Ted Ranken

Ted Ranken was a Bisley regular for more than 50 years. Equally at home with a rifle as he was with a shotgun, he had a wonderful record, including appearing in the final of the Queen’s/King’s Prize 14 times between 1898-1939. It was a total bettered only by a handful of men.

A member of the Council of the National Rifle Association, Ranken was the proud captain of the Scotland XX and VIII shooting teams. He shot with the Scottish VIII in the Elcho Shield a staggering 41 times and was captain on the last 22 occasions. He was captain-elect for the 1950 event, but sadly passed away a few months before it was held. Ranken was Match Rifle Champion in 1905 and 1906, and was also the Scottish National Champion in the second of those years. Some of his major Bisley wins included the Prince of Wales’ Prize, the Albert, Halford Memorial Cup, the Association Cup for Match Rifles, and the Wimbledon Cup for Match Rifles. In addition, he won three silver medals at the 1908 London Olympics.

Ranken was a solicitor and trained under his father and was admitted as a member of the Society of Writers to the Signet in 1902. The Writers to the Signet was a private society of Scottish solicitors, dating back to the late-16th century, and was still in existence more than 300 years later. During World War I Ranken served as a major with the 8th Royal Scots and received the Territorial Decoration (TD).