BELLVILLE PISTOL CLUB – A BRIEF HISTORY
The club had its beginning in March 1967 on the farm Sonstraal in Durbanville. It was known as the “Bellville Vroue Pistoolklub”, run under the leadership of Mrs J E Anderson. Its first AGM took place on 23 May 1961, at 19h30. The ladies were to be trained in the use of pistols by members of the SA Police. During the period 1961 to 1966, a total of 123 ladies were trained, 2 of them earning their WP Colours.
In dire need of a permanent range, they eventually acquired temporary use of a place on the farm Loevenstein, making use of a dam wall as a stop bank. They used this range from August 1962 until the end of 1966.
Club pistols were kept by the police, and subsonic 0.22 ammunition was used. In those days, 1000 rounds of 0.22 cost R12. Annual club membership started at R1-50, but as the years went by, rose to R5. Life membership cost R50.
In March of 1967, the ladies participated in the WP Championships for the first time, winning 23 cups. Then on 1 April they took part at the National Bisley, and continued from there to the EP Championships on 6 April 1967. They also took part in annual postal shoots against Canada and Australia under the name of Barbarians.
The Loevenstein range was eventually closed as the area was to be developed for housing, so the club was again forced to find ground for a new club. After protracted negotiations at high level they secured land in Durban Road where McDonalds presently stands. The new club was built and completed during 1967, and officially opened by the then Deputy Police Minister on 24 February 1968.
During 1971, the club adopted a new Constitution, and changed its name to Bellville Pistoolklub.
Bellville continued to expand, as new development took place, causing the club to again relocate, this time to Stikland. In 1994, the club opened its new and improved facilities at its present site in Stikland, where it continues to grow from strength to strength.