Im sorry if I am a royal pain in the neck for constantly starting new topics but you my friends are a wealth of knowledge and who better to seek help from?

I had purchased the fabric and was going to make myself an Irish Picquet uniform with the intention of going to one of the events the unit on the east coast attended. I brought up the book mark link I have for them and found their website to be disabled. Is that reenacting unit no more? Does any one know what happened or has the website simply gone un-checked?

Captain Cogle,

I was updating the Clann of the Wolf website (www.clannofthewolf.org) over the past few weeks while on break from graduate school studies, and while checking the URLs on the "Related Links" page, I too found the URL for the Irish Picquets website inoperable.  I deleted the link, but if anyone has information on an active website for this group, I would be happy to list that one.  The webmaster must be spending too much time at the pub!

Vicar Wm. "Gray Beard" Abernethy

Please call me Hunter. It would be most depressing to find them disbanded. I hope that it is just as you say a webmaster spending too much time at the pub! So YOU are the webmaster for Clan of the Wolf then? I was speaking with Missy Clark (I guess it was a year ago now) about your clubs website and how well done it was, my complements sir! Did you ever get the links page working? I remember I could not "click" any of the links before.

I know some people of lacewars in the UK do Irish Piquets.

My suggestion is, go to the lacewars forum and ask there... I know they are a big and helpfull bunch of people, with a lot of knowledge and research.

Greenthings,

Wim-Jaap

Thanks for the suggestion I think I shall try that!

This what I know if its any help. There "was" a group of IP's but we only ever saw the officer at our events. He turned up a couple of times and we never heard of him again. I was told his uniform went back to the seamstress as he hadn't paid for it. (hence why I don't mention the name in case its not the same group). As far as any of us know the group doesn't exist any more.

In Lace Wars we now have Dillon's and Lalley's, the latter being part of Rose and Thistle (RaT).
There has been lot of debate about the uniforms for the IP's and RE and I think all reserces have been checked.

Check our forum for more info.

The group I am referring to was based in New England and Canada. Is that the same group... Or guy as it may be, you are talking about Tod?

Maybe I heard that he told people they were world wide, as in either side of the Atlantic. If the site had lots of Osprey book pics on it the same one.

Then I think it must indeed be the same group. I must be mistaken on their location. Not sure how I got that in my head sorry.

How disappointing. Perhaps me and my friends shall have to once again diversify and form our own little Irish unit. On the other hand we already have two Jacobite impressions, one late and one early, both Highland. So perhaps I will just make myself the uniform and kit for no other reason than I want it.

Wish there were more guys doing it. The "uniformed" branch of Jacobites are a heavily overlooked and painfully unrepresented bunch.

I cant help but wonder what sort of debate their could possibly be on such a well documented bunch of units. It is my understanding that many of them were even illustrated during their time. Whats more were they not simply wearing the cut fashion of the French army only in different color schemes pertaining to their regiment and origin? (Excluding the Royal Scots who may be a bit more in the gray area of documentation.)

The IP's in Lace Wars did a huge amount of research and still debate what is right and wrong, mostly over the leatherwork- cartridge bags, black, oxblood or tan?
We try to represent all of the different types of Jacobites. It's not easy! One issue is that many people think the skirmish is the most important part of the day, so every one should be the same as we don't have the numbers to truely represent the numbers of each type of soldier.
However IMO accurate living hsitory is far more important, this is what the visitor and client want. They want to be given knowledge.

Tod,

I agree!!! In my honest opinion you hit the nail on the head.

I believe that even if you had 20 veteran reenactors and every single one portrayed each one of the different Jacobite units then that is that much more information being shared and no part of history being left aside.

