Morgan of Aberystwyth
  The history of my involvement with the SCAMy chosen SCA name is Morgan of Aberystwyth, taken from my ‘mundane’ last name, coupled with the city in Wales that my real step-grandfather was from. My origin story… Gerry Stevens, one of my early wargaming friends (in September 1974), told me about an organization, the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) from California, that he and others were in the process of bringing into the Vancouver, B.C. area that was Medieval themed, where people dressed up in costumes from the period and ‘fought’ each other using weapons made of rattan while wearing reproduction armor. I said I wasn’t really interested because, “Someone could get hurt!” and left it at that. In the early summer of the next year, he again mentioned the organization and invited me to a local outdoor thing that was happening the next weekend. So… My First Event. On 22 July, 1975, I finally went to my first event (I was 22), a public Demo at Cates Park in North Vancouver, B.C. I was intrigued. I parked my car and walked onto to the site. After seeing Gerry and his wife Nancy (the Baron and Baroness of the new Shire of Lions Gate…we called them baron and baroness even though Lions Gate was not yet a Barony), who had chosen the SCA names Gerhard and Amanda Kendel of Westmorland…and their children Melissa (12) and Andre (9)…I walked over to a person that was standing in the shade of a large tree with piles of ‘sports equipment’. The person, who introduced himself as Bjorn of Havok, welcomed me and said he was the ‘Master of Stables’ and pointed out the pile of lacrosse, hockey and football pads (armor), tape wrapped sticks (weapons), two plywood round shields and much to my amazement and interest, 3 medieval style 16 gauge mild steel painted ‘Helms’. Later, I found out that these three helms were generously loaned to Lions Gate by SCA folk in the Kingdom of the West (centered in the Bay Area of California). I had never seen a ‘real’ medieval helm up close before and was drawn to them. See picture… Two of the three Kingdom of the West loaner helms used communally by early Lions Gate fighters. After asking permission from Bjorn, I tried one of them on. OMG! The world appeared to be MUCH more interesting through that vision slit! I was instantly hooked and after being invited, found ‘armor’ pieces that sort of fit and covered most of me, donned that helm (at that early time of AS 11) was held on, not by a chinstrap, but by two large chunks of open cell foam forced between my cheeks and the inner faceplate of the helm. Someone else got armored up (another beginner) and after some explanation by Bjorn, we ‘went at it’! Bjorn was the very first person in Lions Gate to have fought back in late 1974 so he was Dog Meat #1. I was #8. After that first event, I discovered that I could chose a name and ‘persona’ to model my SCA life on. I chose a Welsh noble from the year 1210 AD who had returned home from the crusade to Constantinople in 1204. I designed and registered an Armorial Device with the SCA Collage of Heralds…’Gules a Wyvern contourne, holding in its Sinister member, a Sword held erect between five Caltrops, Two, Two and One, Or’. See picture… In August I invited another wargaming friend to come out to things and he called himself Harrold of Warrington. In September, Harrold invited a school chum who became Scellanus of Skye and in October Scellanus interested his brother who became Curtis of Rum. With myself as Head, my three friends and I formed an SCA Household called Llywellen. Each of us adopted an ‘Heraldic Device’ and our household Flag used the main colors from those arms…Quarterly of Gules, Sable, Azure and Vert. One of two SCA Badges I registered was ‘Gules, a Caltrop, Or’. See picture… In May, 2023 this badge was willed in perpetuity to my friend HL Brynja Kortsdottir of Lions Gate. the ‘Caltrop, Or’ appeared on our Household Flag with the motto, “A Friend In Need…” after a silly mundane saying we had. During those first few months I assembled my own ‘pile’ of sports equipment armor and made my own ‘heater’ shaped shield that worked for me (it measured shoulder to shoulder, chin to crotch). The first heater shield I made for myself in the autumn of 1975 lasted one fighting practice. 