An Autobiography of an Ancient Athlete & Antiquarian

174 AUTOBIOGRAPHY On the 13th August was the State Funeral Service to Dean Lefroy in the Cathedral. The old custom of the Mayor and Sheriff attending the orwich Swan Upping was, after very many years, revived by Sheriff Howlett and I, who went up in a launch with Bacon, the Master of the Great Hospital, to a gargantuan breakfast of the '' uppers," the gamekeepers, and all concerned, at Buckenham Ferry, where Colonel Gilbert and others were there to watch over their private swan rights, the former producing an old swan roll. Bawtree, of the Civil Service, an old athlete, was with him, a man I bad not seen for centuries. After averaging 118 for my last 18 practices I thought I might have done some good at the Wood Hill. East Dereham Meeting, but I shot absolutely vilely there, only getting 16 for 64 at 60, or hardly more than half of my practice score. On the following Saturday at Lammas I did 33 for 144, which included one dozen, all hits for 68, the best dozen I ever did, including three golds, two reds, &c. On the 30th August, at the Beeston Meeting, I did better, getting 26 for I IO at 60, and a total of 124, the best men's score, and my daughter doing the best ladies' score. In practice next week I got 37 on for 149. The Annual Port and Haven Outing at Jewson's invitation on 3rd September was amusing and well managed-a special train to Lowestoft and boat on to Beccles, where we fed on the Quay. At practising at Lammas I did 32 for 140, but at the Norwich Meeting I again shot shamefully, 21 or 60, but I had the consolation that the Grammar School Ground is the trickiest and most unpleasant shooting-ground in the county. On the 11th September my son, H.G.R., brought down his fiancie, a Scotch girl called Marjorie Willox, to whom we all took at once. His shameful conduct in taking her to the palatial buildings of the Norwich Union, and per– suading her that that was my private house, before bringing her to my cottage in the same street, was only in accord– ance with the bad family habit of leg-pulling, of which we are all so foolishly fond. At the Smallburgh first meeting of the year my daughter and I did very well, she getting first prize in first class and I getting the second class men's prize for