However when you have a grand total of 8 guys in your group like I do and only two of them are government forces, it would just be confusing for us and the public to do anything less than "Representing what was typical of the period" no one unit or anything save for the Government forces. Its really hard to recruit new guys when you have 5 Jacobites all with their own persona. Doesnt look credible on our part I believe. Besides, we already have one lone floating Spanish Marine.  ;D

Hunter and Tod,

I agree that if our purpose is to provide high quality and interesting living history educational experiences for those of the general public who attend our events as spectators, the more groups we are able to represent accurately and about which we are able to speak knowledgeably, the better that educational experience will be for them.  If, on the other hand, our purpose is to get our own personal ya ya's out engaging in battle re-enactments, it is more likely that the emphasis would be on larger ranks of fewer groups.  I prefer the former, as most of the time my fellow re-enactors and I have been under the watchful eye of spectators during the events in which I have participated over the past ten years has been spent in non-combat activities.

Living history is always going to out weigh battles although the public like the bangs and clangs. Over here we call the battle groups booze and bash and most of them are pretty terrible.
I deal with the UK's top clients, 15 years ago they were happy with a few tents and a battle. Now they want a full day of accurate living history, arena displays, and a battle. Plus they may want a lecture to support the event and a promo pack.
Accuracy is paramount, wear modern glasses and modern shoes and you tend not to be rebooked, unless you are doing a dog show  ;D

What we do is a difficult period, easy to get wrong, difficult to get right. There is a lack of pictorial evidence and a excess of inaccurate fiction and supposed historical writings. I find as no surprise that you find the LH side more enjoyable, years of research and being able to disclose that to the public is very gratifying. all power to you.

We have found that period cultural portrayals such as social events (e.g., a ladies' tea for HRH Prince Charles, ceilidhs, etc.), period music, period courtship (e.g., handfastings), children's games, meal preparations, period Highland games, surgeon's explanations and demonstrations of period medical practices, and even the 18th century Scottish Presbyterian Covenanter worship service I lead on Lord's Day mornings (some photos of these elements of our events are available on the various event write-ups on the Clann of the Wolf website "Past Events" page http://www.clannofthewolf.org/pasteventspage.html and more may be found on the Clann of the Wolf Photobucket site http://s456.photobucket.com/albums/qq288/wolfwebmaster/), are every bit as interesting to the general public as the drilling of troops and battle engagements.  We also try to provide lectures/narrations prior to battles we re-enact so spectators have a better understanding of what they are about to see and its historical significance.  

Most of us are lovers of history and, through personal research and discussions amongst our community of historical re-enactors/living history enthusiasts at events or on forums such as this, we have been able to refine our knowledge and understanding of the period and events we portray so that we are able to answer questions and explain what we do and how we do it for the many spectators who attend our events.

And any re-enactors showing up with anachronisms such as modern shoes or squaw boots or modern glasses are privately and politely referred to sources for period-correct accessories and encouraged to make such improvements in their kit.  We all had to start somewhere.  I have even gone to the extent of finding a much more suitable wheelchair that appears to have been made in the 18th century (http://s456.photobucket.com/albums/qq288/wolfwebmaster/I%20Am%20Come%20Home%202009/?action=view&current=DSC_0265.jpg) to avoid the obvious anachronism of being dressed in 18th century attire while mounted in a 21st century wheelchair.  Its a little harder to get around in, but gets some very favorable and interesting comments, as well as willing volunteers to "push me around"!

This is a great avocation in which we are involved!

Gentlemen,

I agree. In every hobby I am involved with authenticity and research are paramount. To me they make the hobbies the most fun. I do enjoy working with the public and devil take me if I dont enjoy the battles as well. But with my small Jacobite group we are confined (our choice.) for the time to non-public events. Because we are gathering numbers at non-public rendezvous we are ending up with guys who know virtually nothing at all about the Jacobites or the period. Only myself and one other have done any research and have started leading by example essentially and showing guys where to get their things, where to do their research so on and so forth. With some of the guys in historically inaccurate pieces I would not dream of holding a public event yet. Not until we are a bit more refined. Too much Rev-War and ECW gear floating around.
There is also an effort to remove the brooches and beards on the guys.

My excuse is we are only a year old and no one else in this area has ever done Jacobite anything before. I am the only one with a complete kit. Actually multiple complete kits as I end up loaning most of it all out.

Vicar,
That is a great wheelchair. Where did you find that?