😊 The second heater I made shortly thereafter lasted the rest of my fighting career until I stopped SCA fighting in 1994. I made it ‘To Last’. ½” plywood reinforced with bolted 1” by 1/8” mild steel strapping along the top and right-side edges with knobby bicycle rubber tire overall. A handhold made from a string wrapped 1” by 1/8’ steel bar, protected by a 16-gauge basket (to protect my hand) and leather forearm brace, all bolted on, completed my shield furniture. The very first picture of me ‘fighting’ was taken at a Burnaby Library Demo in December 1975. See picture… I used borrowed helms until the late fall of 1975 when I commissioned my very first Helm from Manfred Kreigstriber from 3 Mountains (who went on to become first King of An-Tir). My new helm was delivered at the Twelfth Night Coronation and Feast I attended in the Barony of Three Mountains (Portland, OR) in January of 1976. It cost me $50. WOW!...my own Helm. I ended up drilling a pattern of large diameter holes in the front of it to help me breath and my father welded some ¼” x ¼” steel bar along the exterior of the vision slot as reinforcement. As with all my equipment until 1981, I painted it and the rest of my armor, red (Gules), my favorite color. For the first 3 years, I continued to hold my helm on with the ‘chunks of foam’ system until finally the marshals insisted, we all go to chinstraps. All the members of Llywellan did up Surcoats in our main armorial colors that we wore belted over our armor. The first leather belt I used for 3 years (until I became a Lions Gate Sergeant) was yellow. From the early days of my involvement in Lions Gate, I acted as branch Herald whose job was to make announcements at events, help with running Court and work with local folk to choose appropriate and unique Arms. I held this branch position for 2 years and before leaving it to become Black Lion Herald for the Principality of An-Tir I named the Lions Gate herald officer the Sable Loat Pursuivant and appointed Scellanus of Skye as my replacement. My interest in all things SCA was fanned by numerous fighting practices, local events like the Monboggian New Moon Midwinter Festival (an indoor fighting event sponsored by the local Monboggian Horde household), Demos (like the one at the University of British Columbia Student Union Building in March 1976) where we fought in a melee outside (in the snow)… and inside during the tournament (that I won). and later that day, with me acting as Herald at Court… The first Lions Gate Baronial Feast happened in late 1976. I was the branch Herald and like other folk of that early time, I mispronounced the name of our Principality (now Kingdom) as “An-Teer”. Viscount, Sir Edward Zifron of Gendy, who turned into my friend and mentor, took me aside and said, “Morgan, here is something that will help”. Pointing at a small thing on the ground he said, “Ant Here!” then, with a good-natured flourish he looked up including all I could see and proclaimed, “Ahn-Teer” and thus I learned how to pronounce the name of our land! 😊 Later, when I created many scrolls and charters, most were given a small black ant somewhere as a nod to this early bit of humor. Sir Edward was generous with his support and a guide to many of us in the early days of Lions Gate. Here Edward is seen posing heroically with a HL Ludwig von Lemminhaus from 3 Mountains at the Lions Gate / Golden Rivers War in July, 1978. During those early days, Edward was the only active member of the Chivalry to live north of 3 Mountains and was our ‘local’ knight. He wore green tennis shoes during some fighting practices. At one time he used a mace whose head was a roll of toilet paper wrapped in Duct Tape. 😊 Mundanely he worked in theatre. In the SCA he was known for his ‘Shtik’, that is, his ability to verbalize interesting speeches at Court and before battle and do fancy deaths upon the Tourney Field. He led us to victory during the Native Troops battle at the Lions Gate/Golden Rivers War that we all went to in July, 1978. See picture… This picture was taken as Sir Edward led our forces forward at the beginning of the Native Troops battle at the Lions Gate / Golden Rivers War, Willamette State Park, Or…July 1978. I am, of course, in the Red. This war has continued with a few changes to this day as the An-Tir / West War. The event was held at that time halfway between the two contending branches at the Willamette State Park in Oregon. Lions Gate rented a Greyhound Bus and off we went to war…populace, tentage, weapons, et al!!! Before the war, some folk from the ‘other side’ had boasted that we only had one knight and that the rest of us were dogmeat. SO…we all proudly made up tee-shirts that loudly proclaimed our Dog Meat numbers (which signified the order that we had started fighting in Lions Gate). Mine was #8. For 2 months before the War we practiced small unit cohesion with groups of 3…2 shields and 1 pole weapon. Lions Gate went on to win the ‘Native Troops’ battle and also the ‘Native Troops and Friends’ (everyone else) battle. That second battle was the action that Roger the Goliard immortalized by the song ‘Brave and Bonnie Host’. It was so much fun. The battle was captured by a friend who took a few pictures with my (now ancient) Kodak Instamatic camera. During that second battle, his Grace (and my friend) Duke Paul of Bellatrix, who had volunteered to fight on our side, traded his fighting kit with a newbie. The newbie stood at one end of the battle line in Duke Paul’s kit and was amazed that no one would approach him…while Duke Paul, at the other end of the line (and in the newbies kit) KICKED AXX!!! 