THE ROYAL TOURNAMENT

THE ROYAL TOURNAMENT

Members who attended the 1992 Convention held at the Crystal Palace will remember the display given by Arthur Smith on the Royal Tournaments. The highlight of this was the fact that he had been able to identify the year of publication of the cards connected with these events, covering the years 1906 to 1949. It has always been a problem in that not all of the cards have the year printed on them.

At the time I felt that Arthur's research should not be lost, and he has now given me copious notes so that his work can be recorded. His solving of this major problem has meant it should now be possible to produce. a listing of all the Royal Tournament cards. I doubt if this task could have been tackled without his breakthrough.

Editor

THE ROYAL TOURNAMENTS at OLYMPIA

1906 to 1949 inclusive

Less the war years 1915-18 and 1940-46

TITLES

1906-14 Royal Naval and Military Tournament

1919 only Royal Naval Military and Air Force Tournament

From 1920 The Royal Tournament

DISPLAYS

Year inc. Main Display Other Displays

opening &

closing dates

1906 Tilting in Olden Times R.N. crossing the line

17/5-2/6 R.N. Field Gun Crews from H.M.S. Victory & H.M.S. Excellent

1907 Ye Tournament in ye Olden Days R.N. Physical Training

16/5-1/6 R.N. Field Gun Crews

1908 West African Regiment R.N. Field Gun Display

21/5-6/6 Boys R.N. School Greenwich

1909 Transportation of Troops to a Riding & Jumping Display

13/5-29/5 Theatre of War Musical Ride R.H.A. & Dragoon Guards

R.N. Field Gun Crews

1910 Britannia's Muster Army & Navy Gymnastics

20/6-6/7 (400 men & 175 horses) Musical Ride 21st Lancers

Arab Tent Pegging

R.N. Inter Port Field Gun Crews

1911 Heroes of British History Peninsular Period Costume

18/5-3/6 (320 men & 100 horses) Army & Navy Gymnastics

Musical Ride (R. Scot Greys)

1912 The Call to Arms 1588 Historical Ride 1685 - 1912

23/5-8/6 (500.men & 100 horses) Old Time Firing Excercise by Green Howards

R.N. Field Gun Display

Musical Ride

1913 The Restoration 1660 Musical Ride 2nd Life Guards

22/5-7/6 Cavalry Display 20th Hussars

R.N. Field Battery Display

1914 The Romans in Britain Army & Navy Gymnastics

14/5-30/5 Highland Dancing by Boys

(Q. V. School Dunblane)

R.H.A. Musical Drive

5th Dragoons Musical Ride

1915-18 No Tournaments held

1919 The Attack Boys from H.M.S. Excellent

26/6-12/7 (Items from the Great War Displays by W.R.N.S.

tanks etc)

1920 "I Remember" Pageant Royal Marine Light Infantry

20/5-5/6 R.F.A. Vaulting Display

1921 Neptune's Soldiers Pageant R.H.A. Musical Drive

19/5-4/6 2nd Life Guards Musical Ride

R. E. Display

1922 The Royal Navy Past and Present Rope Climbing

18/5-3/6 Q Boat and Submarine

Guard Mounting

1923 Scotland in Arms Massed Pipes and Drums

24/5-9/6 12th R Lancers Musical Ride

1924 Hearts of Oak Naval Pageant Musical Drive R.H.A.

22/5-7/6

1925 "Ubique" Royal Artillery R.N. Gun Crews

28/5-13/6

1926 A Frontier Fight Brigade of Guards

8/7-24/7 (Combined Display) R.A. Service Corps

Musical Ride R.H.A.

1927 Scotland Massed Pipe Bands

19/5-4/6 1. Battle of Killiecrankie R.A.F. Display

2. Scottish Dancing R.N. Field Gun Competition

3. Unity (100 years after) Kings Squad R.M.

1928 The Battle of Inkerman R.S.F. Mounted Display (Weedon School)

24/5-9/6 R.A.S.C. Display

The Royal Scots Greys

1929 1st Batt. Middlesex Regt. Musical Ride 17th / 21st Lancers

23/5-8/6 (Die Hard the 57th) Mounted School Weedon

(Steady the Drums & Fifes) 3rd Batt. R. Tank Regt.

1930 Royal Fusiliers Historical Display 17th / 21st Lancers Display

29/5-14/6 Musical Ride (3rd Carabiniers)

Pipers of the Scots Guards

Army School of P. T.

