Author Archives: Royal Armouries

Leeds’ Library gets a makeover…

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The Leeds’ Library has recently undergone a major refurbishment. Antique oak bookcases, obtained from the National Maritime Museum (NMM), have replaced the former, rather bland metal shelving.

The Library at Royal Armouries, Leeds before…

The bookcases came from the old Caird Library at the NMM where they had stood since it opened in 1937. They were originally designed with the help of the Maggs Brothers, an eminent rare books dealership who still trade in London today, in consultation with British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. Lutyens is famous for designing the Cenotaph in London, the Thiepval Memorial and much of New Delhi. The bookcases became redundant as the Caird Library has moved to the new Sammy Ofer wing at the NMM, and the Royal Armouries jumped at the chance to save some of them, and bring them to Leeds.

Moving the bookcases turned out to be a logistical nightmare. They easily break down into 8 pieces, however each one is still over 3 metres long, ranging from 60kg to around 140kg in weight. Narrow and twisted corridors meant that there was only one way to get the cases into the Library (short of removing windows or knocking holes in the wall) by lifting them onto the mezzanine and carrying them straight through the curators’ office!

Now where did I put the instructions…?

Once in the Library, the bookcases had to be assembled and remodelled to fit a much smaller room, which was done as sensitively as possible to respect the original designs. The new Library looks incredible and there has been an overwhelmingly positive reaction from staff and the public – the main comment being that it now looks like a “proper library”. The atmosphere has been drastically transformed to a much more academic setting, and a section of the old Caird Library has been saved.

The Library at Royal Armouries, Leeds after…

Blogger: Jasmin Patel

Behind the Scenes: Kings of Cloth of Gold

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We spoke to Set Designer, Ruth Paton about having history at her fingertips as she prepares the scenery, props and costumes inspired by the Royal Armouries collection for Kings of Cloth of Gold.

Emanuel Brierley as King Francis I and Dominic Goodwin as King Henry VIII

What inspiration have you taken from the Royal Armouries’ collection?
The amazing thing for me was being able to see the actual armour that Henry VIII wore. As it is a complete head to toe body shield with no part of him showing, you can really imagine that he is inside there. It was moulded to his body and so you get a feeling of his physical presence. There is also a beautiful tent on display, a replica of one in the famous panting. It is very impressive and a good reminder of the display of power shown from both sides. We have to come up with something that alludes to the scope and grandeur of that scene.

What props are being used from the Royal Armouries?
We have generously been allowed to borrow some gorgeous and authentic costumes and I think we will be borrowing some weaponry, swords and daggers too.

Tell us about the set and costumes.
It is quite a difficult brief. I must provide the different locations that the text demands, demonstrate the vastness and wealth of the tents and palaces both nations brought with them, whilst at the same time design something that can be put up and down quickly on the tour. It also has to be versatile enough to fit into a whole range of different performance spaces, from village halls to proscenium arches. So, we have come up with something golden and tented, which can be manipulated by the actors on stage to imply different locations. The costumes have come from the Royal Armouries and the Royal Shakespeare Company and are as sumptuous as you would expect for the early Tudor period.

What does it mean to you to have the resources of a museum’s historical collection at your disposal?
I consider it a great privilege to have behind the scenes access to the museum and it’s staff. Meeting Karen Watts, Senior Curator of Armour, was completely inspirational. Her knowledge and passion was infectious. I was interested in her description of handling historic artifacts and the art of “reading” them. She spoke about the importance of passing on her knowledge. In a far lesser way, I also feel responsible for describing history although I must admit to using a huge pinch of artistic license- my world is that of make believe after all.

What stage of preparation are you at now?
Well, I am writing this from the train to Stratford Upon Avon where I have an afternoon in the costume store looking for suitable things. Scale drawings are on my desk at home ready to be sent to our production manager Steve and I have fabric samples in my bag of the fabric for the tents as I am trying to make a decision.

Kings of Cloth of Gold by Angus & Ross Theatre Company, premieres at the Royal Armouries on 29 September 2012.

For more information and to book tickets visit our website here.

Count Factula…

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Ahead of the How to Kill A Vampire seminar hosted by Jonathan Ferguson, Curator of Firearms at the Royal Armouries in Leeds, we are sharing what you never knew, thought you knew and wished you didn’t know about Vampires!

