With the Daily Mail's Robery Hardman joining The Great War Display Team in Northamptonshire, the only one of its kind in Europe, which uses replica WWI biplanes and triplanes to reproduce the aerial dogfights of that war, why are the British obsessed with historical re-enactments?
Today and tomorrow, this remarkable team will be at Kelmarsh Hall in Northamptonshire for some of the most ambitious battles they have ever staged.
Thousands are expected at English Heritage's Festival of History, a lively weekend of reenactments of everything from the Roman invasion to the English Civil War and 18th-century British highwaymen.
The people in this article are taking part in that event, and are dressed up as everything from an 18th Century British Redcoat and an English Civil War Roundhead soldier, to a young Queen Victoria and a Tudor Falconer.
Why the British are obsessed with re-enacting historical scenes
by MISHAAL KHAN and ANNA SEAMAN
10th August 2007
Daily Mail
This weekend, English Heritage hosts the Festival Of History at Kelmarsh Hall, Northamptonshire, which will see more than 1,000 people from 80 re-enactment societies playing out historical scenes involving the Roman Army, Medieval knights and Queen Victoria to name but a few. Here, eight true British eccentrics explain their obsession taking part
(Left to right) English Civil War Roundhead, 18th Century Redcoat, medieval knight, Queen Elizabeth I, young Queen Victoria, an apothecary, a Tudor falconer and a Roman soldier
ENGLISH CIVIL WAR SOLDIER
DAVID McLOUGHLIN, 49, a photographic archivist, lives in Nottingham with his partner Jennie Irving, 46, an accountant.
He says:
I'll be commentating on the English Civil War battle in the clothing worn by a gentleman officer of the Parliamentarian Army from 1645.
It includes a large felt hat which I had especially trimmed with silk and feathers, a belt with leather pouches for coins and trinkets, a sash across my shoulder and a sword.
I bought my uniforms from specialist military clothing shops and had the hat made.
My family think I'm a bit strange and often leave me to it, except my partner Jennie who works on the administration side, helping to run the King's Army.
I've been into re- enactment societies since the 1970s and I'm fascinated by historical battles.
Commentating is exciting because I get to watch all the action and help recreate the drama of the battlefield for the audience.
--------------------------------------------
BRITISH 18TH-CENTURY REDCOAT
STUART ODEN-WALDER, 45, is a postman and lives in Worksop with his wife Doris.
He says:
I'm a member of the 47th Foot group named after a unit of the British Army that fought in the American War of Independence in 1776.
My outfit cost &2,000 but I use it six or seven times a year for different events so it's not a waste.
The garments are made from the same patterns as they used back then and we sourced silks and cottons which are specially dyed and made-to-measure.
The trick is to pay attention to detail. The buttons and buckles are hand-moulded and my hat and shoes have been hand-made by specialists.
At the festival, we'll be practising army drills and living in a camp, imitating living conditions from the 18th century such as cooking over fires and sleeping in old-fashioned tents.
My wife will be with me in traditional costume - she keeps house while I go out to march. We don't have any children but our society's members range from 17 to 56 - that's why I love this hobby, it transcends all the generational boundaries and it contributes to society, keeping British history alive.
MEDIEVAL KNIGHT
JOHNNY HATHAWAY WHITE, 21, is a humanities student at Birmingham University.
He says: The most exciting thing about playing a 15th century knight is that I get to joust, riding a horse at full gallop towards my opponent, trying to knock him off with a huge lance.
It takes a lot of skill and fitness, and there's a real threat of getting injured.
I've had concussion and broken my arm and my wrist, but it is a real adrenaline rush and I love it.
Even better, for protection I get to wear a coat of armour belonging to English Heritage. It is heavy, uncomfortable, hot and claustrophic, but it does warrant the best chat-up lines in the world because I really am a knight in shining armour.
It is not as glamorous as it sounds, though. I need two people to put it on for me and it's difficult to move in.
