Meet a face of Manchester’s: Pikeman Ian

We spend our summers battling as a team and spending time as a family – but who are the people who make up the Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote? We’re delighted to introduce you to a face of our regiment using some of their favourite photos, as they explain why they love reenacting as part of Manchester’s!

This time it’s the turn of Lieutenant Ian from our pike division, who’s chosen some of his favourite images…

Here is Ian looking very fresh-faced at his first event, which was a major muster at Wetherby in 2006: “This was my first ever muster. The kit I’m wearing has all been borrowed from members of the regiment who were eager to help out”

Ian chose this photo to show how easy it is to get involved in our regiment: “This one is from our event in Chester where I got my girlfriend involved. She brought a couple of mates along to what was a cracking weekend!”

Ian chose this picture of himself with fellow pikemen David and Mike at our banquet in Oxford’s Trinity College: “we all are quite happy in this because we realised we’d joined up for the same event ten years ago and all of us look better with age”

One of the great things about reenactment is the friends you make – and the adventures you have both at and away from events: “This is a pic from a great 30th birthday weekend in Dublin. It’s crazy to think that if I wasn’t in Manchester’s I wouldn’t know these people and this weekend wouldn’t have taken place.”

Ian’s final photo shows him at the Battle of Nantwich in January: “this is me leading the pike block through the streets of Nantwich. It’s the first time I got to properly lead the block and a proud moment for me”.

That’s all from Ian’s #mancsmugs – thanks so much to him for taking part and we hope you’ve got a glimpse of just some of the things we get up to at events. If it’s whetted your appetite, make sure you join up now! You can give reenactment a go for just a tenner – and all your kit is provided!

Make sure you follow the Earl of Manchester’s Regiment of Foote on social media for daily updates of our adventures on and off the battlefield!