and 12 (13 and 14?), 1880, when the Round shot by the ladies was forty-eight arrows at each of the distances of 50, 40, and 30 yards; but the gentlemen shot a single York Round on each day. The result of each day's shooting only is given, as the details of the different distances cannot be discovered.

Gentlemen	1st Day		2nd Day		Double York Round
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. L. L. Peddinghaus	74	346	78	360	152	706
Mr. W. H. Thompson	82	370	78	332	160	702
Mr. W. Burnham	81	331	78	342	159	673
Mr. F. H. Walworth	68	274	76	316	144	590

*****

The Fourth Annual American National Archery Meeting was held at Chicago on July 11, 12, and 14, 1882, the National and York double Rounds being shot.[21]

Ladies	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mrs. A. H. Gibbes	63	251	38	198	101	449
Mrs. F. Morrison	—	—	—	—	94	374

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. D. A. Nash	58	210	65	257	44	246	167	713
Mr. H. S. Taylor	55	151	67	275	46	252	168	678
Mr. R. Williams	49	179	55	235	44	236	148	650
Mr. W. A. Clark	45	197	62	244	41	195	148	636
Mr. W. H. Thompson	46	178	54	234	44	198	144	610
Mr. F. E. Perry	42	148	56	226	39	179	137	553

*****

The Fifth Annual American National Archery Meeting was held at Cincinnati on July 10, 11, and 12, 1883.

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. P. Williams	76	300	79	371	44	236	199	907
Mr. H. S. Taylor	53	191	51	223	45	235	149	649
Mr. W. A. Clark	56	192	63	257	39	171	158	620
Mr. D. A. Nash	35	135	57	243	45	209	137	587

Ladies	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mrs. C. Howell	85	413	47	277	132	690
Mrs. S. A. Whitfield	88	436	39	185	127	621
Mrs. T. F. George	71	299	45	237	116	536
Mrs. H. M. Pollock	76	328	42	198	118	526
Mrs. Arthur	72	296	43	213	115	509

*****

The Sixth Annual American National Archery Meeting was held at Pullman in 1884 on July 8, 9, and 10.

——	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mrs. H. Hall	46	204	42	212	88	416

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mr. W. H. Thompson	63	237	68	314	43	209	174	760
Mr. R. Williams, jun.	67	251	65	267	43	227	175	745
Mr. C. C. Beach	46	176	65	297	44	250	155	723
Mr. H. S. Taylor	44	160	50	198	39	181	133	539

*****

The Seventh Annual American National Archery Meeting was held at Eaton, Ohio, on July 7, 8, and 9, 1885.

Ladies	60 Yards		50 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Mrs. M. C. Howell	75	353	46	252	121	605
Miss J. Pollock	78	300	44	216	122	516
Mrs. J. Arthur	65	271	42	210	107	481

Gentlemen	100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards		Totals
	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score
Colonel R. Williams	91	357	78	360	46	278	215	995
Mr. C. C. Beach	46	172	75	347	44	214	165	733
Mr. J. W. B. Siders	39	173	57	275	41	199	137	647
Mr. W. H. Thompson	52	198	53	233	38	176	143	607
Mr. W. A. Clark	51	197	50	200	41	197	142	594

---

CHAPTER XIV.
CLUB SHOOTING AND PRIVATE PRACTICE

In the following scores an attempt is made to give authentic specimens of the best shooting of as many as possible of the best archers of the past and present time. Mr. Ford himself mentioned how sadly disheartened and crestfallen he felt on his return from his first Grand National Meeting at Derby, where he had scored 341 with 101 hits in the double York Round, which was far below the score he had anticipated, and warned his readers that shooting at a public meeting was very different from private practice or small match shooting. There are but very few archers who have not met with the same disappointment, as will be easily seen when the public and private records here given are compared. Young archers should be strongly recommended to make their public débuts as early as possible—as well to work off the novelty and excitement of the scene as to compare the methods and results of other archers—before they have established great local reputations, which may run the greater risk of being fatally exploded from the very over-anxiety which is employed to keep or increase those reputations in public.

The erroneous practice of shooting trial arrows before the commencement of the regular round has been mostly given up of late years, being altogether discountenanced by the rules of the private practice club, and disallowed at all the public meetings.

