Addressing the gender imbalance in shooting

Thomas Gainborough’s iconic picture of Mr and Mrs Andrews painted in 1750 has historically epitomised the women’s historic role in not only shooting, but the upper echelons of society. Robert's nonchalant pose as master of all he surveys is in stark contrast to that of his attentive wife Frances, who is "sitting bolt upright" a poise not only expected of ladies, but also largely determined by their tight corsetry. In the age of muzzle loading shotguns (which were liable to explode) shooting was regarded an exclusively a male activity.  

Thomas Gainsborough's painting of Mr and Mrs Andrews - 1750

In spite of the revolutionary improvements in gun technology which transformed shooting in the latter part of the nineteenth century, there was little progress in addressing the gender imbalance. Up to and even after the First World War, there was still widespread endorsement of Queen Victoria’s view that while it was acceptable to be a spectator, only ‘fast women’ actually shot. Their main role, perceived at least by men, was in their often low cut and excessively tight evening gowns with their hour glass figures achieved by tightly laced corsets to  grace the dinners and other events that accompanied the shooting parties. They were expected to be passive and powerless, meek, charming, graceful, sympathetic, self-sacrificing, pious, and above all utterly helpless when matters outside the home were concerned. 

It was not until the interwar period when female participation in shooting finally began to  increase.  The best known and the most impressive shot at the time was the Duchess of Bedford, Mary du Caurroy Tribe, wife of the 11th Duke of Bedford. Widely known as the ‘Flying Duchess‘ for her love of flying her own aeroplane, she was acclaimed as one of the finest shots in England  and a considerably better shot than her husband. 

Since the 1980s in particular there has been a continuing increase in female participation in game shooting. At the end of the 20th century, many women were still put off picking up a gun by a combination of factors including not only the lack of opportunity, issues about finding suitable equipment and in some quarters general disapproval. Thankfully efforts have been made  to provide not only more shooting opportunities, but increased scope for buying stylish, functional clothing and the scope to participate with like-minded companions. One of the earliest pioneers to address this gap in the market was the Holland and Holland shooting grounds in North London; their Green Feathers Course being specifically designed to introduce women to  shooting. Its sequel the Silver Feathers Course also proved extremely popular, improving the shooting skills of hundreds of ladies whilst providing them with the opportunity to have fun along the way.

In 2012, there was the development of a national network of ladies’ events in the shape of the Shotgun & Chelsea Bun Club (S&CBC) which started initially as clay shooting taster session followed by afternoon tea. Soon S&CBC founder, Victoria Knowles-Lacks, found herself swamped by demand for similar events. By 2014 she had held events in almost every county in England and had also ventured into Scotland and Wales. To date, the club has introduced approaching 8000 women to shooting. Such has been the club’s success that Victoria declared 27 June to be “National Ladies’ Shooting Day”, with events at 20 grounds across England and more than 1,000 ladies simultaneously squeezing their triggers. 

Victoria Knowles-Lacks pulls down another

Shooting is a sport for everyone, whether tall or short, male or female - participants can all take part alongside one another. While shooting still has a way to go before men and women participate in equal numbers, it is important to appreciate the remarkable progress which has been made since Thomas Gainborough painted his iconic portrait.