Vampire Slaying Kit purchased by Royal Armouries

Unusual Slaying Techniques
If myths are to be believed, a clove of garlic, a stake through the heart or a strong Christian belief and cross in hand would be the weapons of choice to fend off a vampire. However, one way you may not have heard of is to throw seeds (usually mustard) outside the door or place a fishing net outside a window. Vampires are compelled to count the seeds or the holes in the net, delaying them until the sun comes up.

Never invite a vampire in
Thresholds have historically held significant symbolic value, and a vampire cannot cross a threshold unless invited. The connection between threshold and vampires seems to be a concept of allowance. Once a commitment is made to allow evil, evil can re-enter at any time.

Not even the fruit bowl is safe!
Certain regions in the Balkans believed that fruit, such as pumpkins or watermelons, would become vampires if they were left out longer than 10 days or not consumed by Christmas. A drop of blood on a fruit’s skin is a sign that it is about to turn into a vampire.

Vampires on screen
By the end of the twentieth century, over 300 motion pictures were made about vampires, and over 100 of them featured Dracula. Over 1,000 vampire novels were published, most within the past 25 years.

Dracula Disease
Vampires are said to have pale skin, not have a reflection in mirrors, and grow fangs. Doctors believe there may be a medical explanation for the proliferation of vampire stories in Eastern Europe. Porphyria (also known as porphyric haemophilia or Dracula disease), a hereditary blood disease, was once widespread among the aristocracy. Patients were sensitive to light, developed brownish teeth, and had skin lesions. They were often told to drink blood from other people to replenish their own.

Come along to the How to Kill a Vampire seminar to delve deeper into the history of slaying vampires in both folklore and fiction, and discover the real story behind the mysterious vampire killing kits. Get up close to the kit and join in a discussion with Jonathan Ferguson, Curator of Firearms at Royal Armouries in Leeds, who has a particular interest in the mythology of arms and armour as well as popular culture and the supernatural.

With Halloween just around the corner, what better way to prepare than with a crash course in protection from the undead…just in case!

How to Kill a Vampire
The Bury Theatre, Royal Armouries Leeds
Tuesday 30 October, 7pm

For more information and to book tickets visit our website here.

Facts courtesy of www.facts.randomhistory.com

Behind the scenes: Kings of Cloth of Gold

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We will be giving you an exclusive glimpse behind the scenes of a new production, Kings of Cloth of Gold by Angus & Ross Theatre Company, which premieres at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds in September.

Emanuel Brierley as King Frances I and Dominic Goodwin as King Henry VIII

Emanuel Brierley tells us what its all about and why the Royal Armouries makes the perfect stage…

There are three of us at the heart of Angus & Ross Theatre Company: Em Whitfield Brooks (director) Dominic Goodwin and myself (actors).

Kings of Cloth of Gold is the fourth show that Goodwin and I have worked on together and the third project for Em, we work really well together and bring different things to the creative mix. As they say “three is the magic number”.

Kings of Cloth of Gold, funded by Arts Council England, is an exciting new play written by Tony Lidington. The year is 1520. In this brand new family comedy, Henry VIII of England meets Frances I of France at the most magnificent tournament ever held: the ‘Field of Cloth of Gold’. (So many pavilions were made of costly gold cloth that it became the byword for extravagance) These two kings compete to outdo each other in displays of wealth, wit, feasting and sporting prowess. Each king is proud, intelligent, and the epitome of chivalry. But who will eventually win this battle of vanity?

”What makes a man? 
Why does he do what he does? 
How absurd and terrifying battle is…”

We’ve been fortunate enough to consolidate a partnership with Royal Armouries and have taken inspiration from their Tournament gallery, which houses Henry IIIV original suits of armour and is well worth seeing.

We’re really excited by what this partnership offers, as all their expertise, curatorial advice and fight training will help to create a gripping, funny and interesting piece of theatre and something I’m really looking forward to starting. The fact that we’re able to rehearse fights in Royal Armouries Tournament gallery will add to the atmosphere and create a buzz and interest around the show, right from the very beginning. I’m sure that the production’s premiere at Royal Armouries will be incredible both for the audience and us, knowing we are surrounded by such historic artifacts.