1931 2nd Batt. Gloucester Regt R.N. Gun Crews

28/5-13/6 Historical Display Musical Ride R.H.A.

R.A.F. P. E. Display

1932 1st Batt. Prince of Wales Regt. Activity Ride Life Guards

25/5-11/6 Musical Ride

Royal Signals Motor Cycle Ride

Jumping Competition

1933 1st Batt. The Royal Scots Musical Double Ride

25/5-10/6 (The Royal Regt.) R.M. & R.N. Field Gun

Surrender of Ft. St. John's R.H.A. Musical Drive

Newfoundland

1934 2nd Batt. The Black Watch Musical Ride R.H.G.

17/5-2/6 (Royal Highlanders) Window Climbing & Rope Climbing by Boys of R.N.

P. T. by the R.A.F.

1935 Arrival of Katherine of Braganza R.N. Field Gun Competition

9/5-25/5 at Portsmouth

1936 2nd Batt. Norfolk Regt. Armada Territorial Army Air Defence Display

7/5-23/5 Display Musical Drive R.H.A.

1937 Hon Artillery Company Historical Royal Marines

27/5-12/6 Display Boys of the Duke of York School

Toy Soldiers

1938 Scottish Regiments Musical Jumping Display 5th Royal

19/5-4/6 Inniskilling Dragoon Guards

K. Battery R.H.A.

P. T. R.A.F.

1939 Mimic Battle Toy Soldiers Royal Marines

18/5-3/6 (Boys of the Duke of York Grenadier Guards

R.M.S.) Motor Cycles Royal Signals

Musical Ride Life Guards

1940-46 No Tournaments held

1947 Massed Pipes and Drums Fleet Air Arm join R.N. Gun Crew

12/6-28/6 Competition

Royal Signals Despatch Riders

1948 Sunset Ceremony by Massed Bands Ceremony of the Keys

10/6-26/6 of the R.N. school of Music R.N. Inter Port Field Gun Competition

Royal Signals Despatch Riders

1949 Massed Drums and Pipes of the R.N. Field Gun Competition

16/6-2/7 Brigade of Guards Royal Engineers Bridge Building

Competition

Royal Signals Despatch Riders

POST CARD PRINTERS

1906 Gale & Polden Photographic

1907 Unknown printer Photographic

1908 Gale & Polden Photographic

1909 Gale & Polden Photographic

1910 Gale & Polden Photographic

1911 Gale & Polden Photographic

Unknown printer 1. Coloured poster card

1912 Gale & Polden Photographic

Unknown printer 2. Coloured poster cards

1913 Gale & Polden Photographic

Unknown printer 1. Coloured poster card

Mrs Albert Broom Photographic (dated)

1914 Gale & Polden Photographic

Set of six prepared before the Tournament

(dated)

Unknown printer 1. Coloured poster card

1919 Gale & Polden Photographic

Unknown printer Photographic

1920 Gale & Polden 3. Coloured cards

Unknown printer Photographic

1921 Gale & Polden 5. Coloured cards

Unknown printer Photographic

1922 Fleetway Press Photographic (dated)

Coloured (dated)

1923 Fleetway Press Photographic (dated)

1924 Fleetway Press Photographic (dated)

John Waddington Coloured (dated)

1925 Fleetway Press Coloured poster card (dated)

1926 Fleetway Press Set of six photographic (dated)

Black & red poster card

1927 Fleetway Press Photographic (dated)

1928 Fleetway Press Set of six Photographic (dated)

1929 Fleetway Press Photographic (dated)

1930 Fleetway Press Photographic

L.P.M. 1. Coloured Modern poster card (dated)

1931 Fleetway Press Photographic

1932 Fleetway Press Set of six photographic

From 1933 Fleetway's old address 3-9, Dane St, Holborn, W.C.1. was altered to their new address 11-15, Emerald St, London, W.C.1.

1933 Fleetway Press Set of six photographic

1934 Fleetway Press Photographic

Unknown printer Photographic (dated)

1935 No cards seen

1936 Fleetway Press Photographic

1937 Betts Son & Malyon Photographic

1938 Betts Son & Malyon Photographic

1939 Betts Son & Malyon Photographic

1947 Gale & Polden Photographic

1948 Gale & Polden Photographic

1949 Gale & Polden Photographic

I have only two cards of different types, of subjects common to all three years 1947, 1948 and 1949. Further information is required to date these cards. I have used the word photographic as a general term to include both Real Photograph and Photogravure.

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