GAOP Encampment

[CaptainSatan]

Good looking camp Mister Hand!

What are the DIMs on yer fine sail/tarp?

What's it made of?

And....how much does it weigh?

-CS

[Patrick Hand]

That's not the best set-up for the sail/tarp,... but there wasn't much space for me to set-up at Ojai, So I had to squeeze it in......It does show the sheer poles and ridge pole...but they are off to the side at a wierd angle, so I could get in and out of the sail/tarp, And there is a rope that I tied to a tree, to hold the one side out farther..... it's a good thing that the sail/tarp is so adaptable.....The picture below shows it set-up as a lean-to at PiP

It was made from about 10 oz. cotton canvas, that I got 7 yards for $5.00 a yard from a lady that makes bags....linen would have been nice, but it would have cost three times as much... The fabric was 60" wide before I pre-shrunk it, to make it water-restant. I don't bother witerproofing tents/tarps, figuring that it adds too much weight, and that is what my waterproof ground cloth is for. I tore the fabric into 2' wide strips and then hand sewed the whole thing togehter....all the main seams were flatfelled, and all others are turned... I also handsewed on the foot,luff,head and leech ropes....... I don't know for sure if they would have used reef points on a sail that small, but I added them anyway..... all the grommets and the eyelets for the reefpoints are rope, and handsewn also,....

the finished dementions are..... foot 7' ...luff 7'... head 8' ...leech 12'.

[michaelsbagley]

In case anyone is still interested in this thread... I found this link History of Tents

Most of the focus of the linked web site is for early period stuff, but there is a decent amount of information on 17th century tents on this particular page of the web site. Mostly military purpose, so period correct, but possibly not correct for a naval or piratical context.

[Fox]

The biggest "don't: should be: don't use Edward England's or Jack Rackham's flags, unless you're reenacting specifically THEM.

Erm... England's flag was used by plenty of other pirates, and "Rackham's flag" is a modern invention so shouldn't be used by anyone...

[Matusalem]

QUOTE (capnwilliam @ Feb 3 2007, 11:09 PM)

The biggest "don't: should be: don't use Edward England's or Jack Rackham's flags, unless you're reenacting specifically THEM. 

....So much for Disney's use of Rackham's flag. I think each respective group shoud establish their own flag.

[Carlislekid]

How much camp crap would a ship carry?

Canvas buckets are taboo. Leather fire buckets were found on board. Fire was #1 Threat to ships. Your choice burn down the ship and drown or put the fire out.

Furniture: Where was it stowed? Real good replacement is to cut pieces of styrofoam sheets and stack together to make a block, big enough to sit on, wrap it in painted canvas, mark it as "furs", "silk" or other booty, tie it up with rope, Viola, an authentic looking, lightweight bundle of loot ya can park yer arse on!

Fire irons: who carried them?

Cookware:What do we have aboard we can take ashore?

Plates: Wooden boWls were found aboard. ! was evovered from the wreck of the HMS Pandora.

Bags? Sailors used Ditty boxes and sea chest up until the AMCW When bags were issued by the Navy.

Barrels, ropes, boat hooks, canvas pieces, aLl make a camp look good.

Think of yopur car as your ship, how much crapola can you carry?

Flags: use yer own or just plain black or red!

[Carlislekid]

Because of many upcoming festivals, and Pirates in Paradise later in the year, I have been getting a fair number of questions about period camps that I would like second opinions and advice about.

1 - Tents

I assume that the common variety wedge is a passable tent, but I would like to know for certain if a wedge is appropriate and what tents may be better suited to the period. The wedge tent (bell back for xtra space is the most common tent. It will raise the least ire amongst hysterical reenactors. Captain Cook had pavillion tents he set up as observatories (1773)Wall tents are very period, but not often used by 18th century reenactors in military type camps.

