*****

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