Capt. Sterling

I be up for a dance Lady, as long as tis not the Minuet. Welcome to the pub, I am certain ye shall find many things, as well as folks, here to yer liking.

Yes been there for a few Rev. War stints, although has been awhile...great place for Cavalry... Great pictures.. Silkie sure likes those...ahem.. big guns... and where did you get yer shoes?

Coffee house rules from Old English Coffee Houses, Minature books, The Rodale Press, 1954 Unfortunately there is no date as to this particular item... The Women's Petition and the Men's reply is a hoot though...

Exhibition Schedule... I am only seeing Cincinnati... am I missing a link to further locations? Need to check out the lesson plans... Congrats to Kass... well done!

Many happy returns to one of our newest members!

That's not Fort. Ti is it?

What a GREAT MOVIE!!! [Transformers] Just got back with the kids and all I can say is terrific.. I highly recommend it!!!

See what happens when you practice all those hangings.. cuts off too much oxygen to the brain... and then everyone starts to... um...

Oh they had em... I believe there is another thread regarding that some where either here or in Twill

We may just have to add a skirmish to the list of events: Fops vs. Tars. Just think...black powder and wig powder flying every where... too thick to see your hand in front of your very own face.

night for the explosion... Sterling has eaten three times... so that puts him at least two to three days ahead...

Oh PiP is going to be a SPLENDID event!!

Some of my crew have orders in for this one... I don't believe it is actually ready to ship yet...

See folks, this is what I am driving at with Safety Meetings... some of us know each other well, most of us don't know others at all... if we can find out such important little facts, like Fayma Callahan just passed on to us... even if it is at what seems like a last minute Safety Meeting the morning of... we not only make this event so much safer, but that much more professional and some thing that will advance the reputation of Harry's event... the more organized in all areas the better off we shall all be. And I mean no offense here, but just planning to lay around on the beach drunk all weekend does not make for a great event for all or especially the spectators... and without spectators, unfortunately many events just dry up and disappear... the more round table thinking, the better off we all are at this event and any others... I think the idea for a Black powder class, perhaps the first morning of directly before or after the Safety Meeting is brilliant... even some of us that have been doing this sort of thing for 35 years or more still like refresher courses...

Um we tried posting time over here for awhile, and it seemed to work, but we stopped. We shall do so again... the thing is since not all the characters interact all the time, we allow folks to deal with time as they seem fit... for instance, Sterling is a few days ahead, after the explosion. Aurore, Cheeky, Burke, Kelly, and the barrister are on Sterling's time.... it is day time there. Sabastian and Pinon are still dealing with the tale end of the night of the explosion and Lady Violet and Spindlethorp have just lived through it... everyone will eventually, if necessary, catch up... so not everyone is playing at the same time frame so posting in the thread itself doesn't always work.... We do this to allow people to post when they can... otherwise we would be waiting for ever for folks to play catch up...

sounds good Maddogg...

OI! WHAT WAS THAT PETE??

Yes must agree with Blackjohn, at Rev War events back in the heyday, ramrods were to remain in camp... we were the only ones, being dragoons that were allowed to ram and use wadding BUT only on the first round... this is because our pistols were carried in pistol buckets, muzzle down, and without wadding the power just ran out the end of the barrel.. and all we used for wadding was the rest of the paper cartridge. After our first shot, we just reloaded and fired like everyone else..simple really. back at camp after a battle ramrods were then used by safety officers to clear each barrel, making sure there was no forgotten anything in anyone's barrel be it pistol or musket.

Sounds like a plan, especially since Braze and Cascabel have the experience regarding PiP and many of its attendees as well as the lay of the land. As for my Archangels, I shall speak with Maddogg and Rats... Maddogg especially has many, many years experience regarding Living History and safety training.

