Ranges at Guisboro

[Cam_s]

I was looking at a picture that has a caption on it stating "off to the ranges at Guisboro". This was from an aviator doing training at Redcar in 1916. On Google maps I found a place called Guisborough which is right beside Redcar. Does anyone know where the ranges were located or what remains today?

Thanks,

Cam

[Ian Riley]

There is a reference here to 'local military ranges'. However, these may not be the WW1 ranges referred to but the local rifle club might know the answer if nobody with local knowledge pops up here. Certainly ranges were more common at the beginning of the 20th Century, probably because of the Rifle Volunteer movement dating from the 1860s and the inability of Volunteers to be able to travel easily to more distant ranges.

From: http://www.nra.org.uk/common/asp/links/links.asp?cat=4

Tees Valley Target Sports
Tees Valley Target Sports Club (previously known as Guisborough Gun Club) in its present form dates from 1963, our club members come from Teesside and its surrounding areas of North Yorkshire and County Durham. We have indoor and outdoor 25m range facilities for small bore rifle and use local military ranges for full bore rifle. Our members also shoot at Bisley. Clay shoots are held every month. We are currently developing an indoor facility on Teesside which will also provide excellent facilities for air rifle, air pistol, archery and soft air.

[Roger Thompson]

Hi there Cam S and Ian Riley, there is an 8oo yds range and targets on the 1914 O/S map of 1914 to a scale of 1:2,500 near Hull Lane now known as Butt Lane.

The targets are in the quarries and the butts up near the disused railway line, as a point of reference its near Foxdale Farm, which is south of Guisboro Hall.

Cheers Roger.

[Cam_s]

Thanks Roger.

Is there a link online for that map? If not, could you send me a scan of the area of the range?

Cam

[Roger Thompson]

https://www.old-maps.co.uk

Hello there Cam, here is the link, I have sent you a PM.

Cheers Roger.

[Guest juke9582]

Butt lane ranges lie to the south east of the town of Guisborough. They were still active when I was a kid and fired a 303 Lee Enfield there in about, 1969.For many years there was a shell of an armoured vehicle at the bottom of the shale. The butts themselves were decommissioned in the 70s with pine trees planted over the top. I have a photo somewhere of over 700 tents assembled near buttlane dating from the early 1900s. Many of those taking part in the camp were Green Howards.

Regards

KRB