How it all began

The Guildford and District Gun Club was founded in 1960 by a group of gentlemen that worked on the Clandon Park Estate as the game keeper, his assistant, beaters and picker uppers and they were Cliff Sheldon the game keeper, Bob Brewer the assistant game keeper, George Baverstock, Derek Carver, Ron Small, Ken Tulley and Arthur Woodham a pest control officer.

These six men met in a private room at the Jovial Sailor in Ripley with Arthur Woodham in the Chair, the club name was decided upon, the membership subscription agreed and Derek Carver appointed as Treasurer.
Joining the club that year were Jeff Garland, Geoff Grafton, Dennis Kates, Dick Mumford and Geoff Seaman.

The shoots were held on the estate in an area known as the Chalk Pit at West Clandon, until May 2001, and in those days the committee meetings were held in the estate office in Clandon Park, but by 1962 the meetings and the Annual General meetings were being held at the White Hart Hotel in Ripley. The President of the club was the Earl of Onslow and Vice Presidents were Sir Eric Bowater and Mr. Maddock, the Chairman was Mr. George Baverstock, Secretary was Mr. Bob Brewer and Treasurer Mr. Derek Carver.

At the 1962 AGM it was reported that the cost of clays had been increased, so it was decided to charge 6/- for 20 clays.

During 1963 the club organised open shoots at the Cranleigh Show and Chertsey Agricultural Show and for the Christmas Wappinshaw Shoot held in the Chalk Pit on the 22nd December.

At the 1964 AGM George Baverstock did not stand for re-election as Chairman, so the members elected a Mr Geoff Seaman, who today is a member of the Old Woking Gun Club.

It was at this meeting Mr. B. Reynolds donated a trophy to the club that was called the Penny Cup and it is still shot for every year in September and is presented to the winner of ‘B’ class. Ron Small also offered to donate a cup to the club, and again it is still used by the club and is presented to the winner of ‘A’ class in July.

According to the minutes of this meeting it was Dennis Kates, who today is one of the club’s Vice Presidents, who proposed that the members accept the treasurers report for the year.

In March of 1964 the club held a dinner and dance which was attended by 56 members and guests.

The club held an open 50-bird shoot on Whit Monday, the entry for members was 10/- (now 50p) and a 20-bird shoot for novices with an entry fee of 7/6 (now 37p). On the 28th June 1964 a team shoot was held between the club and the Middlesex Wood Pigeon Club and Mr. Bob Kirk offered to give a trophy for this event, which turned out to be the big knife, which is still in existence.

This team shoot took place at the Middlesex Club layout and consisted of 10 sporting targets and 20 skeet.
The trophy was shot for also in 1965 and 1966 and the competition between the two clubs was resurrected again in 2005 when Guildford won it by one target.

In January 1965 the club held another dinner and dance, this time at the Wooden Bridge Hotel the cost of the tickets were 30/- (now £1.50).

On the 15th May the club held a Charity Shoot in aid of St. Lukes Hospital on some land in Bramley and donated 10 guineas to the hospital.

This year the Whit Monday Shoot was held at Clandon Park, and amongst the entrants was the current chairman of the club, Tony Warsop shooting with his late father Frank who also became a member of the club in 1978.

In 1966 the Dinner Dance was held at the Newlands Corner Hotel and was very well attended, the tickets cost 25/- (now £1.25).

It was at the 1966 AGM that Geoff Grafton was appointed as Secretary, also that year the club purchased a new cup and was named the “Clandon Cup” which again we still have and is presented to the winner of ‘A’ class in March every year.

On Easter Monday the club put on a shoot at Clandon Park to raise funds for the restoration fund for St. Mary’s Church in Guildford and it was advertised in the Shooting Times, the Daily Mail and on BBC Radio.

To be continued...