2 - Cookware

Cast iron? forged cookware? Copper? Cooking tripods? There are numerous questions to the overall area of cookware, so I will leave this topic open-ended for whatever advice may come our way. Cast Iron by far was the most Common and is the easiest to cookwith. Beware the copPer stuff, it wilL make you very very very sick if you use it with acidic foods (Experience here)3 - Camp gear

Sea chests, chairs, kegs, etc. What are the simple and most plausible additions to improve the lived-in look of any good camp. Are canvas buckets period? What furniture if any might by found in a camp?Canvas buckets are taboo. Good leather fire buckets are period and nautical. Sea Chests, kegs, etc. The Question going aRound Authentic camps is "how did you carry all that crap around? Military infantry groups are banning most chairs, lantern holders, lanterns, boxes, chests, etc. How were they carried? Chais & tables could be "linerated" from surround inhabitants.

4 - And of course...the don'ts

Plastic and resin cast skull candle holders, homemade rotting corpses lounging about as caricatures of doom, metal hope-chests and blanket trunks from WalMart, etc.

[CrazyCholeBlack]

Plastic and resin cast skull candle holders, homemade rotting corpses lounging about as caricatures of doom, metal hope-chests and blanket trunks from WalMart, etc.

I won't even touch that

Otherwise, where do you get such authoritative information? Sources? Painting references? First person accounts? Kindly share with the class.

[Silkie McDonough]

When it comes to period reinacting we all come from Iowa ...the show me state. how me the proof!

[Carlislekid]

First hand account's, military orderly books, paintings are ok, but the artist is usually painting from memory. Hogarth is an excellent source.

Missouri is the Show me state.

[Carlislekid]

Try the resources of the BAR (Brigade of the American Revolution) or The NWTA, (Northwest Territorial Alliance)

[MadMike]

Try "The Collector's Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Revolution". Most of the artifacts are from the F&I and RevWar period, but some will work for GAOP. Other sources are items recovered from the Whydah, Henrietta Marie, etc.

As for fire irons or cast iron cookwear, never bothered with them (too heavy). I use Y-forked poles, steel ramrods, or just flat rocks arranged around the coals...

Yours, Mike

[Capt. Sterling]

Isn't there a thread some where here, regarding the cook stoves on the ships? Wasn't large copper pots/cauldrons mentioned?

[AnnaMarie]

Has anyone got pictures of barrels with wooden hoops? Preferably with close-ups showing how they were secured to the barrel?

~~Cap'n Bob (Or Captain Redd Roberts. Depends on who's askin'.)

Well i know tht this was like a year ago...but I never saw any pictures posted so i figure better late than never right?

Well here is one.

If you look at the first hoop from the bottom you can see whear the ends meet.

I took the time at one point to talk to a cooper as well about how these are made...my memory is not always 100% accurate but I think I am rembering this correct.

basically you take youg green branches or saplings that are thin and long enough to fit around whatever barrell you are making. You keep them wet and shave them in two.

You then wrap them around and twist them under and over in a flat knot almost . you then clamp the hoop on til the wood dries and shrinks around the barrell.

I hope that is right...it has been two years since I talked to the bloke.

[Patrick Hand]

This is from Eric Sloane's book "Diary of an Early American Boy Noal Blake 1805" ISBN 0-345-32100-6

It's out of period, but a lot ot the information is still of use to us.....

[AnnaMarie]

Yay! As i said my info was a vague recollection. Finding better info = much better. SO I guess that answers it! :)

[Calico Jack]

The question fo wooden or iron barrel hoops [which crops up now and again] might be answerable by someone who visits and asks in Missouri -

In Lebanon, tour the largest barrel factory in the world at Barrels of Fun. Independent Stave Company produces more than 50 percent of the barrels made worldwide. Tours highlight the care and skill involved in producing these barrels used to age fine bourbons and wines. Viewing windows and TV screens offer a “live eye” look at the production process. A cooperage museum spans 4,000 years of cooperage history.

[Emphasis mine.]

[michaelsbagley]

I almost feel guilty about bringing this thread up again, especially the particular part of the thread that I am going to try to add to....

I stumbled across the below quote a few months ago, and promptly forgot about it until I had a conversation recently were iron bound casks/barrels (I use the terms interchangeably incorrect or not)...

