Having a great time at Golcar!

The people of Golcar were once described as “gentle as lilies” and we had a gently fun time at Golcar Lily Day – including celebrating the very first event for two of our “newest” members!

This lovely one-day multi-period event near Huddersfield is part of the annual ‘Golcar Lily Day’ celebrations, which gives us the chance to enjoy some good historical cooking and games, as well as wrangling some younger members of the public for a quick drill.

The day is named after famous preacher and founder of Methodism, John Wesley, apparently saying that the people of Golcar were “as gentle as lilies” when compared to their neighbours and the name has stuck!

It was an early start on Saturday morning, setting up our ‘living history’ display with musketball casting, wool spinning, and leather working, plus our goodwyfe demonstrating cures and tinctures for all your aches, pains, and ailments.

After a good old fashioned British ‘picky lunch’ – but 1640s style, with some authentic baked goods and jam – we joined the march into town with drums sounding and our colour flying in the breeze. Then it was straight into the arena to demonstrate the use of arms from the 17th Century and give the local kids a chance to learn his to drill – even if we did run out of pikes for them to use!

This was the first event for our newest member, Robin, who is clearly not only a born pikeman but also a natural performer – his ‘death’ was excellently done! But it was also the very first Sealed Knot event for our “newest” member – newborn Isabelle, whose mum Amber brought her along in freshly-made authentic clothing to meet her reenactment family for the first time. Welcome to the regiment, Robin and Isabelle!

After the event had closed to the public the day ended with a wonderful chance to mingle with all the fantastic reenactors of other historical periods, where we all got to share a huge chilli and a few beers, generously provided by the organisers.

Great thanks go to our friends from Lieutenant-Colonel John Lilburne’s Regiment of Foote and The Royalist Baggage Trayne, who supported us on the day, and also to the lovely people of Golcar who were so welcoming and interested in what we do.

Photos by Sean Doyle

Photos by Gary Roberts

Thanks to everyone from Manchester’s who made it to Golcar and for the organisers for putting on a great weekend! Our next event is the next major muster is recreating the Battle of Naseby at Lamport Hall on Spring Bank Holiday!