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Chapter XXIII
On Scores
Part 2 of 2

Previous to the year 1870 no archer, with the exception of Mr. Horace Ford, had succeeded in making a score of 1,000 or upwards at a public meeting on the Double York Round. Since that date the following scores have been made at public meetings, or at the Autumn Handicap of the Royal Toxophilite Society:--

Year Name Meeting Hits Score
1870 Capt. C. H. Fisher Grand Western 225 1,033
1872 ,, ,, ,, ,, 218 1,060
1881 Mr. H. H. Palairet Royal Tox. Handicap 210 1,062
1882 ,, ,, Crystal Palace 221 1,025
1883 Mr. C. E. Nesham Royal Tox. Handicap 220 1,010
1886 ,, ,, Grand National 202 1,022
1888 ,, ,, Royal Tox. Handicap 231 1,023
1889 Mr. F. L. Govett ,, ,, 225 1,039
1893 Mr. F. A. Govett Crystal Palace 214 1,004

It is noteworthy that all these archers are members of the Royal Toxophilite Society.

The above record is striking evidence of the improvement that has taken place in archery of late years, but archers cannot remain satisfied until they have surpassed the deeds of Mr. Ford. At the present time, although the general level of shooting is creditable, yet there is no single archer of surpassing excellence. A striking proof of this may be produced in the fact that no fewer than nine gentlemen who are still shooting have held the Championship.

So far, the scores of gentlemen only have been examined, but an equal improvement has taken place in the scores of ladies. In one respect, the ladies of the present day have an advantage over the gentlemen, inasmuch as they have not to stand a comparison with any archeress of the past of the calibre of Mr. Horace Ford. Indeed, two ladies of the present day, Miss Legh and Mrs. Bowly, are undoubtedly superior to any of their predecessors, the only lady who runs them close being Miss Legh's mother, Mrs. Piers Legh. An examination of the list of the ladies who have won the title of championess, given at the end of this chapter, will show this at a glance, and will also establish beyond a doubt the superiority of our modern archeresses over those of former days. The following ladies have made scores of over 800 on the Double National Round at public meetings, or over 400 on the Single National Round of four dozen arrows at 60 yards and two dozen at 50 at the Ladies' Day of the Royal Toxophilite Society. At this last meeting a larger number of lady competitors usually enter than at any of the public meetings, and it is as searching a test of skill as any competition held during the year.

SCORES OVER 800 ON THE DOUBLE OR OVER 400 ON THE SINGLE
(NATIONAL ROUND)

Year Place Name Hits Score
1867 Royal Tox., Ladies' Day Miss S. Dawson (Mrs. Rutt) 70 406
1875 ,, ,, Mrs. Butt 69 401
1881 Grand Western (Bath) Miss Legh 144 840
1885 Crystal Palace ,, ,, 143 809
1885 Leamington Mrs. Piers Legh 142 864
1890 Royal Tox., Ladies' Day ,, ,, ,, 70 400
1890 Crystal Palace Miss Legh 142 862
1892 Royal Tox. Ladies' Day ,, ,, 70 436
1893 G.N.A.,S. (Eastbourne) ,, ,, 140 804
1894 Crystal Palace Mrs. Bowly 140 822
1894 Royal Tox., Ladies' Day ,, ,, 70 426
1894 ,, ,, ,, Miss Legh 71 413
1894 G.N.A,.S. (Cheltenham) Mrs. Bowly 133 823

Of these thirteen grand scores, no fewer than six were made by Miss Legh, and she is undoubtedly the finest archeress we have yet seen. The actual highest record is held by Mrs. Piers Legh, who, with the present championess, Mrs. Bowly, holds the second place. Miss Legh is the only archer of either sex who has ever succeeded in shooting through the two days of a public meeting without dropping a single arrow. Mrs. Butt's performances were far in advance of any archeress of her day, and still entitle her to be reckoned one of the four best lady archers.

190. Mrs. C. Bowly, Championess,  1893.
190. Mrs. C. Bowly, Championess, 1893.

The great excellence of certain lady archers at the present day led to an interesting match in the grounds of the Royal Toxophilite Society in 1891, between picked teams of ladies and gentlemen at 60 yards, six dozen arrows being shot. This match resulted in a somewhat easy victory for the gentlemen. In 1892, 1893, and 1894 a similar match was shot, but on each of these occasions the ladies shot four dozen arrows at 60 yards, and two dozen at 50 yards, while the gentlemen shot all their arrows at 60 yards. On these terms the ladies won in 1892 and 1894, and the gentlemen in 1893. No doubt some allowance ought to be made to the ladies in the matter of distance, as, though the liability to lateral error is the same in each case, the average trajectory of the men's arrows at 60 yards is undoubtedly lower than the average of the ladies at that range, and therefore the 'dangerous space' is somewhat longer. The ladies are fully capable of shooting six dozen arrows at their best level, and therefore the men get no advantage ln staying power by their superior physical strength. Taking all points into consideration, the terms of the matches in 1892 and 1893 may be considered about fair.

NOTES TO THE TABLE OF WINNERS OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP ON NEXT PAGE
In 1844 a Single York Round was shot.
In 1845 the ladies shot 96 arrows at 60 yards.
In 1847 the ladies shot 144 arrows at 60 yards.
In 1848 the ladies shot 72 arrows at 60 yards, and 72 at 50 yards.
In 1850 the ladies shot 72 arrows at 60 yards, and 36 at 50 yards.

