EsayMenu jQuery Plugin Demo

Joint Tower Shoot

"The rain holds off (just) and the Bowyers capture back the trophy (most handsomely)."

Wednesday 6 June 2012 saw the annual 'Joint Shoot' archery event in the East Moat of the Tower of London between the Bowyers' Company and the Fletchers' Company, a long-standing privilege enjoyed by kind permission of the Governor of the Tower. Each Company's strictly amateur participants had three practice shots and three scoring shots at 25 yards, with the top four from each side going into a shoot-off.

The two Masters and their Wardens led off, while 30 members and guests from each Company looked on, glasses of Pimm's in hand. Proceedings were interrupted for a short while by a passing shower, but in the spirit of the Jubilee weekend, nobody was in a mood to quit for a spot of rain, and the tournament resumed quickly. Everyone who wanted to have a go did so, under the expert supervision of members of the London Archers.

At 7.20pm the top four from each side were summoned for the shoot-off, the Bowyers' top four comprising Alex Cameron, Robert Clark, Trevor Strutt and (somewhat to his surprise) the Master, Howard Mundy. The results were kept secret until after the excellent buffet dinner which followed in the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers' Mess in the Tower.

After dinner, the Master Bowyer thanked the Governor for the continuing privilege granted to the event and the London Archers for their expert and helpful support. The Governor, Col Richard Harrold OBE, produced a rain-sodden score-sheet and announced the result as a win for the Bowyers by 60 to 46 in the shoot-off. The Master Fletcher, Capt David Goodall RN, congratulated the Bowyers and thanked the Tower's Non-Commercial Events Manager, Kay Tyler, for her excellent organisation.

After the previous year's event had been completely rained off and the event decided by three rounds of stone/paper/scissors between the Masters, everyone was relieved we'd enjoyed a proper shoot this year, and happy that such an excellent evening had been enjoyed.

Tony Kench

Archived event reports