Archery

Poor Relation Joined: 15 Sep 2008 Posts: 95

I see Candice has mentioned archery as an activity at house parties a couple of times. Now, I've read that later in the nineteenth century, archery was considered a suitable activity for women. How about in 1805?
Would they just set up temporary targets wherever there was space, or would there be a designated range? What kind of targets would they have?

Thanks! Until now I've had great fun lurking.

Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 7:21 am Post subject:

Yes, archery would have been practiced as a fashionable sport in 1805. The Prince of Wales, believe it ot not, was a big fan of archery. There had been lots of archery societies established during the 18th century, eg the Hertford Archers established at Hatfield House by Lady Salisbury. The most important was the Royal Toxopholite Society estalished in 1787 under Prinny's patronage.

I'm sure there were rules or at least guidelines for setting up archery targets, distances etc. I would guess that specific ranges would not be pernmanently set up, but that appropriate spaces would have been found on the estate. The exception would be places like Hatfield House where the owner was dedicated to the sport and might have set up a permanent archery range.
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Poor Relation Joined: 15 Sep 2008 Posts: 95

Thanks! Now I've seen a couple of pics of archery dresses, but not enough to notice any special characteristics, although both were long-sleeved and that's probably very wise. So what's special about an archery dress?

Viscountess of the Manor Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 1100

Archery Societies in Regency England

If you watched Regency House Party, you probably found yourself screaming, “What about an archery party!” at the screen as the cast bemoaned the lack of co-ed activities they could participate in. I know I did. I did not however realize just how much fun could have been had at such a party, just how popular they were, or how highly organized and structured the sport was.

After seeing an extant dress that was the female uniform of the Royal British Bowmen I started researching archery costumes, and then began trying to figure out just where my heroine might have worn such a costume, and what she would have been doing while wearing it. The answer is far more exciting than the archery tête-à-tête between Emma and Mr. Knightly in the Paltrow version of Emma.

Archery, as a tonnish pursuit, can be traced to Sir Ashton Lever, who formed the first archery club, the Toxophilite Society, in London in 1781. The Prince of Wales became a member in 1787 and suddenly archery was all the rage (there are surviving records for more than fifty societies, with fanciful names like the Hainhalt Foresters, John o' Gaunt's Bowmen, Robin Hood Bowmen, St. George's Bowmen, and the Royal Sherwood Archers). There were places to shoot without even leaving London (the grounds of Leicester House in Leicester Square, and Vauxhall are specifically mentioned as meeting places). Subscriptions to the societies were not cheap (2-5 guineas), and often additional amounts were levied to offset costs.

The sport appeal was not limited to its natural connection with the romantic idea of Robin Hood (and the reminder of the superiority of the medieval British bowman,), but, as a co-ed activity, it provided countless opportunities for socializing and flirtation. Shooting parties were coupled with breakfasts, dinners, and sometimes even balls. Some societies built their own lodges to host the celebrations, while others rotated the festivities between the members’ estates, or utilized marquees or local taverns. The afore mentioned Royal British Bowmen went so far as to have their own marquee and servants. The affairs themselves were lavish, with expensive prizes being awarded to the competition winners (Gold and silver bugle or arrow pins were a common prize).

The Royal British Bowmen first admitted women members in the late eighteenth century, but most other groups limited women’s roles to shooting at the invitation of their male counterparts or to symbolic positions such as the Lady Patroness (who would present the winning archer with his prize). But, from what I’ve read, there were generally lots of women invited to the events, both as spectators and as participants. Some societies even combined their outings with charitable causes. Forfeits were levied against the losers and then donated to the chosen charity (on at least one recorded occasion the orphans receiving the forfeit attended the event, all dressed in appropriately green costumes).

In the teens or early 20s, just after the end of the Peninsular wars, there was a huge resurgence in the popularity of archery societies. This was partially due to the popularity of Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe, published in 1819. Archery societies sprang up all across the country, each with its own entry criteria (some of them quite strict to keep out the rising middleclass). They wore costumes of very specific color and design, and most societies fined their members for not turning up the correct attire.

Almost all the uniforms were green, with various other colors as trims. They had specific buttons, hats, feathers, etc., in the same way as a military uniform. The one exception I’ve seen noted was the Marquis of Blandford's Society of Bowmen, who wore purple. Female members or guests often wore white gowns in the early years, with various green trimmings and sashes. Though this was not universal, as the extant uniforms belonging to the female members of the Royal British Bowmen from both the 1790s and the 1820s are green, salmon, and black, just like the men’s costumes.

For more information about the history of archery societies (and a slew of juicy details, such as how and where the contests were conducted, what the prizes were, etc.) see the following books: Badminton Library of Sports: Archery by C.J. Longman and Col. H. Walrond, 1894; The Book of Archery: Being the complete history and practice of the art, ancient and modern by George Agar Hansard, 1841; and The Archer's Guide by An Old Toxophilite, 1833. (all available on line HERE).

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-Kalen
w/a Isobel Carr
Ripe for Pleasure, May 2011
Book 1: The League of Second Sons
www.isobelcarr.com