In the early summer of 1884 Charlottetown artist 
     
     Robert Harris had just completed his painting of the 
     
     "Fathers of Confederation," a painting that would 
     
     be lost in the Parliament Building fire of 1916, but 
     
     be immortalized forever in reproduction. The same 
     
     month, on June 18th, the inaugural meeting was held at 
     
     Falconwood, Dr. Blanchard's residence on the grounds 
     
     of the Insane Asylum just east of Charlottetown, on 
     
     the Hillsborough River. A rather inappropriate place 
     
     to hold the first meeting of a sport that demands the 
     
     maximum in alertness and responsibility. But all 
     
     should be aware that those in attendance had the 
     
     latter qualities, and in no way reflected the accepted 
     
     stigma of the location. 
     
    
   
   
    
     In attendance this day, along with Dr. 
     
     Blanchard and Magistrate FitzGerald, were Francis 
     
     Arnaud, who was head cashier at the local Bank of 
     
     Halifax; Prince Edward Island Attorney General, Hon. 
     
     Frederick Peters; Barrister Francis L. Haszard; David 
     
     C. Chalmers, the local agent for the Bank of Nova 
     
     Scotia; City Alderman Horace Haszard; William Worden, 
     
     who was the American Consul living in Charlottetown; 
     
     and the local postage stamp clerk William C. Hobkirk. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The group was very enthusiastic. After making 
     
     a positive decision to organize a shooting club, their 
     
     first order of business was to elect the executive 
     
     officers. Following the usual nominations and voting 
     
     (and in 1884 strict parlimentary procedure was the 
     
     rule rather than the exception), Rowan R. FitzGerald 
     
     was elected the Club's first President. Vice- 
     
     President was Frederick Peters, and Doctor Blanchard 
     
     was named Secretary/Treasurer. 
     
    
   
   
    
     An annual dues structure was not considered, but 
     
     the members did agree to assess themselves an amount, 
     
     from time to time, as would be necessary to cover the 
     
     club's required operating expenses. Their initial 
     
     assessment, or subscription as they called it, would 
     
     be three dollars and fifty cents each--a sizeable 
     
     amount for the day, and comparable to well in excess 
     
     of one hundred dollars today. 
     
    
   
   
    
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