In memory of Peter Turner

1945-2025

Gentleman, dedicated Field Archer, promoter of Field Archery, event organiser, Coach, Judge and the Founder of our club, Overton Black Arrows.

Founder of the archery club Overton Archers, 1962-1975, part of the Overton Youth Club.

Founder of the archery club Black Arrows, 1970-1975, a dedicated Field Archery club.

Founder of the archery club Overton Black Arrows, 1975-Present, a Target, Field and 3D Archery Club.

The following gives you a a brief archery history of Peter Turner, to detail all of his achievements and contributions to the world of archery, especially field archery, would mean writing a book, rather than writing an article for a webpage, even if it is quite lengthy!

In 1960 at just 15, Peter took a further education archery class in archery with the Overton Youth Club.

Just two years later in 1962 Peter formed the archery club Overton Archers shooting mainly target archery.

In 1970 Peter formed a Field Archery club called Black Arrows to help him, and others, pursue his love of field archery.

Overton Archers and Black Arrows continued to run alongside each other, shooting at venues in and around Overton. Over time, members of one club would often join the other.

By 1975 members realised the membership of one club was, almost without exception, the same as the other. So, Peter Turner helped amalgamate the two clubs into one, and the club we still belong to, Overton Black Arrows, was born.

In his own words, Peter wrote the following in late 2019;
“In 1960 I did a further education archery class with Overton Youth Club, [Don Stamp brought the instructor along], and went on to form Overton Archers in 1962, and Black Arrows 1970, a club which specialized in field archery. In 1975 the two clubs amalgamated to become Overton Black Arrows.

I progressed in field archery to be in the “top ten” in recurve & instinctive styles. Qualified as an instructor, going on to be a coach. Joined National Squads/teams as an archer and later as a coach.

I helped Don Stamp [the then Chairman of the field committee, and GNAS vice president.] develop, train and examine a “Field endorsement” to the coaching qualification. This has since been dropped as it was said “field archery” was covered in the coaching qualification.

I have been Assistant Manager or Coach to a number of field/3D teams since 1988. I have attended most World/European Field Championships/World Games, since that time.

I have been part of the organization of many Field archery tournaments, from club, county, regional, National, World Championships, and World Games.

I also have an Instructors Certificate dated June 1968, endorsed ‘Qualified to Coach in Field Archery – almost 51 years ago.

To explain the original Instructors qualification was equivalent to Level one, but at a standard or Coach or County degree of knowledge.”.

Peter sent me an archery magazine clipping in June 2023, I believe he was going through some old magazines he still had in the weeks after the clubs’ AGM. It was an article about the Overton Black Arrows Club Championships for 1984.

The following is a summary of that article;

The Target Archery competition of the championships was a “National” round of 4 dozen arrows at 60yards on a 122cm target, followed by 2 dozen arrows at 50yards on a 122cm target, using imperial scoring meaning a maximum of 648points. The OvBA Target Champion for 1984 was none other than, Peter Turner with 550points, 72hits, 31 of them gold, just 6 points ahead of John Bennett. Even though Peter was a previous National Clout Champion, at the OvBA Clout Archery competition Peter finished in second, scoring 55points, with 23 out of his 36 arrows finding the scoring area 8yards across, the centre gold (5points) being just 3feet across. 14points ahead and the winner of the Overton Black Arrows Clout Archery competition was John Bennett. It is maybe no surprise that Peter won the Overton Black Arrows Gentleman’s Freestyle Field competition with 191points, 6points ahead of Geoff Titchener in second.

Princess Alexandra presented Peter with the Torch Trophy Trust Award for his, at the time 49years of voluntary service to the sport of archery.

The presentation was made at an event held at the Army and Navy Club in London in November 2011.

Peter’s enthusiasm to help grow and support the sport he loved not only saw him attend Field Events as an archer, an organiser, a judge, but in later years to simply go along to watch and the friends he’d made across the archery community, whenever he could.

Peter’s archery journey started when he took a further education class at 15 and it continued for the rest of his life, with one of his last official commitments taking place in the days just after his 80th birthday, as part of the Judging team at the UK 3D Championships in July 2025, held at Overton Black Arrows’ very own Field Archery venue The Warren, quite possibly Peter’s spiritual archery home.

Asides from what are likely to be numerous club titles and likely a good number of county and regional titles Peter’s achievements also include, but are likely not limited to, being a British Clout Champion, [Editors Note: Hopefully we’ll be able to add the year and or additional detail if we can get it, current thinking is around 1964 or a year or two later] an archer for his County and National Team, a Coach helping beginners and International level archers alike, a Judge for many years, the heart and soul of Overton Black Arrows since he formed it until he passed and, all in all, a thoroughly decent gentleman. If the world was full of people as nice as Peter, it really would be a much nicer place to be.

In 2011 Peter was nominated by the then Chairman of Overton Black Arrows, David Backers, for the Annual Torch Trophy Trust Awards, which he won, with the award being presented to Peter by Princess Alexandra at the Army and Navy Club in London, picture above.