Make sure you don’t miss it.

Blogger: Emanuel Brierley, Angus & Ross Theatre Company

Kings of Cloth of Gold
The Bury Theatre, Royal Armouries, Leeds
Saturday 29 September, 2pm & 7.30pm
Sunday 30 September, 2pm

To book your tickets visit our website.

Introducing Other Ranks…

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Sound artist, Amie Slavin, brings the multi-sensory, sound-based installation, Other Ranks, to the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, this November to form part of our Remembrance events.

Other Ranks by Amie Slavin comes to the Royal Armouries in November 2012.

Amie gives us an insight into what to expect…

Other Ranks is a project aiming to tell the civilian public how life is for ‘squaddies’ and helping to honour the sacrifices made by those serving in the British Army.

The installation will feature the stories of current and ex-soldiers, who have been on active service in dangerous places. Their stories will be played out of 16 speakers, interspersed with extracts from written sources, from classic fiction and well-known poetry, to unpublished thoughts of the rank and file.

The endless parade of marching feet, drill, handling weapons, tackling an assault course and training in urban warfare will also be heard. These sounds intend to evoke thoughts of the people inside the marching boots; each is a human being, a man prepared to give his life in combat, each is the hero of his own story. These sounds move and swell around us, illustrating the unimaginably large number of people who have gone to war under a British flag.

How many of us ever really consider what it has meant, through the centuries, for a hundred, a thousand, half a million troops to be killed in the various theatres of war? Each broken body is the culmination of a person’s life, their hopes and dreams. Raising the question of whether these men are a breed apart – or ordinary people, stepping up to do an extraordinary job?

Empty boots will stand in the space, as a further reminder of the people, mostly men, who have worn those boots and made that ultimate promise to their country. How many boots have been left standing empty, through the generations?

Under your feet, as you move around the space, the entire floor will be covered with photographs, pictures of people, thousands of them, all overlapping and layering, an apparently numberless throng. Many of the people in the photos on the floor are in uniform. The uniforms vary endlessly, but each one contains a unique person. Among the uniformed folk you will also find other people, some are the mothers, the sisters and the children. Others are the farmers, the entertainers and the cooks. They are all the victims of war; nobody is exempt; the floor is covered with pictures of humanity; those who can be shot, bombed, diseased or bereaved.

We honour and commemorate the lives lost in wars – the officers, the civilians and, centrally, the ever-marching Other Ranks.

For more information about Other Ranks, or to donate your own photographs or old military boots, please visit Amie’s website.

Missing Link…

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Amongst a sea of metal links, Kate Perks, Conservation Intern, tells us about getting a rider’s coat of mail ready for a trip to the British Library.

Kate Perks, Conservation Intern, works on the coat of mail.

I am currently working on an Indian, 17th century coat of mail, taken off one of our horse and riders in the Oriental Gallery, Leeds. This is going on display at the British Library in November. At the moment my biggest challenge is to work out how to fix a broken metal plate called a lamellae. I’m doing experiments to see if I can fix it in a less intrusive way than previously.  I am trying different adhesives. A couple of my previous tests have failed but the third test seems to be the winner. I have weighted it to see how strong it is, how much weight it will hold and how long for.

The lamellae has split before and been mended with a metal plate and rivet but it wasn’t reversible and it has failed. I’m now trying to find a different method that is reversible but will be strong enough. We have to be very careful with the adhesives we use, again because should there be problems we need to be able to remove it. We can’t use super glue, for instance because once that’s stuck, that’s it.

The coat of mail is made up of different sizes of links. There are larger links in the areas you need more protection or are most likely to be attacked, because they’re the strongest and the thickest metal. As you don’t need that thickness throughout the length, at the bottom the links are much smaller, which makes it lighter but they still offer some protection. I had to look carefully through the thousands of links, which make up the coat of mail to see which needed replacing, so far I have put in 12 large, 2 medium and 3 small links.  It’s probably going to take me another 3 days to finish, but what’s slowing it down is the experiments I have been doing with the adhesives. I have already cleaned it, and finally it will need treating with a protective coating to help stop it corroding.

