Hitting the Mark
How the Oxenfords Saved Grafton Rifle Club
Herbert ‘Bert’ Oxenford (1897-1966) was hooked on rifle shooting as soon as he won his first club championship in 1919. However, it would slowly become a family affair.
Bert’s sons, John and Rex (1927-2017), were only teenagers when they first accompanied their father to the club (then situated in South Grafton). His passion was infectious and shooting soon evolved into a shared interest. Originally produced for military use in WWI, this ‘Blunt & Wray’ shooting telescope and tripod were Bert’s tools of the trade for the many years he spent competing at the Grafton Rifle Club.
As the town continued to expand outward throughout the 1940s and closer to the grounds, the future of their sporting home was soon under threat. They had two options: move or shut down.
Though they had found an alternative location adjacent to Grafton Experiment Farm, it was money which posed the greatest obstacle for the ongoing life of the club. With only two hundred pounds in the club kitty, the wall used to provide safety and protection for members as they practised shooting (known as a ‘mantlet’) was the most prohibitive expense.
Luckily, the family had all the necessary skills and resources to make it happen at a low cost. Since the early 1900s, the Oxenford Company had (quite literally) been leaving their mark on the Clarence and Mid-North Coast region through building bridges, tunnels, and roads. Now in charge of the family business, Bert decided to apply his knowledge and construct the mantlet with the help of his sons.
In 1956, using donated materials from the family firm, the three men were able to complete the structure and save the club. For their dedication, all three received a life membership.