On all other occasions the ladies shot the Double National Round and the gentlemen the Double York Round.

The following archers made the highest score at the National Meeting, but lost the Championship on the points:--

Year Name Hits Score
1849 Mr. A. P. Moore 173 747
1879 Mr. Rimington 165 799
1880 Mrs. Piers I.egh 124 600
1884 Major C. H. Fisher 191 941
1889 Rev. C. J. Perry Keene 177 859
1893 ,, ,, 169 719

LIST OF LADIES AND GENTLEMEN WHO HAVE WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP FROM 1844 TO 1894 AND THEIR SCORES[1]

Year Place Ladies Hits Score Gentlemen Hits Score
1844 York No ladies shot - - Rev. J. Higginson 53 221
1845 ,, ,, Miss Thelwall 48 186 Mr. P Muir 135 537
1846 ,, ,, No ladies shot - - Mr. Hubback 117 519
1847 Derby Miss Wylde 65 245 Mr. P. Muir 153 631
1848 ,, ,, Miss J. Barrow 47 167 Mr. E. Maitland 135 581
1849 ,, ,, Miss Temple 55 189 Mr. H. A. Ford 176 702
1850 Edinburgh Mrs. Calvert. 47 161 ,, ,, 193 899
1851 Leamington Miss Villiers 108 504 ,, ,, 193 861
1852 ,, ,, Miss Brindley 84 336 ,, ,, 188 788
1853 ,, ,, Mrs. Horniblow 89 365 ,, ,, 202 934
1854 Shrewsbury Mrs. Davison 109 489 ,, ,, 234 1,074
1855 ,, ,, ,, ,, 115 491 ,, ,, 179 809
1856 Cheltenham Mrs. Horniblow 109 487 ,, ,, 213 985
1857 ,, ,, Miss H. Chetwynd 128 634 ,, ,, 245 1,251
1858 Exeter Mrs. Horniblow 101 457 ,, ,, 214 1,076
1859 ,, ,, Miss Turner 122 630 ,, ,, 205 951
1860 Bath Mrs. E. Lister 112 550 Mr. G. Edwards 188 886
1861 Liverpool Mrs. Atkinson 113 575 ,, ,, 175 745
1862 Worcester Mrs. Horniblow 128 660 ,, ,, 194 902
1863 Oxford ,, ,, 116 478 Mr. P. Muir 179 845
1864 Alexandra Palace Miss Betham 129 693 Mr. G. Edwards 189 897
1865 Clifton ,, ,, 124 606 Mr. E. A Holmes 174 788
1866 Norwich. ,, ,, 130 662 Mr. G. Edwards 192 900
1867 Brighton Mrs. Lister 130 696 Mr. H. A.Ford 215 1037
1868 Hereford Miss Betham 128 672 Mr. W. Rimington 187 807
1869 Birmingham Mrs. Horniblow 123 629 ,, ,, 191 909
1870 Bath ,, ,, 134 700 Mr. E. A Holmes 183 807
1871 Cheltenham ,, ,, 138 746 Capt. C. H. Fisher 205 955
1872 ,, ,, ,, ,, 136 660 ,, ,, 175 771
1873 Leamington ,, ,, 142 764 Major C. H. Fisher 198 898
1874 Winchester Mrs. Pond 132 644 ,, ,, 193 873
1875 Richmond (Surrey) Miss Hollins 133 693 Mr. G. E. S. Fryer 198 876
1876 Sandown Park Mrs. W. Butt 138 752 Mr. H. H. Palairet 181 773
1877 Doncaster ,, ,, 126 676 Mr. W. Rimington 163 703
1878 Tunbridge Wells Mrs. Marshall 132 692 Mr. H. H. Palairet 202 932
1879 Cheltenham ,, ,, 130 708 Mr. R. Walters 187 729
1180 Shrewsbury Mrs. Horniblow 133 593 Mr. H. H. Palairet 195 897
1881 Sutton Coldfield Miss Legh 139 763 ,, ,, 191 849
1882 Leamington Mrs. Piers Legh 134 750 ,, ,, 195 885
1883 Cheltenham . ,, ,, 138 712 Mr. C. J. Longman 193 869
1884 Windsor ,, ,, 135 701 Mr. C. E. Nesham 208 902
1885 Gt. Malvern ,, ,, 135 749 ,, ,, 211 917
1886 Bath Miss Legh 136 726 ,, ,, 202 1,022
1887 Cheltenham. ,, ,, 141 773 Major C. H. Fisher 199 849
1888 York ,, ,, 136 732 Mr. C. E. Nesham 172 820
1889 Oxford ,, ,, 128 690 Mr. Gregson 198 832
1890 Southampton ,, ,, 138 798 Mr. C. E. Nesham 207 921
1891 Worcester ,, ,, 138 798 Mr. F. L. Govett . 188 818
1892 Eastbourne ,, ,, 140 804 Mr. G. E. S. Fryer 202 850
1893 York Mrs. Bowly 139 779 Mr. Gregson 172 656
1894 Cheltenham ,, ,, 133 823 Rev. E. W. Hussey 185 787

[1] This table is taken from the table in the Archer's Register, but three inaccuracies in the latter are corrected.