Underneath I wear thigh-high riding boots, skintight hose (tights) and a linen shirt with a gold doublet (waistcoat).
They are all exact replicas made by special costume makers who follow old patterns and use old-fashioned dyes to get the right colours.
This fascination with history started when I joined a Napoleonic re-enactment society when I was seven, and I began riding at 13.
When I graduate from university I am going to join the Army, and the drive and discipline I need for my role as a knight should stand me in good stead - though I'm not sure how a lance would fare against a machine gun.
---------------------------------------
QUEEN ELIZABETH I
BECCA HOLLAND, 33, is a professional re-enactor and lives in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.
It's a dangerous job being in this line of work. I use sharp weapons - sword-fighting on horseback - and explosives, and have broken my back twice falling off a horse, spending weeks in hospital.
I've also fractured my skull, had teeth knocked out, been kicked in the face by a horse and had the tip of a sword through my eyelid. But none of it has ever made me want to stop.
I got the re-enacting bug at 17. It was male-dominated and the only way I could get an active role in my group, The Sealed Knot, was to dress up as a man and re-enact military battle scenes.
After ten years, I joined a cavalry group, sword-fighting on horseback.
Strong women from history such as Joan of Arc inspire me, but I found it frustrating that they weren't paid enough attention and I wanted to tell their story, so I decided to re-enact Queen Elizabeth I.
I hire the beautiful gowns from a costumier and wear a wig, so I really do look the part.
But it is hard work. I'm riding side-saddle on horseback all day which causes a strain on my back and legs.
I also re-enact a highway woman and have to pretend to sword-fight while galloping. I spend hours driving enormous trucks up and down the country to events and fairs, and I train the horses myself.
However, I enjoy it so much that I quit my bank job last month to dedicate all my time to re-enactment, even though it doesn't pay well.
At least I'm doing something I love.
-------------------------------------------
YOUNG QUEEN VICTORIA
KAREN WRIGHT, 36, a corset and wedding dress designer, lives in Wiltshire.
She says:
Queen Victoria owned a white Arab horse just like my horse, who is called Blysara, so we fit the role perfectly.
I will be riding side-saddle and wearing a copy of the outfit that the Queen wore to greet the troops after the Crimean War in 1856.
On Saturday I will ride the horse into the event [the Festival Of History], then I pin medals on the soldiers. I recreate an actual moment when Queen Victoria pricks someone's skin by mistake. I feel sorry for the actor who is playing the soldier and hope I don't hurt him too much.
I made my costume myself after buying a book on royal fashion and going to the V&A museum to look at her outfits in close detail.
Blysara will be in costume as well. wearing a saddlecloth with blue and gold stitching and a gold bridle with a Victorian military bit.
----------------------------------------------
THE APOTHECARY
JOHN WHITE, 48, is a police chief inspector who lives in Sutton Coldfield with his wife Denise, 47, a college vice-principal.
He says:
This is my passion. I can bring history to life for people who were put off it at school or who think it's boring.
I love it when I see their faces light up as I engage them with weird and wonderful tales.
For example, I explain how an apothecary would pull out their rotten teeth without anaesthetic using metal tooth-pullers, or give patients a vial of white mercury to treat diseases such as syphilis.
I am fastidious about my outfit. The buckle shoes are hand-made by a cobbler in the Isle of Wight, for around £100, the stockings and breeches are hand-stitched.
My artisan's cap was made by an American costume enthusiast and given to me a few years ago. It is not ostentatious but it is completely authentic. -
I've been re-enacting history for about 15 years and it's a real family affair now. My wife plays my assistant, my son Johnny is a medieval knight and my daughter Elizabeth comes along to watch.
----------------------------------------
TUDOR FALCONER
EMMA RAPHAEL, 33, lives in Suffolk with her husband Michael, 48. Both are professional falconers.