😊 so, funny… How the baronial Sergeantry started. It was at one of the monthly Lions Gate Council meetings, early in 1978, where Gerhard and Amanda introduced the idea of creating a baronial fighting rank for applicants who, after a successful outcome on numerous tests including fighting, heraldic knowledge, chivalry, dancing, chess, a bardic presentation, etc. would be given a baronial belt with buckle (to signify the rank) and would swear fealty to the branch in war and peace. The initial name discussed for this rank was ‘Comitas’. My suggestion was ‘Sergeant’ as that seems to have been used in period to suggest a person, not of the Chivalry, yet knowledgeable in many facets of life and reliable in war. After a show of hands, it was decided that ‘Sergeant’ it would be and it has continued to this day in many baronies of An-Tir. The first Sergeantry Trial was held in early 1978 and Thorin (now Duke) was successful. The second Sergeantry trial was held in July, 1978 and Gerhard Kendal, Scellanus of Skye and myself were the successful applicants. I was overjoyed. During that time, as a pen and ink artist, I contributed numerous pieces of line-art for ‘paper-printed’ branch newsletter cover art for the Lions Gate ‘North Wind’ and the Principality (later Kingdom) ‘Crier’ and far-speaker (telephone) directories. Warner-Loat Park and the Legend of the ‘Loat’ During those early days, a central event site in Lions Gate that is favorably remembered and whose use continues to this day is Warner-Loat Park in Burnaby, B.C. Tent cities sprang up, wars and tournaments were held and bardic circles enjoyed. The legend of the ‘Loat’ was spawned in those early days at that site by Baron Gerhard to give a name to the loud noises heard every so often through the night as the park was located just north of the east-west Main Line for the Canadian Pacific Railway. The Loat, as a heraldic beast, is often seen in Kingdom and Baronial scrolls and charters. Through my line-art, I remember the Loat as…”a Moose-like animal having four eyes, four rear legs, two ossicones upon its head and a Camels tail. The Loats upon the land have six hooves, cloven as an Ox. There dwelt the brown-furred Common Forest Loat in Tir Righ and there lived in herds the Eastern Flatlands Loat near Vulcanveldt, colored and patterned as the elusive Came-leopard. The playful Sea-Loats swimming in the deep, have gills upon their necks, scales upon their flanks and webbing between their clawed toes and are blue on top, grey on their midline and white under all. While rare in these later days, the largest concentration of these ancient beasts are now days to be found within the protected old-growth woodlands of Lions Gate, in the Heart of Tir Righ”. In those early days, I designed and registered a second badge for myself, “Gules, a baby Sea-Loat rampant, Or”. I wore this badge on my war kite shield at the Lions Gate / Golden Rivers War in 1978. My use of a Loat in the SCA is unique. Its registered use was allowed only once in the SCA armory. As of 26 May, 2022, I willed that badge in perpetuity to my friend Pani (now Majister) Jadwiga Radomyskova of the Shire of Thornwold. Clinton War and the first use of Light Infantry. Starting in 1980, as an officially sanctioned SCA event and continuing to this day in various official/unofficial states, the Clinton War was always a really fun annual event held at the beginning of August long weekend on private land just north of the town of Clinton, B.C. Originally there was an old cabin (that later fell into disrepair) and an ancient outhouse as well as the area used for event car parking at the south end of the site. There was an old barn on the far northern edge of the site that was used as a ‘Castle’ for SCA melee fighting scenarios. After the ‘old’ castle was lost to firebugs over one winter, it was replaced by a custom-built Castle on the main war-field on the western edge of the property. I attended this war every year from 1980 till 1994 (when I stepped away from the Society). During those early years, a Tavern was built north of the car park and was a popular spot for noisy late evening socializations. Most of the War scenarios were fought in the western field (across the creek from where most people camped). Most fighters were drawn from what