Two photographs showing the members of Yarm Rifle Club c1900.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Two photographs showing the members of Yarm Rifle Club c1900.
Presumably the strong display of patriotic bunting, surrounding the rifle-targets was relative to the victories that had been, or were being achieved, in The South African Boer War (1899-1902) around the time of the photograph? There is a memorial stone plaque mounted into the south-side of Yarm Town Hall that bears the names of no less than 8 ‘Local Volunteers’ who lost their lives in this particular conflict.
I wonder if any of the men taking part realised that the skill they practised this day (possibly on the riverbanks of the Tees?) would be in heavy, possibly fatal demand just 13 years later as WWI (1914-1918) began. A conflict that then became commemorated in the erection of a second War Memorial at the Town Hall in 1920. This one had the names of 61 men upon it.
Very interesting photos, my late Great Grandfather was in the Yarm Territorials from 1901 and he went on to serve in the great war.
With the above photo is says God save the King, I wondered if it would have been taken around the time of King Edward the VII coronation on the 9th August 1902! He became King on Victorias death 22nd January 1901 only a thought if Yarm might have been celebrating the kings coronation with different events.
Second Boer War was 11th Oct 1899 to 31st May 1902
Martin Jones