She says:
In the Middle Ages, falconry was an elitist sport for the upper classes because the birds were expensive to own and train.
The birds caught other birds and mammals for the families to eat, and some were worth the equivalent of Porsches and Ferraris today, so it was an enormous asset to own a trained hunting bird.
Michael and I were working in a falconry centre when we were approached by a re-enactment group who convinced us to join them. There's a huge demand for our services.
We feel it's important to educate people and teach them about the significance of falconry in British history. I started to make our costumes after reading lots of books and doing research online.
I wear long flowing gowns and a headdress, and Michael wears gowns with a doublet and hose. It's not cheap - some silk costs more than £100 a metre and an outfit can cost up to £1,000.
We live in a four-bedroom detached house with a 20ft garden where we keep 18 birds. It isn't very practical, but friendly local farmers let us fly the birds on their land.
-------------------------------------------
ROMAN SOLDIER
TONY SEGALINI, 41, is a teacher and lives in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, with his wife Anne, 37, an occupational therapist.
He says:
I'll be at a Roman Army camp at the Festival Of History, performing well-rehearsed combat drills just as they used to in the 1st century AD, to give the public an idea of what it was like.
I'm a history teacher and have always been interested in the Roman period, and my local re-enactment society spends its time studying the Roman Army, reconstructing armour and equipment.
I encourage my pupils to come along and I hope some of them will be there this weekend. I take my armour and weapons into lessons and let the kids try on everything.
I teach 12 to 18-year-olds and the boys in particular think it's very cool to wear the armour and carry the shield around - it becomes like a show-and-tell lesson.
We regularly go to Germany, Belgium, Portugal and Holland. Reenactment is popular in Europe, and with crowds of up to 15,000, it feels fantastic to perform in front of all those people.
My wife doesn't really get involved. It's more my hobby and she leaves me to it quite happily. Being part of the Roman Army means it is maledominated and we have only a couple of women in the group who model the clothes women would have worn at the time.
One of the highlights is the television work we've done. We've taken part in several documentaries about the Roman Army and Romans in Britain for the Discovery and History channels.
dailymail.co.uk
Today and tomorrow, this remarkable team will be at Kelmarsh Hall in Northamptonshire for some of the most ambitious battles they have ever staged.
Thousands are expected at English Heritage's Festival of History, a lively weekend of reenactments of everything from the Roman invasion to the English Civil War and 18th-century British highwaymen.
The people in this article are taking part in that event, and are dressed up as everything from an 18th Century British Redcoat and an English Civil War Roundhead soldier, to a young Queen Victoria and a Tudor Falconer.
Why the British are obsessed with re-enacting historical scenes
by MISHAAL KHAN and ANNA SEAMAN
10th August 2007
Daily Mail
This weekend, English Heritage hosts the Festival Of History at Kelmarsh Hall, Northamptonshire, which will see more than 1,000 people from 80 re-enactment societies playing out historical scenes involving the Roman Army, Medieval knights and Queen Victoria to name but a few. Here, eight true British eccentrics explain their obsession taking part
(Left to right) English Civil War Roundhead, 18th Century Redcoat, medieval knight, Queen Elizabeth I, young Queen Victoria, an apothecary, a Tudor falconer and a Roman soldier
ENGLISH CIVIL WAR SOLDIER
DAVID McLOUGHLIN, 49, a photographic archivist, lives in Nottingham with his partner Jennie Irving, 46, an accountant.
He says:
I'll be commentating on the English Civil War battle in the clothing worn by a gentleman officer of the Parliamentarian Army from 1645.
It includes a large felt hat which I had especially trimmed with silk and feathers, a belt with leather pouches for coins and trinkets, a sash across my shoulder and a sword.
I bought my uniforms from specialist military clothing shops and had the hat made.
My family think I'm a bit strange and often leave me to it, except my partner Jennie who works on the administration side, helping to run the King's Army.