The coat of mail, along with its rider and horse will be going on loan to the British Library from 8 November.

To find out more about the Conservation Department visit our website.

Blogger: Kate Perks, Conservation Intern

Kate’ll Fix It…

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Kate Perks is on a 12-month internship in the Royal Armouries’ Conservation department. She talks about getting to grips with firearms, handling holsters and why there’s never a dull day in conservation.

Kate Perks, Conservation Intern

I have always had an interest in history and my path into conservation started after studying History of Decorative Arts and Crafts at Brighton University. I knew I wanted to work closely with historical objects, I am a hands-on person and I like to physically work with objects, so conservation ticked all the boxes. The element of the job I enjoy the most is getting something that is broken and fixing it or getting something that is looking a bit sad and making it happy again! There are also challenges of the job, as we must make sure everything we do is reversible, the methods used do not harm the object and will last.  Therefore if another conservator comes across the object 50 years later, when technology has moved on and processes have changed, they can undo my work. It’s not just simply fixing things.  It is also about making sure the methods used can be reversed, using materials that have been tested and proven not to react with the object, such as making sure it won’t cause it to corrode, and that the materials are stable enough that they will carry on doing their job for decades to come.

I recently had my first experience of firearms with the Matchlock guns that are going on loan at the Small Arms Centre for Excellence, Nizwar, Oman, in October. This was a challenge because you have to make sure they’re not loaded and I had to learn about the firing mechanism.  It was interesting getting to understand how they work.

I have also been getting a handle on holsters, I was presented with a box of around 18, all jumbled up, so I have been going through them and looking at the best ways to store them. At the moment I am trying to work out how they can keep their shape, even just things like lining them with tissue can work. I’ve also been doing some research to find out what type of leather they are made from. This depends on the hair follicles, and how they are positioned, from that you can work out whether it’s leather from a cow or a sheep. This is found with a little microscope, with a light on it, you place it over the object, with LED lights, the image appears on the computer, and you can then take a photograph to study more closely.

After my internship, I would love to get a full time position here or at another museum but at the moment I am making the most of every opportunity.

To find out more about the Conservation Department visit our website here.

Find out why Kate is searching for the missing link in a coat of mail in her next blog instalment…

Blogger: Kate Perks, Conservation Intern

Kate’ll Fix It…

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Kate Perks is on a 12-month internship in the Royal Armouries’ Conservation department. She talks about getting to grips with firearms, handling holsters and why there’s never a dull day in conservation.

Kate Perks, Conservation Intern

I have always had an interest in history and my path into conservation started after studying History of Decorative Arts and Crafts at Brighton University. I knew I wanted to work closely with historical objects, I am a hands-on person and I like to physically work with objects, so conservation ticked all the boxes. The element of the job I enjoy the most is getting something that is broken and fixing it or getting something that is looking a bit sad and making it happy again! There are also challenges of the job, as we must make sure everything we do is reversible, the methods used do not harm the object and will last.  Therefore if another conservator comes across the object 50 years later, when technology has moved on and processes have changed, they can undo my work. It’s not just simply fixing things.  It is also about making sure the methods used can be reversed, using materials that have been tested and proven not to react with the object, such as making sure it won’t cause it to corrode, and that the materials are stable enough that they will carry on doing their job for decades to come.

I recently had my first experience of firearms with the Matchlock guns that are going on loan at the Small Arms Centre for Excellence, Nizwar, Oman, in October. This was a challenge because you have to make sure they’re not loaded and I had to learn about the firing mechanism.  It was interesting getting to understand how they work.

I have also been getting a handle on holsters, I was presented with a box of around 18, all jumbled up, so I have been going through them and looking at the best ways to store them. At the moment I am trying to work out how they can keep their shape, even just things like lining them with tissue can work. I’ve also been doing some research to find out what type of leather they are made from. This depends on the hair follicles, and how they are positioned, from that you can work out whether it’s leather from a cow or a sheep. This is found with a little microscope, with a light on it, you place it over the object, with LED lights, the image appears on the computer, and you can then take a photograph to study more closely.

After my internship, I would love to get a full time position here or at another museum but at the moment I am making the most of every opportunity.

