Katherine Mudge

Katherine Mudge was the youngest of five children born to army officer Arthur Thomas Mudge, who was also a Justice of the Peace (JP) for Devon. She developed as a fine archer at a young age, and in 1903, after a much-improved season, local archery experts were predicting a bright future for the young Welsh-born Devon girl.

Those pundits were proved right as Mudge went on to win the West of England title at the Grand Western Meeting on four occasions between 1904-08, including regaining it in her home-town of Paignton in 1907. Mudge was also runner-up in 1909. She never won the national title, but had the fourth best overall score in the Grand National Meeting at the Yorkshire County Cricket Ground in 1907.

Mudge married Royal Navy commander Ernest Cardale in 1915 and they started a family soon afterwards and with it came an end to her competitive archery career. Mudge’s brother John Grainger was also an fine archer, and the siblings often competed together at many tournaments.