In fact, it was a most dangerous practice at the public meetings, where, in former years, before the match shooting commenced, or when it was finished, those who had to cross the ground ran no little risk of being shot by some of the industrious archers, who, not satisfied with the round allotted to the day, were threshing out themselves and their bows, not with shooting at the targets, but mostly at a piece of white paper placed about so far from themselves as an arrow would fall when supposed to have passed through the gold at the particular distance at which these zealots were ever engaged in the apparently hopeless search of the 'range' or a 'point of aim.'

The earliest grand score on the testified York Round in the books of the Royal Toxophilite Society belonged to Mr. H. C. Mules, and was shot on August 24, 1856.

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
50	240	42	232	23	131	=	115	603

He also has scores of 116 hts. 500 sc. and 106 hts. 508 sc. in the books made in 1858. This was surpassed by Mr. H. A. Ford on November 3, 1858, in the Toxophilite grounds:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
47	227	46	258	24	138	=	117	623

and the score of Mr. G. E. S. Fryer, made in the same grounds on August 2, 1872, of

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
59	289	44	218	24	132	=	127	639

went further, and still remains unsurpassed.

This last-mentioned score took, and still holds, the Wilkinson practice medal, which was given to the Royal Toxophilite Society in 1866, and was first taken by Mr. T. Boulton with

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
43	175	40	186	24	148	=	107	509

who afterwards improved his holding of it by making

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
48	206	46	208	23	133	=	117	547

On July 6, 1867, Mr. W. Spottiswoode scored

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
50	244	41	201	23	129	=	114	574

and took and held it until it was transferred to Mr. Fryer in 1872.

The full details of Mr. H. A. Ford's best private-practice score of 809 with 137 hits have been already given.

He also records a score in which the only arrow missed was the 59th, shot at 100 yards, the particular of the score being

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
71	335	48	272	24	158	=	143	765

When shooting with the Royal Toxophilite Society on June 23, 1854, the round being 96 arrows at 100 yards, 72 arrows at 80 yards, and 48 arrows at 60 yards, he made the following score:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
79	373	71	325	47	313	=	197	1011

His best double York Round, made privately, seems to be as follows:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
61	295	48	306	24	186	=	133	787
63	299	46	278	24	168	=	133	745
Total							266	1532

His best scoring at 100 yards is represented by 371 with 69 hits—

G.	R.	B.	BK.	W.
12	17	19	14	7

from his second best York Round score of

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
69	371	48	274	24	154	=	141	799

his best score at 80 yards being 306 with all the 48 hits,

G.	R.	B.	BK.	W.
10	19	15	2	2

and his best at 60 yards 186,

G.	R.	B.
10	13	1

Mr. H. A. Ford himself reports one of his own most extraordinary feats as follows: 'Not but what I have been the originator of a respectable fluke or two myself in my time. For instance, on the second day of the first Grand National Meeting at Shrewsbury in 1854, an old archer, Mr. Hughes, offered a silver bracer as a prize for most golds at any one end, 100 yards to take precedence of 80, and 80 yards of 60. In a very few minutes two gentlemen, Messrs. Garnett and Hilton, if I remember rightly, got two; but this was not enough, the third arrow being destined to go there as well. Accordingly, but a few rounds after, my friend Chance came to my aid, and so the whole three went into the desired spot. Now the combination here was curious. But once during my archery experience has a special prize been offered for a feat of this particular nature, and upon that occasion, and that occasion only in a match, have three golds been got at one end, by one shooter, at 100 yards' ('Archer's Register,' 1864).

Mr. Bramhall gives a good idea of Mr. Ford's indomitable perseverance. 'If,' he says, 'I reported a good score, he persevered until he had beaten it—e.g. in 1853, March 7, I completed 409 following hits at 60 yards. He soon sent me a report of a little over 600' ('Archer's Register,' 1881).

Mr. John Bramhall's best single York Round was made November 25, 1851:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
61	317	41	223	23	135	=	125	675

In 1849 the average of the 54 York Rounds he shot was 453 score from 103 hits; in 1850 it was 502 from 110 hits in 70 rounds; in 1851 it was 561 from 117 hits in 64 rounds; in 1852 it was 575 from 117 hits in 52 rounds; and in 1853 it was 567 from 114 hits in 38 rounds. In shooting at 100 yards he has made 4 golds in consecutive hits, and often 3 at one end. At 80 yards his best in 48 arrows was 47 hits 273 score; and he has made 55 consecutive hits at 80, and 5 following golds. At 60 yards his best record is 24 hits 172 score—409 consecutive hits and 5 following golds. His best double York Round was:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
107	535	91	497	48	290	=	256	1322

shot on June 26 and July 1, 1852.

