kentwelljenn

One day to go..

2006-09-21T19:08:00.000+01:00

One day to go but I'm not going to Kentwell - I've over committed and so will be going somewhere else - and about 100 years earlier.
Just hope the weather will stay kind!

dartmouth

2006-09-21T19:05:00.000+01:00

Pirates - a different kind of event at Dartmouth castle for the regetta.. A medieval murder mystery where the public were the detectives and the day finished with a court of enquiry where the murderer was revealed. We slept in the castle - it was really good.. i wonder if it would work at kentwell?

2006-09-21T19:01:00.000+01:00

Spent most of the weekends of the summer re-enacting - managed to squeeze in even more periods than previously - another 1940s event
some more medieval _ tewkesbury, Bosworth and even an appearance as an 18th cent person at kelmarsh ( a large multi-period event). However just in case you were worried that I make katherine spend all her time dressed up as a historic child - here is a picture of us on holiday in France

2006-09-21T18:49:00.000+01:00

Some colourful tudors from 1578 this year

2006-09-21T18:23:00.000+01:00

my sister at kentwell

what a long time - oops!

2006-09-21T18:13:00.000+01:00

Well katherine, my sister, my mum and I all did kentwell this year through some of the hottest weather of the year. We had a lovely time - most of it spent outside so that Katherine had enough room for playing with horsey and I could at least make some attempt to talk to the children and the public

bodices

2006-05-01T09:14:00.000+01:00

Decided to make the most of a bank holiday at home - and try get some stuff done. Managed to do most of the construction work on my sister's bodice last night - just got trimmings etc to do now - which of course the bit that takes time. It's a lovely bricky red trimmed with a dull green.
Just got mine, Katherine's and several kids ones to do. That will be fine obviously.
She also tried on a 1940s dress which has fits - hurrah!

shifts part two

2006-04-29T22:27:00.000+01:00

Hurrah have made a teeny shift for daughter- just need to blackwork the collar and cuffs whch I can add later.
Been trying to find something out about the person that I am this year - Anne Clopton (nee Barnardiston, d1607) of Liston Hall: wife of William Clopton (c1540-1612). Daughter of Sir Thomas Barnardiston of Ketton (c1510-1551) and Mary Walsingham is all I know really. Not sure of her date of birth although I think she has a fair number of children!

shifts

2006-04-28T22:22:00.000+01:00

How does the maths on this work then? I have made at least two shifts every year since say 1990 or there abouts which means that I should have around 30 now - allowing for natural wastage say 1 shift every three years (5); losing them at the same rate (5) and throwing out anything that wasn't made of linen ( probably about 5). That still means I should have about 15 instead I have three so where do they all go? - and can I have them back please?

How long??

2006-04-26T19:29:00.000+01:00

I am sorry -crocodile/dog/elephant ate my password and I just couldn't log on at all. Although haven't that much re-enactment since October (too cold)
Did a medieval event at Lincoln over the Easter Holidays - and it was fairly cold at night. Apart from that have been doing sewing although still have tonnes of clothing to make (me - new doublet bodice, kirtle, another 1940's frock, a couple of medieval kirtles; daughter - two medieval kirtles - one linen, one wool 16th cent - loose gown, linen kirtle, about a million shifts, coifs; sister - a new 16th cent bodice, kirtle and a couple of other kids outfits)

day before

2005-10-28T12:49:00.000+01:00

polishing more polishing and yet more polishing - difficult to do when baby wants to help!
checking all my facts to make sure that my persona of Section leader Scott is all present and correct. I always get a sick feeling in my stomach before I do this in case I get anything wrong/upset people

stockings, socks

2005-10-27T14:08:00.000+01:00

I tried on the lisle stockings - they're so horrible to wear and certainly not attractive no wonder some people wore ankle socks almost the whole time. I suppose I could always go for the ankle sock and wellie boot combo that my sister sported so winningly in August! However I am sure that even with wartime rationning this is not a look that many waaf officers would have worn.
I am going to try making a couple of Maguerite Pattern's cakes from one of her Ministry of Food leaflets so I have dug out all the treacle and wholemeal flour etc that has been lurking at the back of my cupboard and am now trying to decide whether I am really good and use egg substitute or whether I decide that as a vegetarian (my grandmother was one all through the war and got extra cheese and eggs on her ration book)I might have had a couple of extra eggs and use them - yes I know you can make perfectly good cakes without eggs it's just easier with them.
Once that's done I've got my sister'.s dress to finijsh since my sewing machine decided now was a good time to stop working so it's got to be done by hand and all the polishing to be done on my buttons and shoes etc. Still at least I don't have to do that all the time.