I've been into re- enactment societies since the 1970s and I'm fascinated by historical battles.
Commentating is exciting because I get to watch all the action and help recreate the drama of the battlefield for the audience.
--------------------------------------------
BRITISH 18TH-CENTURY REDCOAT
STUART ODEN-WALDER, 45, is a postman and lives in Worksop with his wife Doris.
He says:
I'm a member of the 47th Foot group named after a unit of the British Army that fought in the American War of Independence in 1776.
My outfit cost &2,000 but I use it six or seven times a year for different events so it's not a waste.
The garments are made from the same patterns as they used back then and we sourced silks and cottons which are specially dyed and made-to-measure.
The trick is to pay attention to detail. The buttons and buckles are hand-moulded and my hat and shoes have been hand-made by specialists.
At the festival, we'll be practising army drills and living in a camp, imitating living conditions from the 18th century such as cooking over fires and sleeping in old-fashioned tents.
My wife will be with me in traditional costume - she keeps house while I go out to march. We don't have any children but our society's members range from 17 to 56 - that's why I love this hobby, it transcends all the generational boundaries and it contributes to society, keeping British history alive.
MEDIEVAL KNIGHT
JOHNNY HATHAWAY WHITE, 21, is a humanities student at Birmingham University.
He says: The most exciting thing about playing a 15th century knight is that I get to joust, riding a horse at full gallop towards my opponent, trying to knock him off with a huge lance.
It takes a lot of skill and fitness, and there's a real threat of getting injured.
I've had concussion and broken my arm and my wrist, but it is a real adrenaline rush and I love it.
Even better, for protection I get to wear a coat of armour belonging to English Heritage. It is heavy, uncomfortable, hot and claustrophic, but it does warrant the best chat-up lines in the world because I really am a knight in shining armour.
It is not as glamorous as it sounds, though. I need two people to put it on for me and it's difficult to move in.
Underneath I wear thigh-high riding boots, skintight hose (tights) and a linen shirt with a gold doublet (waistcoat).
They are all exact replicas made by special costume makers who follow old patterns and use old-fashioned dyes to get the right colours.
This fascination with history started when I joined a Napoleonic re-enactment society when I was seven, and I began riding at 13.
When I graduate from university I am going to join the Army, and the drive and discipline I need for my role as a knight should stand me in good stead - though I'm not sure how a lance would fare against a machine gun.
---------------------------------------
QUEEN ELIZABETH I
BECCA HOLLAND, 33, is a professional re-enactor and lives in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.
It's a dangerous job being in this line of work. I use sharp weapons - sword-fighting on horseback - and explosives, and have broken my back twice falling off a horse, spending weeks in hospital.
I've also fractured my skull, had teeth knocked out, been kicked in the face by a horse and had the tip of a sword through my eyelid. But none of it has ever made me want to stop.
I got the re-enacting bug at 17. It was male-dominated and the only way I could get an active role in my group, The Sealed Knot, was to dress up as a man and re-enact military battle scenes.
After ten years, I joined a cavalry group, sword-fighting on horseback.
Strong women from history such as Joan of Arc inspire me, but I found it frustrating that they weren't paid enough attention and I wanted to tell their story, so I decided to re-enact Queen Elizabeth I.
I hire the beautiful gowns from a costumier and wear a wig, so I really do look the part.
But it is hard work. I'm riding side-saddle on horseback all day which causes a strain on my back and legs.
I also re-enact a highway woman and have to pretend to sword-fight while galloping. I spend hours driving enormous trucks up and down the country to events and fairs, and I train the horses myself.
However, I enjoy it so much that I quit my bank job last month to dedicate all my time to re-enactment, even though it doesn't pay well.
At least I'm doing something I love.
-------------------------------------------
YOUNG QUEEN VICTORIA
KAREN WRIGHT, 36, a corset and wedding dress designer, lives in Wiltshire.
