The first official mention of the Leatherhead & District Rifle Club appears in the Reigate Borough Advertiser dated April 3rd 1900, referring to plans to establish a local rifle club following the “popular and patriotic movement” of teaching young men to shoot — a movement initiated by Field Marshall Lord Roberts upon his return from the Boer War.

Mr Walter Cunliffe, a future Governor of the Bank of England and resident of Headley Court, took up the mantle as president. The club was formally recorded by the National Rifle Association early in 1901 with 85 members.

The club was active up to the outbreak of the First World War. We hold a photograph of the LRC team with the Lord Pirie Trophy, won in 1913 — a trophy still competed for in Surrey today, last won by our club in 2002.

The modern era stems from the disbandment of the Home Guard in 1944. F Company (Leatherhead) of the 6th Surrey Home Guard formed an association to preserve their comradeship, holding their first AGM at the Drill Hall in Leatherhead on 22nd February 1945 with 80-90 members.

Within a few years rifle shooting predominated, and the club became the “Leatherhead Home Guard Rifle Club”. In August 1957 the “Home Guard” tag was dropped and the club has been known as Leatherhead Rifle Club ever since.

In 2015 Leatherhead Rifle Club merged with Wotton, which had its own indoor range but was experiencing low membership — giving us our current home range in Wotton village near Dorking.

If you have any information about the club between the wars we would love to hear from you — please get in touch via the contact details on the home page.

Further Reading