Newsletter - National Field Archery Society

6
‘The Master’
I FIRST met John Whitmore at the Woodmen
of Arden in 1971 A.D., it being the British
Longbow Society's annual clout shoot in the
Midlands (Meriden).
The BLBS in those days had 161 members - the
secretary being Thomas Wright, Count Stainer,
CB Edwards and Edward G Heath (not the politician
but well known author of 'The Grey Goose
Wing' etc), Richard (Dick) Galloway - props manager
for films such as Robin Hood and Kirk
Douglas in The Vikings (Dick presented me with
the prototype for Kirk Douglas's viking helmet),
also Godfrey in 'Dads Army' and Val Valentine
were well known script writers, who both wrote
extensive essays on archery.
I myself was shooting a Slazenger Longbow -
being amazed I was being out-distanced by said
gentleman. I was at an age of the strength of a
lion - John came to my rescue, loaning me a longbow
of his own manufacture to whit later he
said: “It's yours. Pay me when you can.” So at
shoots I always paid John's entrance fee (50p in
those days, which would equate to £10.00
today).
In 1972 John had the inspiration to do Roving
Marks - with Fred Lakes tutorage to history and
custom and practice thus we met at the George
Inn, Leigh Sinton, Worcestershire, and later in
Roger Trow’s parent’s pub in a church yard in
Blackpole, near Worcester, to formulate Roving
Marks.
Our first open Finsbury Roving was held at
Woodlands Farm, Loxley, in March 1974.
John Whitmore, Captain to the Mark, with the
following: Roger Trow, Michael Leedham, Brian
Hulme, Roger Whitmore, Roy and Beryl
Bickerstaffe, Ron Harvey and Ron and Eileen
Palmer.
When NFAS was founded by Roy and Beryl
Bickerstaffe etc, I am pleased to remember the
Finsbury Roving Marks were encouraged and
insured by the then NFAS and held several
shoots every year till the first decade of the
21st century under the umbrella of NFAS.
John organised our first meet at Woodlands
JOHN WHITMORE
by John Holder
Farm, Loxley, by the good grace of Joe Elliott.
John often recited his adventures whilst serving
his National Service in the Army in our
colony in British Honduras, South America, later
renamed Belize, shooting longbow after alligators/crocodile
and other game, and also when on
patrol, once making their way to the torrential
waterfalls just perfectly portrayed on television.
Upon completing his tour of duty he brought
the idea of Field Shooting back with him, establishing
Severn Valley Yeoman Foresters.
John, with his twin brother Roger, were always
a joy to shoot with and dispensed a dry wit,
pleasing and beneficial.
In January 1973 John inspired to re-enactment
i.e. Plantagenent Society, practising at Woodland
Farm - thence to his first venue at Warwick
Castle, having practised - one man at arms had
an arrow on a spring lashed to his torso. John
shot the recipient, revolved and fell on the
ground with the arrow popping up. The St John's
ambulance crew ran onto the field thinking he
had been shot (what fun!!!)
John Whitmore shot at shoots all over the
country - of diffuse discipline in all weathers;
last but not least at Frankley Bowmen's
clout/field shoot in November 2011. John won
the Clout and he said to me, I quote: "John,
would you mind picking up my arrows, I can't
bend these days," to which I concurred happily.
John won the Clout and, with myself still shooting
the longbow he presented to me all those
years ago, he received a Westminster Bodkin
with cheers.
Little did we know this was the last time we
would shoot with 'The Master'.
As Caesar said after the Battle of Philipli
'sunt lacrimae rerum lacrimae'
THERE ARE TEARS FOR SUCH THINGS
HE HAS LIVED
Captain Finsbury Roving Marks
John David Emmanuel Holder