From the age of around 17, and for the following 63 years, Peter formed the first of two clubs which would go on to become Overton Black Arrows. There were times in Overton Black Arrows' history when Peter used his own money to ensure archers, just a handful, could still hire and shoot at their indoor facility at Testbourne School. Throughout most of his life Peter has been involved with archery, either as an archer, an instructor, a "Qualified to coach in Field Archery" endorsed coach, an AGB Level 1 and subsequently Level 2 coach, as well as the Coach to National Teams. Peter went on to became an Archery Judge and carried out this role across the Country at numerous competitions. Throughout his time he sat on and was a member of numerous archery organisations, SCAS and HAA to name but two.

All in all, for 65years, Peter took part in, supported and gave back to the sport he loved. Very, very few people can say they’ve been so committed, supportive and involved in a sport they love for such a long period of time.

Peter was made Lifelong President of Overton Black Arrows in 2010, 48years after forming the first of two clubs which would go on to become Overton Black Arrows and 50years after starting his own archery journey.

To say Peter has been a significant part of the Field Archery scene is an understatement, and it’s likely Peter has given advice and coaching help to thousands of archers over his 65year involvement in the sport, from beginners at his club, to archers in County and National Teams/Squads, as well as passing on his knowledge to numerous fellow Coaches and Judges alike.

At times, Peter was Overton Black Arrows, single handily carrying out all the roles which make up today’s Committee, when membership numbers dropped to their lowest in the 1990s. But, Peter’s love for archery and his club meant he did everything he could to keep the club going. One previous Chairman believed Peter himself was paying to hire the Gymnasium at Testbourne School for the 3 or 4 members who would turn up to shoot on Friday evenings during the Autumn and Winter, from his own pocket, because the club certainly didn’t have the finances to pay for such things itself.

Thanks to Peter’s determination and love for archery, especially field archery, Overton Black Arrows was kept alive and eventually began attracting new members. In time, as numbers began to grow, others began to help Peter and membership numbers continued to rise and, fast forwarding around 20years, we are now blessed with some amazing facilities, a membership which is into three figures rather than near single figures, and finances which mean we don’t have to ask the current Chairman for money to pay for facilities to enable members to shoot at Testbourne School where we still shoot, although nowadays it's on Wednesday evenings through the Autumn and Winter, rather than a Friday.

Today, Overton Black Arrows has access to a 100yard Target Range members can use every day of the year, indoor facilities for up to 24archers to shoot up to 20yards on club nights from early September through to the end of March, plus a Field and 3D Range around which we can set some of the most challenging Field and 3D courses anywhere in Britain. Not bad for a club that can trace its roots back to a 15 old young man.

Peter was a part of and attended the annual Overton Black Arrows Field Competition for 50years, helping organise and shooting in the competition for many years, before moving over to Judging at the event in more recent years.

Even for a relatively new club member, I can testify to the fact things didn’t feel quite the same at The Warren without Peter’s friendly happy face and demeanour permeating around the venue when we held British 3D Championships in September 2025 when he was unable to attend a Field Archery competition held at his beloved club for the first time in over 50years.

Peter Turner, proud, happy, 80years old and still involved. This was taken following the conclusion of the medal ceremony for the UK 3D Championships in 2025 where Peter presented the medals to the winners.

Proudly standing behind Peter, from left to right, are; Stephen Baker, Tricia Crawley, Tremaine Callier, Richard Buckner, Hannah Callier, Barry Burton, Rob Aldridge, Paul Williams, Susie Allam, Steve Allam, Jaco van Eck, Farhad Jafari.

As I near the end of this article, I feel incredibly sad that a man who built Overton Black Arrows and did so much for Field Archery in general will now only be with us at future events in memory although, I suspect with his beliefs, Peter will be looking over us and I hope we can do him proud as a club and at our future events.

Everyone I’ve spoken to, or heard comment, about Peter since his passing, has nothing but happy memories and praise for him being; a gentleman, kind, considerate, helpful, incredibly knowledgeable and always willing to share his knowledge so others could learn and benefit from it.

As a member of Overton Black Arrows and current Chairman of the club at the time of Peter’s passing, not only do I feel incredibly sad we have lost the founder of our club, but I feel the wider archery community has lost a hugely prominent figure, especially in Field Archery. However, notwithstanding that, I feel extremely proud and privileged to have known Peter, even if it was for just a few years. I can also confess to the fact that writing this has been an emotional at times and I thank you for taking the time to read this.

RIP Peter Turner, you will be missed, but never forgotten.

Editor’s Request:

If you have any knowledge of Peter’s archery life and achievements, or if you know a point of contact in an archery organisation who might have knowledge, or records of, Peter’s achievements, please use the contact page and send a message to the Chairman, so that I may be able to add to this small tribute to a person who dedicated his life to the sport he loved, thank you.