Iron Jon

Wishing the best of everything to you on your birthday and through the coming year.

Happy Birthday Gretchen !!!!

Thanks for the pictures and info Jenn.

I think much of what Iron Jon has is actually Wilton's Queen Anne pattern.

Country French is a different, although somewhat similar pattern.

The two are often confused, especially on eBay.

QM James is correct that most are Queen Anne (the sets that used to be his) but there are several other designs in the set too. A lot of the actual pewter I have is plain edged and should be period. There are several other edge designs on the Wilton, I could get more pictures if anyone wants to discuss further.

I also have a collection of assorted pewter and Wilton Armetale pieces that I use, some of it is in the picture below. I'm not sure of the time period the Wilton stuff is supposed to represent. Maybe someone here can comment on the period correctness of some of these items so others can get an idea. Most of the stuff here is from thrift stores and yard sales (including my not-so-rare solid bottom horn mug!) so getting a set together for re-enactment use isn't difficult.

Happy birthday Mark, we're looking forward to seeing the two of you again at some events this year. - Jon & Paula

We will be there again, God willing. Sign up Paula and Iron Jon for camping at the fort.

Anybody have any of please jaded jetty?

From Poppa's pictures -

I think Mission unofficially nominated Paula and me as the Mercury cooks!?!

I might be able to make it on saturday for Alafia. I think Willy Wobble and some others were also talking about going for a day (although that may have been last year).

Best wishes on your birthday, and throughout the coming year.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILLIAM !!!!

When I saw this at the fort I thought it was awesome. This post with all the pictures confirms it.

Yes, one of his multiple personalities!

Me- Is that a Pirate Snuggie that you're wearing there?

Beowolf - Why, yes it is...

(I wish I got a real picture of it!)

Happy Birthday Mission, here's to another year pressed as the Mercury's surgeon.

Hope you have a great one!

Paula & Iron Jon

Jon, can I use your photos in the remainder of the journal?

You can use what you want any time.

...I think you misunderstood what I wrote. I only wrote that a shuttle was not part of the PiP side of the event (as far as I knew). I never said that Fort Fest wasn't. The Fort Fest has taken PiP to a whole other level and I would never ever say that that they were separate or apart. It was simply a reference to the shuttle question, which I was referring to. I apologize for the confusion and there was certainly no sleight intended at all.

I think posts like the one are part of the confusion about the use of the name PIP or Pirates in Paradise. I guess there must have been some major change in the 30 days or so since this was written.

Stynky, I'm in favour of splitting the topics. How about we name the overall section Key West Pirate Festivals and then have 2 separate subheadings, one for FTPI and another for PiP?

Hawkyns

Great Idea!!

Actually, PiP is the Cultural, Arts and Entertainment side of everything. It's mission is to celebrate Key West's Rich & Colorful Maritime Heritage, which extends to the Navy presence, the Conch Armed Forces, the historic ships docked at the Annex, the local museums and the artists and performers.

The Fort Taylor Pyrate Invasion are those activities geared to re-enactors and history buffs who want to deliver an authentic representation of the times, from Buccaneer to Wrecker.

Those two descriptions still sound like the same basic objective to me, there must be more to it. The battles and encampments going on inside the fort also show Key West's maritime heritage and history, probably even more so than pirate themed contests held in the local establishments and Thieves Market vendors selling pirate and nautical related items. Why are they still under PIP name but the rest is not? I'm not trying to be argumentative, but seeing as I was the one called out for preferring to do only one part this year and mistakenly calling it PIP, I would like to know. Aren't we all pirates here after all, how is it that the two things are supposedly geared to different audiences like you say.

So, I think I understand it... Pirates in Paradise is now the retail and marketing side of things happening in town, and Fort Taylor Pirate Invasion is the re-enacting, volunteer side operating under the ever changing rules of the park system which happened to keep out some of the vendors due to historical accuracy in previous years??? Or am I still not getting it?

Like Mission, I still don't see the need to say that FTPI is not part of PIP. I think they will always be combined here on the Pub since we are so used to it now.