To find out more about the Conservation Department visit our website here.

Find out why Kate is searching for the missing link in a coat of mail in her next blog instalment…

Blogger: Kate Perks, Conservation Intern

Assassin’s Creed III Comes to the Royal Armouries

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Jonathan Ferguson, Curator of Firearms at the Royal Armouries and self-confessed gamer uncovers the true history of the war game and shares his opinions on Assassin’s Creed III.

Assassin’s Creed III – Image courtesy of Ubisoft

This October sees the much-anticipated release of the epic Assassin’s Creed III, the second major sequel to the original game. From an arms and armour perspective, this has been an interesting series. The first game, set during the Third Crusade (1189 – 1292), featured some beautiful and quite authentic medieval weapons and armour, as well as some convincing swordplay. The second game made a jump into the Renaissance, and was the first to introduce firearms in the form of a wheellock pistol integrated into the iconic (if fictional) ‘hidden blade’. As with much of the architecture, history and politics authentically depicted in these games, this mechanism really did exist in this timeframe, and may even have been invented by famous historical inventor and artist Leonardo Da Vinci as shown in ACII. Even if not, Da Vinci’s sketches of the wheellock are the first known of this, the revolutionary ignition system that made possible the pistol as we know it today.

With its late 18th century setting, ACIII will move us fully into the gunpowder era, but for gameplay reasons (not to mention the Assassin’s numerical disadvantage!) the firearm is likely to remain a weapon of last resort for the player. However, as infantry by this time were universally equipped with flintlock arms, there will be plenty of bullets to dodge!

Royal Armouries’ collection – Pair of flintlock pistols. English, about 1777. Made by Barber. (XII.1333; XII.1334)

Assassin’s Creed has helped to get a new generation interested in historically-set games and in history itself, featuring events and people more relevant and colourful than those of the fantasy genre. Along with the ‘Total War’ series and independent efforts like ‘Mount & Blade’, the future looks bright for historical gaming.

Blogger: Jonathan Ferguson, Curator of Firearms, Royal Armouries

Assassin’s Creed III will preview at the Royal Armouries as part of Ubisoft’s UK wide tour. The previews will take place as part of the Weekend Warriors: War Games event on Saturday 4 & Sunday 5 August at 12pm & 1pm.

Please note: Assassin’s Creed III is 18+ and ID is required to attend the demonstration.

For more information visit our website here.

Heroes aren’t born, they’re built…

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The Royal Armouries has gained a superhero for the summer, in the form of the impressive and imposing Iron Man, and there is no doubt that this superhero was built.

Mark Pearson, a car body repairer from Bradford built the impressive six feet tall replica suit especially for the Royal Armouries after he hit the headlines earlier this year for building his first Iron Man suit. Mark, a fan of the comic book hero, took his inspiration from a 12-inch toy model of actor Robert Downey Jr in the famous red and gold suit. He started making a supersized helmet, but then found he just could not stop until he had built a full-sized suit. The suit is built from 400 sheets of cardboard, which Mark turned into a three-dimensional structure and then fibre-glassed.  It is also fitted with flashing lights for the eyes, hands and chest.

Mark said, “This all started out with a quick browse on a movie replica-makers’ website but quickly spiralled into a challenge that I just couldn’t resist.  The first replica attracted a huge amount of interest, but the high spot came when the Royal Armouries got in touch and commissioned me to create another. It will be one of the first things that visitors see when they enter the museum.

“I am a huge fan of the film. It’s just a shame that I am too short to wear the original suit but friends have worn it. The only thing it can’t do is fly!”

The story of Iron Man sees billionaire playboy and ingenious engineer, Anthony Edward “Tony” Stark, suffer a severe chest injury during a kidnapping, his captors attempt to force him to build a weapon of mass destruction. He instead creates a powered suit of armour to save his life and escape captivity. He later uses the suit to protect the world as Iron Man.

Standing alongside the Royal Armouries’ extensive collection of armour, Iron Man will stand proud in the Hall of Steel throughout the summer, although it looks like he may be intimidating some of our existing residents!

Image

We welcome Iron Man as part of our summer theme of Games – Sporting and Gaming. For more information about our summer events visit our website here.