Colbury Rifle and Pistol Club was formed on 20 March 1911. The proposal was submitted to local residents and parishoners by the owner of the Longdown Estate, Claude Vaudrey Barker-Mill.
FIRST ENTRY IN MINUTE BOOK
24 men attended the first meeting held in September 1911 and by the time of the first AGM 12 months later, the membership had risen to 89.
The land for the clubhouse and range was donated by the Barker-Mill family. Mrs. Marianne Vaudrey Barker-Mill, Claude’s mother, also donated generously to the original building fund.
During the club’s 100 year history, the Barker-Mill Estate has contributed significantly to our ongoing maintenance works. In 2009, the Peter Barker-Mill Charity Trust made a most valuable donation enabling us to rebuild the clubhouse.
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The first Safety Certificate issued to the club was dated 11th November 1911. In itself, very poignant since many “Colbury” members fought in the Great War and several, including Claude Vaudrey Barker-Mill, lost their lives in that conflict.
ORIGINAL SAFETY CERTIFICATE ISSUED 1911
ORIGINAL RANGE APPROVAL 1911
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From the start, Colbury entered local competitions with notable success.
ANDERSON CUP 1919
Over the years, Colbury teams and individual members have entered many local Southampton & District and Hampshire competitions, as well as shooting in national events.
The club has always acquitted itself well, and, more importantly, the members enjoy their shooting.
Over the last few decades, many local clubs have lost their facilities and their membership has dwindled to the point that the clubs have closed down. Colbury has gained by this with ex-members from Romsey, Eling and, most recently, Lymington, choosing to join us. We are now the only target rifle club on the eastern edge of the New Forest.
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