Pentland Rifle Club the most northerly mainland club in the UK.
George Thomas Mackenzie, schoolmaster at John O’Groats and captain of the local volunteer militia, was a formidable character by all accounts. But while his unpredictable manner was to leave a lasting impression on those he taught, he is best remembered by many as the founder member of the Pentland Rifle Club.
When the militia unit at Mey – a few miles West along the coastline of the Pentland Firth – was disbanded in the early years of the 20th century, it was seen by its commanding officer to leave a gap in the shooting practice of the local men.
Consequently, on New Year’s Day, 1910, at 10 a.m., G.T.L. Mackenzie met with John Smith of John O’Groats and John Ross of neighbouring Canisbay at Mey and the club’s first shoot was held.
Pentland Rifle Club was the first smallbore rifle club in the Far North of Scotland and preceded Caithness Smallbore Association by a number of years. It was formed after the First World War. Though other clubs were in existence, it became the first to utilise the 0.22 rifle.
After its formation, Lord Pentland was elected honorary president. Vice-presidents were Sir John Sinclair Bart of Dunbeath, Captain Alexander Sinclair of Freswick, and F.G. Sinclair of Mey. Later additions to the list included R. Harmonsworth M.P., Peter Murray of the U.S.A. and, in 1913, Sir Archibald Sinclair of Ulster.
Within a few years, membership had grown to six branches. Even in 1910, 147 men were taking part – at Mey (42), John O’Groats (32), Freswick (25), Auckengill (15) and Canisbay (33).
The Pentland Firth isle of Stroma became the sixth branch in 1912 but the withdrawal of Mey followed just short of the start of World War One due to a disagreement between branches.
Pentland Rifle Club was the ruling body, made up of two people from each branch, usually a range officer and a communication officer. Mey formed a committee of their own and began shooting without Pentland. They were cast off, as it were, because they were not working in accordance with the rules and regulations of Pentland Rifle Club.
Mey ceased a number of years ago but Canisbay, which broke away in 1947, still continues as an independent club.
Two medals – the Lady Fanny Sinclair and the Keith medals – were transferred by G.T. Mackenzie from the militia unit at Mey and made into club prizes for target shooting over 25 and 50 yards, though they later disappeared and have never been heard of since.
In 1915, the year the club’s minutes were interrupted by the war, G.T. Mackenzie resigned as captain and honorary secretary to move to another district. After the war, the club reconvened in John O’Groats, where it had been based as a result of its former captain’s schoolwork there.
However, its membership is thought to have been substantially depleted by the European conflict.
A new trophy, the Challenge Shield, was presented to the club by G.T. Mackenzie and, in 1921, having been won three times, became the property of the John O’Groats branch.
A miniature silver cup was won by the same branch n 1923, as were the two successive shields which followed until the demise of the competition in the 1930s.
In 1926, more trophies were handed over by the club’s founder. These were the Kirkwood medal and the Wapinschaw cup. The Harmsworth and Bignold shields ended up in the hands of the county association and are still competed for annually.
War again forced the club into hibernation but it was revived in 1946, as was the traditional New Year Shoot by the three branches.
Pentlands greatest success came in 2009 when they were the Banffshire division one, Lothian division one, Evening Express and St Clair Cup winners. They also reached but lost out in the final of the Scottish Smallbore Rifle Cup
Two of its members, Don Mowat and Rognvald Brown were part of the 2007 Caithness team who achieved a British score when they won the coveted BSA Trophy by finishing ahead of the 2006 winners – Auckland, New Zealand. The Caithness contingent became the first Scottish team to win the competition since its inauguration in 1921.
The formation of Pentland Rifle Club was by no means G.T. Mackenzie’s only sporting achievement. In 1902, he is credited with “resuscitating” a golf club at John O’Groats – the most northerly mainland club. However, the last record of the club was made in 1906 and its future after that is unclear. There is no course or club in existence at John O’Groats today.
When the militia unit at Mey – a few miles West along the coastline of the Pentland Firth – was disbanded in the early years of the 20th century, it was seen by its commanding officer to leave a gap in the shooting practice of the local men.
Consequently, on New Year’s Day, 1910, at 10 a.m., G.T.L. Mackenzie met with John Smith of John O’Groats and John Ross of neighbouring Canisbay at Mey and the club’s first shoot was held.
Pentland Rifle Club was the first smallbore rifle club in the Far North of Scotland and preceded Caithness Smallbore Association by a number of years. It was formed after the First World War. Though other clubs were in existence, it became the first to utilise the 0.22 rifle.
After its formation, Lord Pentland was elected honorary president. Vice-presidents were Sir John Sinclair Bart of Dunbeath, Captain Alexander Sinclair of Freswick, and F.G. Sinclair of Mey. Later additions to the list included R. Harmonsworth M.P., Peter Murray of the U.S.A. and, in 1913, Sir Archibald Sinclair of Ulster.
Within a few years, membership had grown to six branches. Even in 1910, 147 men were taking part – at Mey (42), John O’Groats (32), Freswick (25), Auckengill (15) and Canisbay (33).
The Pentland Firth isle of Stroma became the sixth branch in 1912 but the withdrawal of Mey followed just short of the start of World War One due to a disagreement between branches.
Pentland Rifle Club was the ruling body, made up of two people from each branch, usually a range officer and a communication officer. Mey formed a committee of their own and began shooting without Pentland. They were cast off, as it were, because they were not working in accordance with the rules and regulations of Pentland Rifle Club.
Mey ceased a number of years ago but Canisbay, which broke away in 1947, still continues as an independent club.
Two medals – the Lady Fanny Sinclair and the Keith medals – were transferred by G.T. Mackenzie from the militia unit at Mey and made into club prizes for target shooting over 25 and 50 yards, though they later disappeared and have never been heard of since.
In 1915, the year the club’s minutes were interrupted by the war, G.T. Mackenzie resigned as captain and honorary secretary to move to another district. After the war, the club reconvened in John O’Groats, where it had been based as a result of its former captain’s schoolwork there.
However, its membership is thought to have been substantially depleted by the European conflict.
A new trophy, the Challenge Shield, was presented to the club by G.T. Mackenzie and, in 1921, having been won three times, became the property of the John O’Groats branch.
A miniature silver cup was won by the same branch n 1923, as were the two successive shields which followed until the demise of the competition in the 1930s.
In 1926, more trophies were handed over by the club’s founder. These were the Kirkwood medal and the Wapinschaw cup. The Harmsworth and Bignold shields ended up in the hands of the county association and are still competed for annually.
War again forced the club into hibernation but it was revived in 1946, as was the traditional New Year Shoot by the three branches.
Pentlands greatest success came in 2009 when they were the Banffshire division one, Lothian division one, Evening Express and St Clair Cup winners. They also reached but lost out in the final of the Scottish Smallbore Rifle Cup
Two of its members, Don Mowat and Rognvald Brown were part of the 2007 Caithness team who achieved a British score when they won the coveted BSA Trophy by finishing ahead of the 2006 winners – Auckland, New Zealand. The Caithness contingent became the first Scottish team to win the competition since its inauguration in 1921.
The formation of Pentland Rifle Club was by no means G.T. Mackenzie’s only sporting achievement. In 1902, he is credited with “resuscitating” a golf club at John O’Groats – the most northerly mainland club. However, the last record of the club was made in 1906 and its future after that is unclear. There is no course or club in existence at John O’Groats today.