3-078-272 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Sketches at the Royal Military Tournament, Agricultural Hall, Islington: fencing on horseback, 1890. 'The eleventh annual Military Tournament was opened by her Royal Highness the Duchess of Albany on Wednesday, June 18, the anniversary of the battle of Waterloo...some feats of skill, including the decapitation of sham heads mounted on poles, struck off by the swords of mounted soldiers at full gallop around the arena, lemon-cutting, tilting at the ring, and tent-pegging, were performed by non-commissioned officers and men of different regiments. There was also a combined movement of cavalry, infantry, mounted infantry, machine-guns, artillery, and engineers...some clever operations were carried out by the 2nd Kent Artillery Volunteers, and the hard work of artillery was illustrated by a detachment from the Shoeburyness School of Gunnery, who demonstrated what "repository drill" meant. The musical ride by the Lothian and Berwickshire Yeomanry, the fine display by the 1st Life Guards, the musical dumb-bell drill by the Aldershot gymnastic staff, and their gymnastic display afforded the greatest delight to the audience; and each performance closed with a scenic display, in which all arms took part'. From "Illustrated London News", 1890.