It's been a long time

2005-10-25T18:55:00.000+01:00

Since I wrote anything but the next event looms large and I feel I should write something before 1940s event at kentwell.
I am really busy at the moment getting stuff ready for the October - received today with great excitement a 1941 copy of Punch and some gorgeous lisle stockings - isn't ebay great?
Just trying to balance being a mother, working and getting ready for the event ( finishing a dress for my sister). It occured that this is something like it must have been for people during the war since they all had to juggle multiple roles - I realise that my life is easier than people during the war even though it is possible to get some sort of fellow feeling.
I have another persona for this event - as a Waaf officer and I am quite nervous about this since it's the first time I wore this uniform since I was pregnant so am hoping it all still fits!
Will post more in the next couple of days
Also got some ww2 style cakes to make as well

getting ready

2005-09-22T16:44:00.000+01:00

Right ruffs all washed, jewellery found etc - need some cutlery which I locked safe in a wooden box but can't find the key! Just got to remember how to be a Tudor - have just been checking the rough outline of Judith's life.
I think she might be pregnant again by this stage I know she has a child(a girl I think?) next year but I can't find the month so it may be later. The child didn't live that long so in many ways I think I would prefer not to play that if I can avoid it.
I will be getting on the train straight from work tomorrow - I have to go right through London, then on busy commuter trains and finally a tiny train which always feels like it's run by clockwork or an elastic band to Sudbury. The contrast between the green fields surrounding Kentwell and the busy urban environment is really marked and I think one of the reasons why coming to Kentwell is so special

sorry

2005-09-19T19:34:00.000+01:00

Haven't written anything for ages - been busy with my real life!
Have done a medieval eventat Rochester castle (you can see it in the background) - as you can see from this picture. Bit of a contrast to Lady Jermyn.
Have been busy getting stuff ready for next weekend - another tudor event, the last one of the year.
Mending clothes, washing my filthy ruffs ( is my neck really that horrible?) and generaly piling up as many blankets as possible - it's going to be cold cold cold at night.

some details

2005-08-22T21:34:00.000+01:00

Lady Judith Jermyn
A real person
Married to Sir Thomas Jermyn
Who is always away, riding/hunting or just round the corner as I have noone to play him
Lives at Rushbrooke Hall, near Bury St Edmunds
Which was destroyed in the early 1960's - I think it burnt down.. The chapel still stands - I think Judith might be buried there. I should go and check at some point although finding your own grave as it were is always weird.
Children - she has Thomas and some girls
Thomas is knighted by the Earl of Essex - I played his wife when we did 1600. yes I do know how odd that sounds
It's not uncommon for girls names not to be recorded on family trees - so they may have died or it might not have been though worthwhile

Getting ready

2005-08-19T19:21:00.000+01:00

A lot of my really small house is currently covered in bits of fabric and various costumes as I attempt to get ready for the next event - and try not to get distracted by half made stuff. It's at times like these that I wish I were really organised. Of course it also helps to have nothing else to do for a few days. You'd also think that by now I would have learned that I can't just knock up an entirely new costume that night before/on the train but I persisit in my dream that I can. But this time - oh yes it's going to be different I promise - it will all be organised, washed, starched (at least the bits that need it) and packed down really small. So there's no need to mention the fact that the ruffs have already been on the washing line for two days and that I can't find any of the shifts..
Still can't find any of the shifts but have found lots of other things that I had forgotten about whilst looking for them - now can't find any plates.

Why?

2005-08-18T15:38:00.000+01:00

Thought it might be helpful if I answered a few basic questions.
Where?
Kentwell hall http://www.kentwell.co.uk for more info on the place.

Why? umm that's quite a big question but this site might answer some of it
http://www.sometime.org.uk/

Lady Judith

2005-08-18T14:26:00.000+01:00

Right here is a picture of me as Lady Judith Jermyn married to Sir Thomas Jermyn of Rushbrook Hall, Bury St Edmunds . The sixteenth century owners of Kentwell are her husband's cousins ( and also I think her cousins too but I could be wrong there )It's quite hard to be really accurate on family relationships as several generations may have the same name - and girls are not always recorded with the same detail and care as boys.
I don't know at lot about her as a person- because like many women from that period she has not left many traces of her existence. There are no writings of hers that I could find and I am not aware of a portrait.