Mr. E. A. Holmes (champion 1865 and 1870) made his best score on the single York Round in private practice at Harrow, soon after the Grand National Meeting at Brighton in 1867, which is as follows:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
66	284	46	206	22	132	=	134	622

Mr. C. E. Nesham (Royal Toxophilite Society), champion 1884-5-6, has 13 York Rounds scores on the Royal Toxophilite Society's books of over 500, of which the highest is:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
55	281	41	187	22	126	=	118	594

made on May 5, 1887.

In private practice at Bournemouth he scored, on May 14, 1883,

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
63	281	43	243	22	108	=	128	632

and

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
53	269	41	203	22	122	=	116	594

made in the Regent's Park, March 6, 1884.

On twenty-three other occasions, in private and in club matches, he has scored 500 and upwards. Of these, in the Royal Toxophilite Society's books, are:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
46	228	47	253	20	110	=	113	591

shot on October 16, 1884, and

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
50	224	44	220	24	148	=	118	592

shot on October 29, 1885.

Major C. H. Fisher's (Champion 1871-2-3-4, and made highest score at Windsor in 1884 when Mr. Nesham became champion) best York Round score in the books of the Royal Toxophilite Society, made on July 2, 1885, is as follows:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
53	239	42	192	24	136	=	119	557

and his next best, made on October 20, 1871, is

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
47	227	42	194	23	113	=	112	534

His best private practice score on the York Round is the following:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
49	227	45	243	24	158	=	862	118

made on May 25, 1872; and he reports that this Round was shot too quickly, and might have been improved if he had taken more pains.

He has made the following good double rounds in practice, namely:

	Hits	Score
May 27 and 28, 1873	235	1079
July 23 and 24, 1874	235	1123

and in 1876:

	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
June 12,	50	196	43	213	23	103	=	116	512
June 13,	46	194	45	233	23	113	=	114	540
	Totals							230	1052

and in 1877 a single York Round:

	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
Sept. 7,	55	241	44	202	23	125	=	122	568

Mr. T. T. S. Metcalfe's (Royal Toxophilite Society) best single York Round is:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
54	258	37	173	19	93	=	100	524

made on May 22, 1886, in private practice.

Mr. C. H. Everett's best single York Rounds appear to be:

	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
Aug. 9, 1880	45	179	41	229	22	114	=	108	522
April 2, 1883	48	180	42	222	24	134	=	114	536
April 16, 1883	54	214	37	177	24	158	=	115	549

made in private practice.

At a meeting of the Royal Toxophilite Society on October 4, 1874, he scored:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
45	187	40	190	23	123	=	108	500

and again in the Regent's Park on September 30, 1880:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
52	192	41	209	23	109	=	116	510

and on October 14, 1880:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
50	224	38	166	22	116	=	110	506

Mr. W. J. Richardson (Royal Toxophilite Society) has a good score on the York Round in the books of the Royal Toxophilite Society, made on June 7, 1860:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
44	190	39	193	21	133	=	104	516

as also has Mr. W. Rimington (Royal Toxophilite Society) champion 1868-69 and 1877:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
48	206	42	178	24	120	=	114	504

made on July 2, 1869.

Col. H. F. C. Lewin's (Royal Toxophilite Society) best scores have been made in private practice at Eltham, in the late Mr. Mill's grounds, and are:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
41	199	38	194	21	115	=	100	508

made on November 3, 1870, and

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
50	226	36	146	24	136	=	110	508

made in 1869.

Mr. G. E. S. Fryer (Champion in 1875, Royal Toxophilite Society), besides his excellent score of 639 with 127 hits, has another very good York Round score in the books of the Royal Toxophilite Society, made on June 3, 1873:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
55	235	47	249	24	138	=	126	622

He made another fine York Round on August 15, 1873, in private practice:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
54	238	46	218	24	150	=	124	606

and in the books of the Royal Toxophilite Society in 1874, on May 27:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
50	200	42	242	23	129	=	115	571

on June 17:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
58	242	44	200	23	155	=	125	597

and on July 1:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
48	184	45	243	24	132	=	117	559

Mr. H. H. Palairet's (Champion in 1876, Royal Toxophilite Society) best scores on the York Round appear to be the following:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
53	241	45	239	24	108	=	122	588

made at a West Berks Meeting at Great Marlow (Colonel Wethered's) on June 20, 1882, and this score is the York Round 'record' of the West Berks Archers.

In private practice on July 15, 1875, he scored:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
54	252	43	205	23	121	=	120	578

showing a very good score at 100 yards; and on July 30 he scored 46 hits 264 score in the 48 arrows at 80 yards.

His best shooting at 60 yards appears to have been made on July 24, 1874, when, shooting 96 arrows, he scored 579 with 95 hits.

Mr. C. J. Longman's (Champion in 1883, Royal Toxophilite Society) best York Round score in the books of the Royal Toxophilite Society is dated November 1, 1883, and is as follows:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
49	199	41	189	23	149	=	113	537

and his best private practice scores made in the same grounds are:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
55	249	41	213	23	129	=	119	591
46	204	46	220	24	148	=	116	572
Totals							235	1163

made on June 17 and 18, 1884, respectively.

Mr. H. H. Longman's (Royal Toxophilite Society) best York Round score made in private practice in the Royal Toxophilite Society's grounds on March 30, 1887, is as follows:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
51	223	41	191	21	91	=	113	505

Mr. Piers F. Legh (Royal Toxophilite Society) has made some good single York Rounds in private practice, viz.:

	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
July 14, 1879	45	181	40	194	24	154	=	109	529
July 19, 1880	41	177	44	208	24	124	=	109	509
Sept. 20, 1880	51	223	38	180	24	124	=	113	527

Mr. R. Walters (Champion in 1879, Royal Toxophilite Society) has made some good scores in private practice, of which the best appear to be as follows:

	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
Oct. 25, 1884	48	184	43	211	23	133	=	114	528
Aug. 15, 1885	45	187	44	214	24	126	=	113	527

Mr. J. H. Bridges' (Royal Toxophilite Society) best single York Rounds in private practice are:

	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
Oct. 7, 1881	39	181	42	222	24	120	=	105	523
June 8, 1884							=	118	546

At 100 yards, in 72 arrows, he has made:

	Hits	Score
April 2, 1884	55	261

At 80 yards, in 48 arrows, he has made:

	Hits	Score
January 27, 1887	45	263
April 12, 1887	48	216

At 60 yards, in 24 arrows:

	Hits	Score
April 23, 1884	24	166

and in 100 arrows at 60 yards:

	Hits	Score
September 18, 1879	100	586
April 23, 1884	99	627

It will be observed that nearly all Mr. Bridges' practice occurs early or late in the season, as cricket absorbs much of his attention in the summer.

Mr. L. R. Erskine (Royal Toxophilite Society) has made some good single York Rounds in private practice, viz.:

	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
Nov. 8, 1886	49	195	41	215	22	122	=	112	532
Mar. 1, 1887	50	210	46	222	23	117	=	119	549
Mar. 5, 1887	53	231	46	198	24	126	=	123	555
Mar. 11, 1887	52	220	45	227	23	133	=	120	580

The full particulars of Mr. O. K. Prescot's (Royal Toxophilite Society) best private practice double York Round score of 1197 cannot be given, as they have been lost or destroyed. It was shot in two days of September 1867. The first total score was 621, and the score at 100 yards was 256—200 having been made in the first 4 dozen. The second round was 567, and, in this round, the score at 80 yards was 249. The most annoying thing about the round was that the last arrow at 60 yards missed the target, when a black even would have brought the total up to 1200.

Mr. H. J. B. Kendall's (Royal Toxophilite Society) best score in the York Round was made in private practice on August 14, 1884:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
46	222	46	228	22	118	=	114	568

On this occasion the 2 arrows not counted at 80 yards went through weak places in the target.

He also made 52 hits 224 score at 100 yards on Aug 28, 1884.

On July 5, 1877, he made 3 golds in one end at 100 yards in the course of the Summer Handicap match of the Royal Toxophilite Society, repeating the feat performed by Mr. H. A. Ford at Shrewsbury in 1854.

Mr. O. Leigh Clare (Royal Toxophilite Society) has made some good private practice, viz.:

	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
July 23, 1879,	52	266	43	193	23	109	=	118	568

in the single York Round; and in 72 arrows at 100 yards:

	Hits	Score
October 12, 1878	56	250

also in 48 arrows at 80 yards:

	Hits	Score
July 13, 1878	42	212

Mr. C. J. Perry-Keene made the following fine score in private practice on July 24, 1886, in the single York Round:—

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
57	225	45	229	24	150	=	126	604

and two other good scores made by him are:

	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
May 6, 1886,	43	217	40	188	23	119	=	106	524
May 7, 1886,	51	215	45	199	24	152	=	120	566
April 18, 1887,	48	202	44	230	24	124	=	116	556

In private practice Mr. F. A. Govett (Royal Toxophilite Society) made:

	Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
October 12, 1883,	50	204	38	184	21	113	=	109	501

and on May 29, at one of the meetings of the same society, he made:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
52	198	41	209	24	114	=	117	521

Again, in private practice, he made on April 11, 1884:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
38	174	43	215	23	123	=	104	512

On September 23, 1886, Mr. F. L. Govett (Royal Toxophilite Society) scored in private practice:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
47	227	40	176	24	130	=	111	533

Mr. F. Townsend's (Woodman of Arden) best York Round score appears to be as follows:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
49	237	33	177	22	102	=	104	516

made on December 27, 1862.

He seldom practised the York Round, and never allowed his archery practice to interfere with his other numerous avocations.

Mr. W. Spottiswoode, P.R.S. (Royal Toxophilite Society), has another good score on the Society's books:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
50	194	38	194	22	124	=	110	512

made on May 30, 1867.

Captain A. P. Moore, who made the highest score in 1849, at Derby, when Mr. H. A. Ford was first champion, reports that his best score in a single York Round was in private practice:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
65	309	44	230	24	152	=	133	691

and that he has made 316 score with 56 hits and 304 score with 64 hits in the 72 arrows at 100 yards.

His best performance at 80 yards was 254 score with 44 hits in the 48 shots, and at 60 yards his best score was 164 with the 24 hits. His best double York Round was 1288 with 252 hits, mentioned by Mr. H. A. Ford. In the month of March 1852 he shot 14 rounds, and their average was 557 score with 115 hits.

Two very good records of Mr. Charles Garnett's (Royal Toxophilite Society) shooting at 100 yards are:

Hits	Score		Hits	Score
58	288	and	61	269

72 arrows being shot on each occasion.

He says: 'I shot a distance of 304 yards on a calm day with an 85-lb. bow and four-and-ninepenny 28-inch arrow. I could not get a flight-arrow to stand the bow, or I should probably have shot further, as the four-and-ninepenny arrow was one of the old pattern and heavily feathered.'

Captain C. H. Garnett's (John o' Gaunt Bowmen) best score in the York Round amounted to 522, but he has been unable to find a record of the details. The following is another good score made by him on November 17, 1873:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
48	202	34	182	23	127	=	105	511

In October of the same year, in 72 arrows at 100 yards he made 48 hits 220 score, and made 3 golds in one end.

He reports that his father, Mr. H. Garnett, shooting with the John o' Gaunt Bowmen on one occasion, scored 500 in the York Round.

Another John o' Gaunt Bowman, Mr. B. P. Gregson, has scored as much as 497 in the York Round.

A good St. George's Round (of 36 arrows at each distance) made by Mr. Marr is:

100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards			Totals
Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
24	114	32	118	35	181	=	101	413

another by Mr. Heath:

100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards			Totals
Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
25	89	31	139	35	203	=	91	431

A good St. George's Round made by Mr. E. Maitland (Champion in 1848, Royal Toxophilite Society) is:

100 Yards		80 Yards		60 Yards			Totals
Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
25	97	34	190	36	196	=	95	483

and he says: 'I tried hard to catch up Mr. H. A. Ford on my return to England from Australia in 1858, but had scarcely got within 25 per cent. of his scores when I broke down from overwork—bows too strong, and practice too unremitting. He said if I did not beat him, there was no one else in the field to do it. I don't think I ever should, because I had not his indomitable steadiness and threw away many a shot on a chance: for I was a rapid shooter. I never dwelt on the aim as he did.'

Mr. T. L. Coulson (Royal Toxophilite Society) recorded his first score of 500 on the single York Round on May 1, 1861, on November 18, 1862:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
—	228	—	207	—	130	=	105	565

and on October 21, 1865:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
56	224	44	198	24	136	=	124	558

On January 13, 1869, he made 3 golds in one end at 100 yards.

Mr. J. A. Froude (Royal Toxophilite Society) says: 'I did once make

It is generally believed that the private practice of Mr. G. Edwards (Champion in 1860-1-2-4-6) was far beyond his public shooting. He has been heard to say that, though Mr. Ford had been able to land only 71 of the 72 arrows shot at 100 yards in the target (missing his 59th arrow), he (Mr. G. E.) had put all his 72 arrows into the target at the same distance. There is no reason to disbelieve his positive statement that on one occasion, shooting 24 arrows at 60 yards, he put every one of them in the red circle.