She says:
Queen Victoria owned a white Arab horse just like my horse, who is called Blysara, so we fit the role perfectly.
I will be riding side-saddle and wearing a copy of the outfit that the Queen wore to greet the troops after the Crimean War in 1856.
On Saturday I will ride the horse into the event [the Festival Of History], then I pin medals on the soldiers. I recreate an actual moment when Queen Victoria pricks someone's skin by mistake. I feel sorry for the actor who is playing the soldier and hope I don't hurt him too much.
I made my costume myself after buying a book on royal fashion and going to the V&A museum to look at her outfits in close detail.
Blysara will be in costume as well. wearing a saddlecloth with blue and gold stitching and a gold bridle with a Victorian military bit.
----------------------------------------------
THE APOTHECARY
JOHN WHITE, 48, is a police chief inspector who lives in Sutton Coldfield with his wife Denise, 47, a college vice-principal.
He says:
This is my passion. I can bring history to life for people who were put off it at school or who think it's boring.
I love it when I see their faces light up as I engage them with weird and wonderful tales.
For example, I explain how an apothecary would pull out their rotten teeth without anaesthetic using metal tooth-pullers, or give patients a vial of white mercury to treat diseases such as syphilis.
I am fastidious about my outfit. The buckle shoes are hand-made by a cobbler in the Isle of Wight, for around £100, the stockings and breeches are hand-stitched.
My artisan's cap was made by an American costume enthusiast and given to me a few years ago. It is not ostentatious but it is completely authentic. -
I've been re-enacting history for about 15 years and it's a real family affair now. My wife plays my assistant, my son Johnny is a medieval knight and my daughter Elizabeth comes along to watch.
----------------------------------------
TUDOR FALCONER
EMMA RAPHAEL, 33, lives in Suffolk with her husband Michael, 48. Both are professional falconers.
She says:
In the Middle Ages, falconry was an elitist sport for the upper classes because the birds were expensive to own and train.
The birds caught other birds and mammals for the families to eat, and some were worth the equivalent of Porsches and Ferraris today, so it was an enormous asset to own a trained hunting bird.
Michael and I were working in a falconry centre when we were approached by a re-enactment group who convinced us to join them. There's a huge demand for our services.
We feel it's important to educate people and teach them about the significance of falconry in British history. I started to make our costumes after reading lots of books and doing research online.
I wear long flowing gowns and a headdress, and Michael wears gowns with a doublet and hose. It's not cheap - some silk costs more than £100 a metre and an outfit can cost up to £1,000.
We live in a four-bedroom detached house with a 20ft garden where we keep 18 birds. It isn't very practical, but friendly local farmers let us fly the birds on their land.
-------------------------------------------
ROMAN SOLDIER
TONY SEGALINI, 41, is a teacher and lives in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, with his wife Anne, 37, an occupational therapist.
He says:
I'll be at a Roman Army camp at the Festival Of History, performing well-rehearsed combat drills just as they used to in the 1st century AD, to give the public an idea of what it was like.
I'm a history teacher and have always been interested in the Roman period, and my local re-enactment society spends its time studying the Roman Army, reconstructing armour and equipment.
I encourage my pupils to come along and I hope some of them will be there this weekend. I take my armour and weapons into lessons and let the kids try on everything.
I teach 12 to 18-year-olds and the boys in particular think it's very cool to wear the armour and carry the shield around - it becomes like a show-and-tell lesson.
We regularly go to Germany, Belgium, Portugal and Holland. Reenactment is popular in Europe, and with crowds of up to 15,000, it feels fantastic to perform in front of all those people.
My wife doesn't really get involved. It's more my hobby and she leaves me to it quite happily. Being part of the Roman Army means it is maledominated and we have only a couple of women in the group who model the clothes women would have worn at the time.
One of the highlights is the television work we've done. We've taken part in several documentaries about the Roman Army and Romans in Britain for the Discovery and History channels.
dailymail.co.uk