Anyway, the quote is from "The London and Country Brewer" (2nd edition: dated to 1736). I know this is a bit after the GAoP, but the fact that it is a 2nd edition (how much earlier was the 1st edition?) and the tone of the quote leads one to believe the practice is not new, but standard at that time, could place the practice of using iron bound casks as fairly common in the late GAoP at least for brewing and storing wine, if not other things as well... (below bolded emphasis mine)

Some are of Opinion, that _October_ is the best of all other Months to brew any sort of Malt in, by reason there are so many cold Months directly follow, that will digest the Drink and make it much excel that Brewed in _March_ because such Beer will not want that Care and Watching, as that brewed in _March_ absolutely requires, by often taking out and putting in the Vent-peg on Change of Weather; and if it is always left out, then it deadens and palls the Drink; yet if due Care is not taken in this respect, a Thunder or Stormy Night may marr all, by making the Drink ferment and burst the Cask; for which Reason, as Iron Hoops are most in Fashion at this time, they are certainly the greatest Security to the safety of the Drink thus exposed; and next to them is the Chesnut Hoop; both which will endure a shorter or longer time as the Cellar is more or less dry, and the Management attending them. The Iron Hoop generally begins to rust first at the Edges, and therefore should be rubbed off when opportunity offers, and be both kept from wet as much as possible; for 'tis Rust that eats the Iron Hoop in two sometimes in ten or twelve Years, when the Ashen and Chesnut in dry Cellars have lasted three times as long.

There are other quotes within this writing that relate to casks and them having iron hoops, feel free to browse for yourselves...

Scan of Page 103

Scan of Page 104

Full text transcription of the book

Also, related to this thread... I hope this isn't a faux pas, but if you look at THIS THREAD FROM ANOTHER FORUM, there is an image of a huge canvas amorphous tent in a painting dated to 1713 (right smack dab in our period). If posting links to threads in other forums is a "no-no", please let me know so I can edit this out and not make the mistake again.

Hope this info comes as use or at least amusing to some....

[Red Maria]

. I also have a 9x14 marquee that I use when putting on the dog or doing the regimental commander bit.

Hawkyns

Putting on the dog Hawkins? Would that be your pup tent then? Our Barber-surgeon has a wedge tent with tongue and groove easy to assemble bed. She says it's quite comfy.

[hurricane]

Also, related to this thread... I hope this isn't a faux pas, but if you look at THIS THREAD FROM ANOTHER FORUM, there is an image of a huge canvas amorphous tent in a painting dated to 1713 (right smack dab in our period).

Interesting. I just read in Benerson's new book about careening camps and how the crewe would erect a large tent to shelter the ship's stores while they were careened. The balance of the crewe then simply slept on the beach and/or hammocks, leaving their possessions under the large central tent.

Forgive me if it's a little off - I'm doing this from memory.

-- Hurricane

[Dutchman]

Sorry if this has already been posted somewhere, but i found this reference while digging around on the Jamestown research site. It's a bit early for us but is still of some documentation use.

"The First and Second Churches--Captain John Smith reported that the first church services were held outdoors "under an awning (which was an old saile)" fastened to three or four trees."

[William Brand]

Also, related to this thread... I hope this isn't a faux pas, but if you look at THIS THREAD FROM ANOTHER FORUM, there is an image of a huge canvas amorphous tent in a painting dated to 1713 (right smack dab in our period). If posting links to threads in other forums is a "no-no", please let me know so I can edit this out and not make the mistake again.

It isn't a no-no to reference any material, thread or website which may further the cause of knowledge and understanding. Love the painting.

[Silkie McDonough]

^^^That is what I had in mind for the "ordinary" at PiP ^^^

Mary Diamond pointed that painting it out to me once before.

[Gentleman of Fortune]

"The London and Country Brewer"

first edition was 1734, First reprint 1735, Second edition 1736.

GoF

[blackjohn]

I bet he was taking kickbacks or owned stock in a metal hoop making business.

On the subject of tents... seems to me like there's no one true way. Hey, now that I think about it, I don't believe there's one true way for any of this stuff!