... Mission, perhaps the name of the threat could be The history of PIP and Fort Taylor Pirate Invasion so we can start to point out that they are two different things and explain how they happened and how they have become what they are today.

That would be my question - When and why did the two events get separated? As far back as I can can find (searching in the archives here) they were one and the same. It seems that there were always several different venues holding different pirate and nautical themed events all under the umbrella name of "Pirates in Paradise". Now it is forbidden to refer to anything going on inside the fort as being part of PIP.

Maybe the powers that be can explain this to me so I don't misspeak in any future post about any November/December events in Key West.

Here are a few early posts I found that show this quite clearly (highlights and emphasis my own) -

Posted 22 January 2004 - 12:32 AM

I think you might find that some of the changes/additions going on at Pirates in Paradise may just fit some of the needs here - there's talk of an encampment at a very cool, historical venue with lots of chances to live and be Pirates while still attending some of the more public events. It would accept the historical needs of those who like to pursue it and the more open interpretation of piracy at some of the more party oriented events.

Posted 24 August 2004 - 09:59 AM

There seems to be some confusion about when Pirates in Paradise is and how long. So here's the scoop. The festival is still 10 days long, from Nov. 25 through Dec. 5. There's the usual balls, parties, pub runs, sea battles, etc.

The only thing that has changed is the Thieves’ Market. The actual marketplace is a three day event on the last weekend (Dec. 3-5). It will be held at Fort Taylor along with a period encampment, entertainment, fight circles and such. The 10 day festival will culminate at the fort with a big feast in the bricked section.

... and I hope that everyone can just step back, breathe and we can start to soften up a little bit.

Well said, every word of it.

Thanks!

And the constant confusion only makes the people who actually run PiP, i.e. the Admiral, Blossom and countless others in the Key West community, more angry.

So, is that the only problem with my post?

I'm sorry, was there another pirate invasion going on during the Pirates in Paradise festival that I'm unaware of? If there wasn't then me referring to the event inside the fort as "PIP pirate invasion" should not cause such an outcry from a select few. I could even call it the Key West pirate invasion if I chose to... or would that bring the anger of all the "civilians" in Key West down upon me?

The Fort Zachery Taylor Pirate Invasion was a blast! Never made it to the Thieves Market, I was having too much fun at the fort...

Same here, we never made it outside of the fort location of the Pirates in Paradise/Fort Taylor Pirate Invasion since arriving Thursday until leaving on Monday. Many of those participating never even felt the need to go elsewhere since so much was available and going on within the fort grounds. Between the battles, photo shoots, cooking, eating, drinking, fellowship, partying, singing, etc, etc, etc, there was never enough time to visit the more civilian events outside of the actual PIP pirate invasion. We even had our share of period pirate vendors inside the fort and we made a point of getting something from each of them. It was great to see and talk to everyone again and many, many thanks go out to Fayma, Lily, the fort employees, and all the others Pyracy Pub members who help put the pirate encampment together and made the greatest part of the PIP festival possible.

Come to think of it, while re-reading my previous post, I feel that I have nothing at all to apologize for or defend!

No slight or insult was intended to you or the others in my use of words in my previous post. I used "civilian" intending the meaning -

a : of or relating to citizens

b : of or relating to the state or its citizenry

c : of, relating to, or involving the general public, their activities, needs, or ways, or civic affairs as distinguished from strictly military affairs

Seeing as how the battles between the pirates, pirate hunters, British, and Spanish soldiers and their encampments were located inside a military fort the use of the word "civilian" for the events outside of the fort (which also involve the general public) is not derogatory in my opinion.

I have seen or participated in the events you mentioned in previous years, as well as the Ann and Mary trial, and enjoyed them very much. I chose not to attend those same events this year as I was having a good enough time doing the things I enjoy more and this filled up my weekend with little time to spare.

There are a few pictures taken by cell phone camera posted here on FaceBook - 2010 FTPI Pirate Encampment at Pirates in Paradise

PM sent!