'Some of the scores made by Mr. Edward Mason in private practice were very large, and it is to be regretted that no actual details can be given. It is well known, however, that on several occasions he made a score of over 1000 on the double York Round, and were the figures available they could not fail to be of wide interest' ('Archers' Register,' 1882-3).

Mr. Peter Muir (Champion 1845-7 and 1863) was a most successful shot at all distances, short as well as long, but probably seldom, if ever, practised the York Round. Mr. H. A. Ford gives as his best score the following, made at the distance of from 20 to 30 yards, 2 shots, 2 hits—a hawk and a crow (fact).

Mr. E. Meyrick says: 'It is true that I have seen Escott hurl his eight-shilling arrows from a bow of 80 lbs. and ten-shilling arrows from a 100-lb. bow, but then he could not do much hitting. I should think something authentic must exist of my old friend Marsh's long shot of 360 yards up and down. He would hit half his arrows at 100 yards very often,' as may be seen from the extracts given from his actual scores.

A point of interest in Mr. W. Butt's (Royal Toxophilite Society) shooting is, that he shot with both hands, though only on one occasion did he shoot two rounds on the same day, one with each hand. This was at a West Berks meeting at Coombe Wood, Surrey (Sir W. Baynes), as follows:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
34	134	28	122	21	105	=	83	361	Right-handed
16	68	23	77	21	95	=	60	240	Left-handed

His best right-handed shooting was as follows:

80 Yards		60 Yards
Hits	Score	Hits	Score
43	215	24	158

shot on October 3, 1863; and on October 9, 1863, in 110 arrows at 60 yards:

Hits	Score	G.	R.	B.	Bk.	W.
110	640	19	32	39	15	5

On February 8, 1864, in a York Round:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
48	216	42	172	23	113	=	113	501

and on March 12, 1864, at 80 yards 41 hits 207 score in the 48 arrows.

Shooting left-handed, his best scores in the books of the Royal Toxophilite Society are 47 hits 201 score, in 72 arrows at 100 yards, on the first half of the shooting on the Crunden Day on April 18, 1867; and on May 30 in the same year in the York Round:

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
44	206	36	154	24	138	=	104	498

and on October 5, 1876, at 60 yards, 24 hits with 160 score—'record' for 60 yards shooting in the York Round at the meetings of the Royal Toxophilite Society.

Mr. Macnamara made good scores at the public meetings, but it is believed that his shooting in private practice was of infinitely higher quality. He took to shooting left-handed afterwards, but without much success in public.

Mr. G. L. Aston also has been at different periods a successful shot, both right-handed and left-handed, at the public meetings.

About thirty years ago Mr. Aubrey Patton shot so well that Mr. H. A. Ford took the trouble to explain in the pages of the Field that he had not yet been beaten by him; but Mr. Patton's regimental duties took him out of reach of more archery practice.

Mr. E. Sharpe (John o' Gaunt Bowmen) made

Hits	Score	Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
48	240	36	164	22	112	=	106	516

in private practice October 2, 1886.

No attempt has yet been made to collect the records of the many excellent scores that have been made by numerous ladies in club matches, or in private practice; but it is believed that, owing to the ladies' shooting at the public meetings being more like their club and private practice, in that it occupies an afternoon only, and is not spun out all over the day, as is the case with the gentlemen, the ladies' public shooting more fairly represents the best they can do; yet many ladies have scored over 400 in the half of the National Round who have not yet approached the 800 which both Mrs. and Miss Legh have shown to be attainable at a public meeting in the National Round. A few samples of their accuracy of aim can however be here given as specimens of what might be contributed to another edition of this book.

Mrs. Butt, shooting in private practice in the Jephson Gardens, at Leamington, on June 10, 1870, made

60 Yards		50 Yards			Totals
Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
48	280	24	168	=	72	448

and, in the course of this score at 50 yards, made 6 consecutive golds in one double end.

Miss Ripley (now Mrs. Bradford), shooting at a Prize Meeting of the Torbay Archers, on August 5, 1871, is reported to have scored

60 Yards		50 Yards			Totals
Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
46	292	24	170	=	70	462

Mrs. Piers F. Legh, shooting at home on September 9, 1881, scored

60 Yards		50 Yards			Totals
Hits	Score	Hits	Score		Hits	Score
48	316	24	162	=	72	478

Doubtless many other archers have already made noteworthy scores in the course of their private practice. These scores and the many others hereafter to be made, as much as possible better than any herein given, the editor (with Mr. H. A. Ford's adieu of 'Farewell and shoot well') will gladly record in the fourth edition.

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