Many sports have taken place in the town over the years from Bowls, both Local, National and International, to Cricket, to Real Tennis, Lawn Tennis, Football and Darts. Forgive me anyone who thinks their sport should have had a mention!
I was intrigued when I found a number of images in the Archives showing Archery in Leamington. These showed it taking place on both the “Old Cricket Ground” , otherwise known as Victoria Park and the Jephson Gardens. Well, of course, Archery Road is a big clue for Victoria Park but there isn’t a similar road name near to Jephson Gardens.
So, I was further intrigued by a medal, that I successfully obtained, that one Robert Farrer Esq, of The York Archers Society, won in 1852 for the Highest Score over 100 yds. This was at the Grand National Archery Meeting. See below.
Two further medals won by a Charles Garnett Esq, of The Toxophilite Society, at Leamington in 1852 for Third Gross Score and Hits and in 1853 for Third Gross Score and at Shrewsbury in 1854 for Sixth Gross Score and Cheltenham in 1856 Fourth Gross Score and Hits, further interested me. These were turned into a braclet for his daughter, Bessie, in 1883.
So where to start. Firstly, the Grand National Archery Meeting. Its just shows that there are sports and organisations that have continued at their pace or that dictated by society. The GNAM started in 1843 and is still going strong today but those taking place are far different from the 1850’s. In the early days it took place at York in 1844, ’45 and ‘46. At Derby 1847, ‘48 and ’49. At Edinburgh in 1850, At Royal Leamington Spa in 1851, ’52 and ’53.
These days its an inclusive sport for all ages whereas in the past it attracted the upper classes as can be seen from those who attended Royal Leamington Spa in 1851 and reported in the London Illustrated News.
“Amongst the most distinguished of whom we find those of his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, the Earl of Aylesford, the Earl and Countess of Bradford, the Earl of Denbigh, the Earl of Buchan, Earl Somers, Countess of Farnham, Lord and Lady Leigh, Viscount and Viscountess Lifford, Viscount Newport, Lord and Lady Somerville, Lord and Lady Guernsey, Lady Emily Harding, Lady Charlotte Palmer, Lady Elizabeth Boultbee, the Hon. Charles and Mrs. Bertie Percy, the Hon. Charles Lennox Butler, Sir William and Lady Hartopp, Lady Mordaunt, Lady Cave-Browne-Cave *, Lady Duberly, Sir Gray Skipwith, Bart., Sir Robert Throckmorton, Bart., Sir Theophilus Biddulph, Bart., Sir Robert Peel, Bart., M.P., and Sir Charles Douglas, M.P. “ Over the years numbers of sports organising Committees have found that Royal Leamington Spa has been the place to have their events. Again the London Illustrated News reported that in 1851,
“Few places offer so many objects of attraction as Leamington; the facilities by railway from every part of the kingdom – the numerous and various conveniences in hotels, boarding-houses, and private apartments – the beauty of its scenery, with its delightful walks – the interest of its neighbourhood, and easy access to Warwick Castle, Kenilworth Castle, Guy’s Cliff, Stratford-on-Avon, Coombe Abbey, Stoneleigh Abbey, Charlecote, Hampton Lucy, and a host of other places of like interest, all contributing to the amusement of its visitors. ”. All hotels were full and even a Ball took place.
Investigating who won what, with all of the various types of rounds that the Archers had to take part in over a number of years a Mr Horace A. Ford seemed to come out on top a number of times. In fact after taking up the sport at the age of 23 he was so successful he won eleven consecutive Championships and one score he achieve stood for 72 unbeaten years!
Of the two societies I’ve mentioned, The Toxophilite Society was formed in 1781 and the York Archers Society in 1833, so they are long standing ones.
Now the archery that I found taking place on the lawn of the Jephson Gardens in the 1930’s was the Midlands County Archery Meeting, a much lower key affair by all accounts. In fact whereas the 1850’s Meeting attracted the “Gentry” and a whole page of the Courier these later Meetings managed 2 inches of one column!
Again this event is still taking place under the auspices of the Royal Leamington Spa Archery Society, based in Kenilworth.
*Now two things stood out in the article produced by the Illustrated London News. Firstly those names that are still familiar as they have been used throughout the town for street, place and even pub names. Secondly one name that stood out for me was Lady Cave- Browne-Cave. Now most people would not look twice at the name unless they wondered why Cave-Browne-Cave. My interest centres on recent history as Thomas Reginald Cave-Browne-Cave (1885–1969), had been Professor of Engineering at University College, Southampton, for many years and as a Wing Commander became Director of Camouflage at the Ministry of Home Security from 1941 to 1945 and based at the Regent Hotel here in Royal Leamington Spa! Upon his death in 1969 he was buried in Wellesbourne Cemetery.
