The British Plate Armour Society October 2004 newsletter
Greetings all,
Well, its been a busy year and now the season draws to a close so this is a quick update of what's going on over the winter, and some advance info on next year.
If you are getting this in snail mail you are not on my membership list as having an e-mail address, if you do actual have one then please let me know. All these details are available on our website (www.britishplate.org.uk), and are sent electronically to those with e-mail, which saves us a fair bit in paper, stamps and time.
Details of a few events and markets are on the attached show list, or on the web-site show list. Below are details of practices and socials currently planned. If you fancy organising a practice or social gathering over the winter then please do so, just get in touch and I'll advertise it to the group.
The Normal round of Salisbury practices have been arranged by Eve, these are at the Harnham recreation ground in Salisbury. Crashing space available at my place in Chippenham (about 1hr away) or Eves for those wanting to come from a distance. If the ground is too soggy we may hold them on Eves drive, instead. The dates are the 2nd Sunday of each month, and they will start at 10:30, going on until around 14:00. The actual dates are; October 10th, November 14th, December 12th, January 9th, February 13th, March 13th. The 1st one in October is being run as a "no armour" practice, so just helmets, gauntlets and padding (some leather and elbow/knee padding is Ok as well). This is to allow people to get some practice fighting unarmoured opponents and pulling blows etc.
If you need directions to the site and/or Eves please get in touch with Eve and also make sure you let us know if you are coming so we can inform you of any last minute changes due to the weather.
Saturday October 30th 2004: Eve is having her usual end of season do at her place in Salisbury. All welcome, bring a bottle (or several), crashing space available and garden space for tents if house to full. No small children please. contact Eve to let her know you are coming and for directions.
Saturday March 26th 2005: I'm having a pre-season do at my place in Chippenham. All welcome, bring a bottle (or several), crashing space available and garden space for tents if house to full. If there's a hoard I'll put up my medieval tent for extra gathering and crashing space. Contact me to let me your coming and for directions.
Not much detail yet, but expect the usual multi-soc shows at the usual dates, and I expect we will have our usual shows at Greenwich and hopefully Woolwich arsenal as well. We also have an invite to a show in Poland some time in the summer! this is via a new recruit Mariusz (who some of you met at Greenwich), he is from Poland and living in London, and the invite is from his group in Poland. Still waiting for details then will send it out to see if anyone's interested. Some advanced Dates: Tewkesbury(9/10th July). Herstmonceux(27,28th & 29th August). Berkley (23/24th July & 30/31st July).
For those who haven't seen it here's a song for round the campfire (taken from the website at www.britishplate.org.co.uk/songs.htm)
To
the tune of "men of
harlech", using a full Welsh male voice choir (if available otherwise
do your best),
preferably with a background of Zulu Celt
chanting.
Men in armour stop your dreaming,
Can't you see their spear points gleaming
We will send them f**king screaming,
Armour wins the day!Men in armour stand ye steady,
We shall be for ever ready,
We will make the grass all ruddy,
Armour will not fail!We will crush and rend them,
When we descend upon them,
With shining blade, blazon wave We'll totally demoralise them,
And at the end of the day,
Victory once more our way,
So men in armour raise your tankards,
Armour wins the day.
And finally another set of medieval funnies courtesy of the far-side.
That's all for now. See you all at a practice over the winter, or on a battlefield next year. My armour will have had its winter overhaul and be ready for a fresh battering :-)
All the best, and happy Christmas, new year, winter solstice, .....
Craig