Hunter,

If you were not already familiar with them, there are several vendor listed on the Clann of the Wolf website "Related Links" page (www.clannofthewolf.org/relatedlinkspage.html) who purvey to historical re-enactors/living history enthusiasts of the mid-18th century, including Scottish Highland Jacobites, that you can recommend to your novice group members.  Missy and Larry Clark of Barkertown Sutlers (www.barkertownsutlers.com) are both very knowledgeable about most things of the Jacobites and others involved in the '45 Rising, and have been very helpful to my wife and I in many ways and at many times, gently informing us about and encouraging us to make necessary improvements in our kits.  Most of our clothing was made by Missy (has a degree in textile history), and some of our camp gear came from Larry (talented blacksmith and gunsmith).  

Believe it or not, my re-enactment wheelchair came from West-by-God Virginia, and I found it on ebay.  I was able to win the auction for $75.00 because the caning in the seat and back was entirely missing (hoping to have it redone some day).  My cousin is a furniture maker by hobby and went over it for me to make sure it would hold up under my weight (and I am no small lad at about 18 stones!) and the rigors of re-enactment events.  It is mostly oak with an iron axle, pivot and mount for the rear wheel, and rims for the oak wheels.

Vicar

Vicar,

In my opinion you got yourself a hell of a good bargain and one beautiful piece of history/chair.

As for clothing and gear with my club I already have a staggering list of suppliers but my wife and I make all our own clothing and all the clothing for the guys with the ECW and Jacobite groups. She and I are both working on degrees in Military History, Textiles and Historical Costuming.

If I could figure out how to post pictures on here I would love to show some examples of our work. My wife is currently finishing a 1740's embroidered suit for me. Coat, waistcoat and breeches. The coat and waistcoat are matching green wool with a golden brown Irish linen lining, the coat is embroidered with gold silk thread but not overpowering. Its not Jacobite but it is the same era as the 45 so I thought you guys may appreciate it.

As for gunsmith that may be some one I need to talk to. Im not a great fan (but satisfied) of my India made muskets though they are the only reasonably priced reproduction military arms I can find (IE Loyalist Arms and Middlesex trading) but I am in search of a Club Butt Fowler for a reasonable price and a reasonable building time. The Rifle Shop and Early Rustic Arms all have bad reputations for not getting back with folks and having absurd waiting times. I had a custom built ECW era English Lock paddle butt custom made for me by Dale Shinn but that took less than a year. He is retired now and confined himself to building leather cannons so I am unable to get another one made by him.

Does Larry have a website or does he just require contact through Missy's website?

Hunter,

You would have to get in touch with Larry either through the Barkertown Sutlers website or at the Barkertown Sutlers' email address (wellstayedlady@frontiernet.net).  I also know that the Clann of the Wolf Cadet, Lucky Dave Cox (luckydave@earthlink.net), is a fine gunsmith in his own right.  I have seen some of his work (muskets, pistols, even a steel Murdoch pistol which he reworked for more authenticity and hand-engraved for himself) and it is excellent, but I have no idea what his turnaround time for orders might be.

I would love to see photos of your and your wife's handiwork like that embroidered suit you mentioned.

Vicar

every start is hard.
We started about 5,5 years ago and we grew in accuracy 500%.
In the beginning we were with 6 persons and now we are a group of 20-ish.
2 years ago I got in contact with Tod and he gave super pointers and even helped with a great kitlist.
Ever since we gave new members a year time to get the clothes right.
The accessories aren't accurate enough at some times, but the clothing is.
No modern shoes or glasses, etc.
The research was done in start by 2 or 3 of us and now at least half the group is doing research to some extend.
We have 3 generations in our group.
We don't do big battles, but small fights, simply because we don't have an opponent.
We did a small battle in The Archeon with the 77th montgomeries ( from the czech republic)... I know they are not really red coats, but they wear red coats, That was extreme fun!

We are going into our 6th year now and the fun has returned for me after a period of 1,5 year.

Greenthings,

Wim-Jaap