1st June 2005 - Jeff Doe
"The History of the Bisley Ranges"
Jeff Doe (shown left) outlined the history of Bisley ranges; some of the more precise details have been obtained from the free NRA publication that Jeff made available to the membership. The National Rifle Association (now the governing body of full-bore rifle and centre-fire pistol shooting in Great Britain) was founded in 1859, originally to provide a focus for marksmanship for the newly formed corps of volunteers which had been raised to meet the perceived threat of invasion by the French. The National Rifle Association was granted Royal Charter in 1894. This Royal Charter continues to this day for the "promotion of marksmanship in the interests of the Defence of Realm and permanence of the Volunteer Forces, Navy, Military and Air", Jeff indicated because of this wording the sport qualifies as a charity which has been financially helpful.
The Association organised the first set of competitions on Wimbledon Common in July 1860, on land where Earl Spencer (Jeff indicated the same lineage as Princess Diana) and the Duke of Cambridge, founders of the National Rifle Association, held manorial rights. Queen Victoria fired the first shot and gave a prize of £250 (about £30,000 by 2005 values, although the prize money remains the same as the initial in spite of inflation!) for the best individual marksman. This set the pattern for the Annual Meeting which has been held every year except during the two World Wars. The Queen's Prize remains the premier award for the rifleman and the July Imperial Meeting is internationally famous. It also established the unbroken link between the Association and the Monarchy.
The present Prince of Wales has held the office of President since 1977 and has shot for the House of Lords in the Vizianagram Match, held annually against the House of Commons. On this score Jeff gave an interesting version of the ammunition supplied for this event, when the Ministry of Defence had cancelled the British suppliers contract for a cheaper Portuguese product to save costs. When their Lordships failed to achieve their normal standard of marksmanship due to this inferior product, the previous contractor was recalled within a short while to supply the event (and the Army), such is the power of the House of Lords.
The National Rifle Association Meetings at Wimbledon flourished but as the area developed due to the expansion of the London suburbs there was increasing pressure to find an alternative site and the last Meeting at Wimbledon was in 1889. By that time a series of possible sites had been examined, including Richmond Park, Cannock Chase, the Berkshire Downs, Dunstable, Lewes and Staines. The Guards Camp had been at Pirbright since 1881 and the prospect of support from troops there and from Aldershot probably swung the decision. After much debate the members of Council voted to move to Bisley, and 15 months later the Princess of Wales, later Queen Alexandra, fired the first shot.
At Wimbledon the ranges had been developed over 30 years. The National Rifle Association built temporary office and catering facilities there each year, and many of the competitors and staff lived under canvas, but there were good transport links and services and ample accommodation for the less hardy. Bisley was miles further from London and had nothing. The Council had to buy land, build ranges, provide permanent accommodation, and create the infrastructure. The purchase of land cost over £13,000 (about £8 million or more by 2005 standards) and almost exhausted the reserves. The War Office provided working parties from Aldershot to level the ranges and construct the butts.
The wood and canvas offices and Pavilion, and the Clock Tower, were brought from Wimbledon and huts with 40 rooms were built. Although as Jeff said the prefabricated building was re-erected with the inside out and today is still in this configuration with the internal beams showing.! The London and South Western Railway Company, which operated the Waterloo to Southampton line, built a spur from Brookwood Station to serve the Camp and ranges. The original range layout proved its worth in 1890 and its basic outline remains today. For a few years the National Rifle Association met the demand for clubhouses and living accommodation by renting out the buildings, but by 1894 the Association was financially overstretched and the policy changed to selling ground leases.
Jeff with the aid of a large scale map showed the ranges laid out in 1890/91 which are substantially similar to those of today. Stickledown (the long-distance range) was extended from 24 to 40 targets in 1903 (later 50), and the greatest distance was increased from 1100 to 1200 yards in 1910. Century was so named in 1903 when the Great Butt was widened from 90 to 100 targets (now 108). These two very large ranges and the associated danger areas provide a framework for the siting of smaller, specialist ranges, and have proved adaptable for many new types of shooting disciplines which have evolved in the 100 years since they were designed.
In spite of the intensive firing , Jeff said on the many ranges and the lack of high fences there had only been one recorded fatal shooting of a woman who ignored the warning notices and three strand wire fence and had paid with her life.
Most recently, Bisley hosted all the shooting events for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Brand new formal clay shooting facilities were constructed and the Lord Roberts Centre was built to house a small-bore rifle range and press facilities. On the 300m range it is now possible to shoot using the latest electronic targetry.
Set in 3000 acres of Surrey heathland some 30 miles from Central London, Bisley has the unique combination of the best, most modern, and largest arrangement of shooting facilities in the world combined with colonial-style clubhouses.
Bisley, apart from being able to offer a great variety of shooting, has other advantages. It is the largest range complex in the world within a major centre of population and has few restrictions such as those which now inhibit new ranges being built in populated areas. A glance at a map will show the ranges and their associated danger areas as an oasis in a near suburban part of the South of England; and an added bonus for all, especially the naturalists, is the abundance of flora and fauna - some of which are unique to the area. The ranges are now a European Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and so protected from modern development.
It is in large part a Victorian and Edwardian time warp. Nearly all the original buildings survive and a recent massive restoration programme has put most of them in good order and to good use. Relatively little has been built since 1914 to spoil the charm of the Camp; and such as may be built hereafter must be in keeping with the older buildings now that the bulk of the Camp is formally designated a Conservation Area. Visitors from home and overseas are agreed that Bisley Camp has a special appeal. The Council of the National Rifle Association is well aware of this sentiment that does much to distinguish Bisley from ranges or shooting centres elsewhere in the world, and has resolved to maintain it so, in contrast to the inevitable brick or steel or concrete of modern constructions.
Jeff gave the Club the invitation to visit Bisley where he an active member would be able to show and discuss the history in a modern environment. He then took a series of questions, such as. Will Bisley be used as a venue if the UK gained the 2012 Olympic bid, the short answer was no. Because it was considered to far away from London, hence a purpose built range would be built at Woolwich and after the event would be dismantled.
During his presentation Jeff indicated his dislike of the pistol/rifle ban following the Dunblane and other shootings, this results in our top marksmen having to practise in Switzerland for example, so the follow up question asked about this ban and he indicated that gun crime has not been reduced, the solution is not a ban but a tighter control of weapons so that legitimate shooters had tight security over not only their weapons but the people themselves.
This was a rare insight to the field of shooting, although a good number of the Probus members had carried out rifle practice as part of their war service or subsequent National Service, few had continued this sport after demob.
Charles Peall gave the well earned vote of thanks after telling us of his experience of firing a very heavy weapon that had a kick like a mule, the membership supported his vote of thanks to the speaker with a round of applause.