later came to be Tir Righ and Avacal. Many long lasting friendships began and continued at Clinton. The War until 94 was always officially between Lions Gate and Montengarde. It was won or lost by which side could take the most of 3 War Points…Native Troops Battle, Native Troops and Allies Battle and an Arts/Sciences point. FUN! Battles in those early times were non-resurrection battles, each fighter having but one life. Early in 1980, we began to talk about the new category of fighters called Light Infantry, as opposed to the normal Heavy Infantry (with steel 16 gauge helms and rattan melee weapons). Light infantry would wear fencing masks with padded coifs covering the rear of the head and neck, light torso, knee and elbow padding. Most folks incorporated a kettle style, modern ‘construction’ helmet with their fencing mask to create a more period look. This light armor was meant to protect us from missile projectiles only. Hands drawing a bow or crossbow could have light garden gloves while hands holding the Bow/Crossbow, or a Javelin would have a heavy welding glove. Light infantry shields were made from lighter 1/4 “plywood. This light armor was meant to protect us from missile projectiles only. Heavy Infantry could ‘kill’ a Light by coming to within 10’ and shouting, “LIGHT, YOU’RE DEAD!!!”. Light Infantry could kill other Lights or Heavy infantry by getting a solid strike with a Bolt, Arrow, Javelin or Throwing Axe in any location excepting on or below the knees. Javelin armed light infantry could be armed with any number (but usually 2 or 3) Javelins made of light 1” PVC pipe with padded ends similar to heavy weapon thrusting tips. Francesca throwing axes (which were nicknamed ‘Rats’) were made of garden hose & carpet covered in Duct Tape. All Arrows or bolts were made of wood (mostly regular target arrows with the metal tips cut off) with feather/plastic fletching and soft plastic bird blunts, all reinforced with strapping tape. Once shot, the arrows/bolts could not be picked up and re-fired during a battle. After a battle, all the arrows/bolts would be gathered up for inspection then returned to their owners. Javelins and ‘rats’ could be used multiple times during a battle. The Bows/Crossbows were of only 20lb ‘pull’ for safety reasons. Even so, a good archer (like my friend Thomas of Appledore) was deadly at quite a distance. The first year (1980) Sir Harold of Warrington and I built and used crossbows. The problem was, during an open field battle the bolts usually fell off if you moved quickly. So, the second year I used a 20 lb. bow and 14 arrows. That was so much fun as I was a pretty good shot, but the arrows often would be lost or accidentally stepped on and broken. So, the third year I built a large ‘Light’ heater shield (from ¼” plywood) painted red with a large yellow caltrop (to provide tactical defense vs my friend Thomas and the other archers) and 3 javelins and a rat. I carried my shield and two javelins in my left hand, one javelin in my right hand with a ‘rat’ shoved in my belt. This proved to be my preferred Light Infantry equipment. The Saturday battles would be for the war points. Sunday we would divide all the Lights and Heavies into two armies. One side would deploy to the northern part of the property and defend the old castle and the other side would start just north of the camping area and march north to attack the castle. We would fight and fight and fight till everyone was tired. So much fun. Many different versions of the Defender/Attacker were tried. One year the King and Queen of An-Tir attended (both fighting as Heavy Infantry). I remember fighting as a Light with my squires (as Heavies) as a unit on the Queen’s side. One of my fondest memories was the year I raised a unit called Morgan’s Mercs to fight in the Native Troops and Allies point battle the first day of the weekend. I made a 60” x 60” war banner that was red with a yellow caltrop. During the battle I had it carried by an enthusiastic new fighter who followed me around the field. Amazingly 50 Heavy and Light fighters joined my unit. Our Baron was concerned as to which side I would align with. Just before the battle, I assembled the unit on the war field then called for our Baroness, Amanda Kendal to come forward. I had my fighters kneel in front of her and then announced I was giving my unit to her as a Birthday present. She burst into tears and gladly accepted! It was amazing to command this unit in the war point field battle. We won the battle and the war point for Lions Gate. So much fun. Since that early time, Light Infantry (lightly armored/missile armed) has changed to Combat Archery (wearing standard heavy infantry armor). The early fencing mask/construction helmets, lighter armor/shields and wooden arrows with bird blunts giving way to all missile armed combatants being armored as regular fighters, in case someone should accidentally strike them with a melee weapon. Also, arrows and bolts now are made with a more cumbersome, but safer, thrusting style tip and carbon filament shaft. I was told this year by a member from the Barony of Seagirt that one of my war arrows, found some years ago on the war field at Clinton, is kept in Seagirt as a legacy. 😊 How I was Knighted, my Lineage and finally how I became a Protégé. After attaining the rank of Lions Gate Sergeant I continued to attend many! fighting events and practices (along with non-fighting demos and councils) consistently throughout the rest of 78 and early in 79 and finally war season came along again in July, 1979. This time, Baron Gerhard Kendal (on behalf of Lions Gate) challenged Duke Angus and his allies from ‘down south’ with the war site continuing to be Willamette State Campground. A great day of fighting and fun ensued. Folks were there from all over An-Tir and the West. Afterwards, I was in the midst of taking my armor off in the shade of some tall trees when the birds became silent and I was aware of being quietly surrounded by a group of Knights. I remember they were led by Viscount, Sir Edward Zifran and included Sir Domric the Sober from Lions Gate, Sir Blackhand from Three Mountains and others. Edward solemnly said, “Morgan, Their Majesty’s of the West (An-Tir was still a Principality) would like to include you as a member of the Chivalry. Is that your wish as well?” I looked at Edward, then at all the others, then said, “Yes!” Edward said, “Wash your face, Court is in 15 minutes”. 😊 I finished removing my armor, washed my face, put on my light fabric grey cloak with lyre pipe hood and a short time later was knighted at Court by Their Majesties of the West with Their Sword of State. I did not receive a Buffet as that was not a ‘thing’ in those early days. It was commonly held at that time that every new Knight had an extra 10% fighting for a time. The morning after, I was woken up to a celebratory hat fight in the communal tent with the rest of my household. Ah, the old days… 😊 Since that time, I have tried to uphold the ‘four virtues’ being…Strength (to do that which is Required), Courage (to do the Right Thing), Mercy (to assist those without a voice) and Honor (to guard the truth). I have tried to be a visible contributing citizen of our Land. I have taken squires. Torgul, Thorwolf, William of the Battered Helm and Joseph d’Gonville and others that are lost to time. Torgul became a Duke who sired Dukes, who sired Dukes. It is through his line I have a seventh generation grand squire in the Kingdom of Avacal, Alan Bendbow of Sigilhundas (Regina, Saskatchewan). My wife and I stepped away from the SCA in 1994 to raise our son and do other things. I threw my armor and old garb in a dumpster. Thorwolf contacted me in 2016 and after a 24 year pause, brought me back to the SCA so I could watch him and his Lady Wolfwynn be crowned Prince and Princess of Tir Righ. “Thorwolf, thank you for bringing me back, it has been a joyous time!” The training of William of the Battered helm needed to be fostered to another Knight and so I made William my ‘Grandson’ in 2006 and passed forward to him the hand and a half sword Torgul had made for me back in the early 80’s. When I came back to the SCA in 2016 I got to know Williams new Squire, Garret of Lions Gate (who I considered my ‘Great Grandson’). Garret went on to become (quite deservedly) a Pelican. We all got along famously. I HAD AN IDEA! So, after some humor filled discussion with Garret I asked and was accepted to be his Protégé and wear his yellow baldric. By my reckoning, that makes me my own Great Great Grandpa! 😊 (But seriously, it is not really a bad thing to take on a new role in the SCA, even after 40 some years). For me, Scribal work is a Service to others, a way of passing the ‘Dream’ forward. How I became a Student and finally Apprentice to my artistic mentor Jadwiga and how I found my own Student. After returning to the SCA in February, 2016, my lady Sophia of Constantinople (mka Deborah) and I for fun attended the joint weekly fighting practice / scribal Scriptorium & Arts evening held in the Shire of Thornwold (Bellingham). After a time of learning to paint with Gauche paints and continuing to draw beasts and add new line-art to existing charters I was asked one day by Pani (now Majister) Jadwiga Radomyskova (head of the Thornwold Scriptorium) if I would consider being her student. I said yes as I wanted to learn how to be a better SCA artist and the fact was that we had so much fun doing SCA art together. She requested that I complete a number of artistic labors which were designed to push me as an artist. My 3rd Labor was a biggie. She asked me to reproduce a period panel of art, matching colors & style (no tracing!)…I chose the lower left panel, Pg 238r of the (French) Arthurian Romances Manuscript from 1275 AD currently held at the Beinecke Library @ Yale University, New Haven, CT. Here is a download of the original manuscript panel illuminated by a scribe in 1275 AD in France. Here is a photograph of my reproduction, taken a number of hours in, with a penny for scale… Here is a photograph of the finished reproduction…(Yah! I completed it! 😊) …Seriously, THE hardest part was painting those (!@#$%^) Whitework lines on the tree trunks! 😊 From start to finish it took me 28 hours. From early in 2016 to Covid (March, 2020) with the inspiration of Jadwiga and my friends at the Scriptorium, I completed 100 Charters and Scroll projects where I either did the design and line art or the painting only or both. During June 2023, at the Sir Edwards Memorial event in the Shire of Thornwold, Jadwiga kindly asked if I would like to officially become her Apprentice as she had earlier become a Laurel. “Yes please”, said I. She quickly went home and when she returned, we ad-libbed the ceremony before a happy throng in their Highness’s Tir Righ pavilion .
And In August 0f 2023, I took my own (virtual) scribal student, HL Beornwynn of the Shire of Krakenfjord who shows much potential. There is a Beginning and there is an Ending. As I said earlier, my ‘First Event’ was 22 July, 1975. In late 2021 I discovered I had a terminal illness. Ah well, it’s been a good run. The good news was that with some interventions it would not take me quickly. So I decided that it would be an interesting idea to have an official ‘Last Event’. I chose the very first offering of the brand new Canton of Calaphort, the ‘Rose and Thorn Symposium’ held 15 October, 2023 at the Grange Hall in Oakville, WA. Many old and new friends welcomed me. For the better part of the afternoon while I sat in the Hall, I was surrounded by those (including Her Majesty An-Tir) who graciously listened to my stories ‘from the Olden Days’. BUT… Because I was feeling better than anticipated as time has moved on, I decided to attend the Shire of Thornwold’s Sir Edward’s Memorial Tournament in May, 2023. I decided that this event would become my ‘Second Last Event’! 😊 It was worth going to. So much fun. When we arrived, my friend Nergui from Lions Gate helped put my chair in the center of the Eric and for the next hour I was surrounded by friends in their chairs, wonderful conversation and hugs all ‘round. The things I leave behind. Since my Second Last Event, I have continued to follow my path and work on more SCA scribal art and have assembled (3 sets) of 11” x 17” books containing color photocopies of 90 past charters and scrolls I designed, drew and/or painted with explanatory text. Included is my manuscript of 23 botanical specimens called the Morgan Codex… …“of extant local botanical specimens, harvested during the summer of AS 58 being 2023 from the margins of Their Majesty’s lands on the southern edge of the Barony of Glymm Mere in the central portion of the Kingdom of An-Tir. …the manuscript concept, design, wordsmything and illumination by Sir Morgan of Aberystwyth of An-Tir… with vellum antiquing and calligraphy by HL Alina die Groet of the Shire of Thornwold and inspired by the Juliana Anicia illustrated manuscript created circa 515 AD in Constantinople.” I call these volumes my ‘Body of Work’ and leave them as a legacy. My spouse HL Sophia of Constantinople has a set, my friends in the Shire of Thornwold have a set and my Laurel, Majister Jadwiga Radomyskova the third. I have given away my knightly regalia to chosen guardians. My SCA ‘Grandson’ Sir William of the Battered Helm of Lions Gate now has my belt and he is charged with passing it forward to another future member of the Chivalry. My friend Sir Antonio Romeo Maria di Francesco da San Gimignano of Lions Gate has my chain and I trust he will pass it forward and keep my memory alive. I have had the chain (made from cheap aluminum links) since I was knighted in July of 79. Nine of its original links were replaced by links from other Knights chains. In the Olde Days this ‘Link Swap’ was done privately as a token of friendship. Attached to the chain is also a copper medallion with an archer’s Pheon cut into it (made by a friend) in memory of the love of my time as a Light Infantry. A Cautionary Note or how I have managed to ‘Hang in there” through the years. The first event in the SCA was given as a backyard garden party at a private residence in Berkley, CA. 1 May, 1966. Costumes, