The UCPSC. The birth of Clay Pigeon Shooting in Ulster?

I've been looking through the "British Newspaper Archives" for various things.  Local history of my own townland, mentions of the Faughan and stories of poaching and pollution for over one hundred years.

I then randomly typed "Clay Pigeon Shooting" into the search function.  I know I'm a geek but I found it very interesting.

One of the first mentions I found of the sport was from Belfast Telegraph on 30th June 1883 with a section titled; "The Prince of Wales and Clay Pigeon Shooting".

It goes on, "The Prince of Wales, accompanied by several noblemen and gentlemen who take an interest in sport, recently went to Hurlingham, and saw several matches where clay pigeons were used. They were highly satisfied with the result, and, we believe, are of opinion that the clay pigeon may be substituted for the living bird. It is believed that the result of this visit will be to facilitate the passing Mr. Anderson’s Bill prohibiting pigeon shooting from traps".

So, there were clay pigeons being used from 1883 or even earlier.

The first mentions of clay shooting in Ulster come in the "Northern Whig" on 13th November 1883.  Firstly, an advert looking for members for a new club.

Advert in the Northern Whig November 1883

A short advert in the "Persons Wanted" section of the paper reads; "GENTLEMEN desirous of becoming Members of a Club for Flying Clay Pigeon Shooting will please send their names JOSEPH BRADDELL & SON, Castle Place, Belfast"

In the same newspaper on the same day an article in the "Sporting News" section reads as follows:

"FLYING CLAY PIGEON SHOOTING - Lovers of true pleasure will hail with satisfaction the announcement that there is likely soon to be in operation in our midst a club for the popular practice of shooting terra cotta pigeons. The sport is a novel one in this part of this country.  In reference to it a correspondent signing himself "Anti Cruelty" writes:- "I was very much pleased to read the announcement in your paper the Mesers. Braddell and Son are arranging for the formation of a club for flying clay pigeon shooting. No one deplores more than the true sportsman the pain and suffering caused to birds and beasts by shots that maim and do not kill; and I hold it to be the duty of every man who intends to enter the fields as a sportsman to learn first of all the art of shooting well- i.e., to aim so correctly that none but the centre pellets strike the mark. As I know of no practice so well calculated to give correct aim as that of clay pigeon shooting, I do earnestly trust that the proposed scheme will have the support of all who love sport without cruelty."

The next mention of the sport comes in the "Belfast News-Letter" on 14th April 1884 and reads as follows;  "ULSTER CLAY PIGEON SHOOTING CLUB.- In connection with this club, a clay pigeon-shooting match will be held on Wednesday afternoon, at three O'Clock, on the grounds at Oldpark, which have been secured for use by members of the club."

Then on the 17th April 1884 there is an article detailing the first shoot at the Oldpark grounds.

"ULSTER CLAY PIGEON SHOOTING CLUB- Yesterday the operations of this Club were opened with an afternoon's excellent sport on the grounds of the U.C.P.S.C. at Oldpark. 

There was a numerous array of marksmen and a good many spectators, and there were also other indications which could not but give encouragement to the members and friends of the club. 

It is highly gratifying that mechanical science has relieved the sporting world from one of the most horrible brutalities connected with it. For several years past the cruelty of pigeon shooting has been freely commented upon, and it is gratifying to be able to state that from no quarter was a stronger protest raised than from the Belfast Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It will, no doubt, be remembered by many that to a pigeon-shooting match held a few years since in Belfast that excellent Society sent one of their constables to watch the proceedings and report thereon. The document which he sent in disclosed a state of matters of very revolting character indeed. The “sport” was associated with the maiming of very large number of pigeons, which for several days afterwards were to be seen in the vicinity, receiving additional Injury from lads, who stoned and otherwise tortured them. Yesterday afternoon’s enjoyment at Oldpark could in no way be associated with the cruelties even of Hurlingham. No wounded birds are to day the vicinity of the Club’s beautifully-situated grounds, and none with broken wings or legs are to be seen starving to death adjoining housetops. Mr. George Anderson, M.P., deserves the highest praise for his indefatigable efforts in the House of Commons to protect the poor pigeons, and it is highly pleasing to able to refer to the disapproval expressed by her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales regarding the cruel practice of shooting them.

 The grounds which the Belfast Club have secured are situated adjacent to the town, and in a very picturesque position. Leaving the Antrim Road at Kenbella Avenue, a very short distance past Hopefield, proceeding up the latter thoroughfare and across the Limestone Road, and adjoining the Limestone Railway, the spacious plot is at once reached. It is somewhat triangular in shape. Bounded on the left by the second reservoir of the Water Commissioners, which presents a somewhat lake-like aspect and a gently rising natural slope, it has on the right the verdant banks of the Oldpark and Carr’s Glen Basins, while away in the distance rise the Black Mountain, Divis, and the Cave Hill, forming Titanesque enclosure to the whole. 

There were yesterday three traps set ten yards apart, and so shaded were they by wooden structures that none the marksmen could possibly be aware of the one from which there would rise his “ bird,” which is saucer shaped, and composed of very brittle pottery clay. Its dimensions being five inches wide by two inches deep. These “birds” were thrown from the trap by the pulling of cords, which were manipulated from a point adjacent to where the sportsmen were standing. The flight of the “ birds” can be graduated from a slow, easy motion, to the quick spring of a snipe, or the arrow like rush of a partridge. They dart off in every direction, have all the characteristics of a bird breaking cover and sailing away to settle down gradually, and have flight of from forty to seventy five yards in a horizontal line, at any angle, In any direction. The surface presented, when on the wing, is about equal to the body of a pigeon. If hit, the pigeon breaks to pieces, so there can be no doubt as to a hit or a miss. When not hit the clay pigeon does not break, and can used again. 

All former attempts as substitutes for live pigeons, such as glass balls, have been failures on account of their great departure from the swift, horizontal flight of game birds. The clay "bird,” however, gives the true motion in the air necessary for wing shooting.  Accordingly, the great feature of this invention is, that it enables a person to become a crack shot in this class of sport without the use of pigeons or other live substitutes. It has, no doubt, surpassed all other attempts to supersede live pigeon shooting. As was shown yesterday, the flight is in one respect exactly the reverse of that of the real pigeon when freed from the trap. "The latter,” has been stated, "starts slowly and increases its speed with each additional yard, whilst the former starts at a great pace, and gets gradually slower towards the end. In this contrast the clay pigeon, will probably be thought, possesses a decided advantage over the real bird, inasmuch as it does away with one of the objections most frequently urged against pigeon clubs as a practice or preparation for game shooting, namely, that they encourage 'snapping over the trap' and that pigeon shots very often acquire a mechanical 'form’ the reverse of desirable in the field.” 

The bloodless proceedings of the day were in the highest degree satisfactory, and gave every promise of a successful career for the club. 

Amongst the most successful members in the four sweep stakes were the following gentlemen:-

                 I

G. E. Murray ... 11001
R. Kyle ... 01010 Won on Tie
James Cunnighman ... 01100

                II
G. E. Murray ... 10111
C. Richardson ... 01110-Tie 0
Dr. Rea ... 11010-Tie 0
J. Cunnigham 11001-Tie 1

                III
C. Richardson ... 01101-Tie 0
Dr. Rea ... 10110-Tie 1
G. E. Murray ... 10111

                IV
Dr. Rea ... 10101
C. Richardson ... 00101 Tie 00
G. E. Murray ... 01010 Tie 01

At the close of the shooting a meeting was held for the purpose appointing a committee to conduct the buisness of the club."

So there you have it. A shooting report and results from possibly the first clay pigeon shoot in Northern Ireland and Joseph Braddell & Son in Belfast were highly involved in it's establishment.

From the directions to the ground given above, it must have been located at the Belfast Waterworks.  The railway mentioned is now the Cavehill Road.  Comparing historic maps with modern day ones, that whole area of North Belfast has completely changed.  Hopefield, mentioned above, looks to have been a large country house residence with gate lodge and acres of land to it in the Townland of Skegoneill.  It was between the Antrim Road and Cavehill Road and is now rows of terraces of houses.  Kenbella Avenue is now called Salisbury Avenue.  This would have the ground at what is now the junction of Hughenden Avenue and Westland Road.

Possible location of the UCPSC grounds in North Belfast.  The Green Area between the Waterworks Reservoir and Northern Ireland Water in the top left of the picture.  A long time before Westland road and Westland drive were built.

The first Clay Pigeon Shooting Club in Ulster quite possibly and it wouldn't be long until many others started up including one in Sydenham in the east of Belfast.

If anyone reading this would have any further information I would be delighted to hear it.