The most simple definition of a gentleman and one that seems to be most recognized over the years is a man that does work, especially with his hands... which has little to do with good manners, how one dresses etc. Yes it seems that gentlemen did have their own rules regarding such but that would have been drilled into them from birth, so by the time they were adults it would have been second nature... Officers are the exception, but then again, they don't work, they lead... after all the riff raff of the time would have been lost without their guidance and intelligence, and all chaos would have broken out on the field of battle without them to make suggestions... officers and gentlemen never give orders.. that is for the working class. Remember that was the mind set... Fops on the other hand, seem to have taken everything to the extreme and they were not practicing homosexuals... at least not openly like the Mollies Club individuals were. Mary Astell wrote: "His glass (mirror) is he oracle that resolves all his mighty doubts and scruples. He examines and refreshes his complexion by it, and is more dejected at a pimple, than if it were a cancer. When his eyes are set to a languishing air, his motion all prepar'd according to art, his wig and his coat abundantly power'd, his gloves essenc'd, and his handkerchief pefum'd and all the rest of his bravery rightly adjusted, the greatest part of the day, as well as the business of it at home, is over; 'tis time to launch, and down he comes, scented like a perfumers shop, and looks like a vessel with all her rigging under sail without ballast. A chair is brought within the door, for he apprehends every breath of air as if it were a hurricane." Misson wrote: "These gentlemen in English are call'd fops and beaux. The play-house, chocolate-houses, and park in spring, perfectly swarm with them: Their whole business is to hunt after new fashions. They are creatures compounded of a perriwig and a coat laden with powder as white as miller's, and a face besmear'd with snuff, and a few affected airs." They were all the more remarkable, Misson noted, because generally 'the Englishmen dress in a plain uniform manner." Even my black and silver court coat, would be considered plain by a fop. Tom Brown wrote: "There sits a beau like a fool in a frame, that dares not stir his head nor move his body for fear of incommoding his wig, ruffling his cravat, or putting his eyes or mouth out of order his maitre de dance set it in." Note maitre de dance... dancing master... sometimes rules of deportment were included in the dancing manuals of the times. Waller: "Whatever his nationality, a fop was likely to invite shouts of 'French dog!' as he walked down the street. Now think about it... here is a time where lace handkerchiefs were a sign of wealth... you didn't use them, just carried them... perfumes were used to hide the smells of every day bad body oder or the stink of the cities themselves... not only fops carried perfumed items to bury their noses in to help stave away the stench... lace, embroidery, ribbons were not just a chick thing, they were the height of fashion in the early GAoP for men, ruffles at wrists and throat as well.. velvet coats, silks, etc for the upper classes and nobility...so in order for the fops to stand out amongst the others of their class, they truly must have been over the top with their actions regarding all that they did.

The term Safety Officer is just a well used and well known label at most events... even Wild west where there are no officers per say.... do we really need to reinvent the wheel? And the folks that are usually appointed such should be folks that have the experience, know their weapons and, since we are speaking safety here, should be listened to immediately. No we don't want some power hungry, title wielding demigod lording it over everyone but such an unbalanced individual shouldn't be on the field let alone appointed safety officer....

Ye were in the legion hall... one basement is just the same as the rest!

Seriously now folks, with the numbers continuing to mount as they are, might I suggest having a safety meeting first thing every morning? What it would consist of would be: Everyone and I mean EVERYONE that is to carry a weapon and fight MUST attend. Everyone in the battles or scenarios also MUST attend even if they are not to fight. Everything for the day is gone over so EVERYONE knows what is going to happen, when and where... and who is doing what to whom Tasks are assigned, for example, when it comes to the hangings, only certain people in my crew will be handling the rope. hand to hand fighters are partnered up ahead of time, so they can go and practice together before taking the field, (remember this is NOT an immersion weekend, we will be watched by spectators, lets not give them real blood by some foolish accident that could have been avoided by properly setting things up in advance) weapons are inspected and necessary repairs are immediately seen to (questionable weapons are then checked again) This is the time when people can volunteer last minute ideas which are then taken into consideration and then POSSIBLY allowed IF safe, allows the quiet types to find some way to fit in... it gives everyone a chance to meet, for those who are new to the event, a time to appoint "safety officers on the field" who will be responsible for keeping an eye out in case of emergencies, and who will know what to do and who to contact and how if one does occur.. a time to appoint people to see to crowd control... making sure the spectators are in a place where they can see and enjoy, but is also safe to them and the reenactors A safety code is assigned for all to know... if this word goes out it means everyone is to go on alert, from someone falling on the field with a serious injury, to a spectator getting out of hand with one of the crew. and a time to answer any and all questions. Safety first, the more each person is made aware of what is happening and when, the less chance for serious mess ups.... communication in this case is not only the key but is vital. Remember an ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure.

Didn't you know I was directly related to the King....

He glanced upward, mind still numb from earlier visitation that had resulted in so much and yet so little. As she raised lamp, he looked away, good eye closing once again. Now any light seemed painful at best. "Take it away," he ordered. He wiped at face with back of sleeve, though weeping had worn itself out long time past. "Forgive me Mistress, if I do not rise to greet thee," he apologized. He swallowed, mouth had become so very dry. "I am not myself." As sight gained focus in what, to him, was lamp's far too brilliant cast, he suddenly looked over. "Lilly? Is that you?" he whispered. Then he made effort to greet her, as she hurried to him. "Mistress McKinney, IF YOU PLEASE!" guard barked abruptly before entering, with all haste, into the cell. His hand clamped down upon the actress's wrist and hauled her, none too civilly to her feet. "Keep your distance," he warned. "You may not touch the prisoner!"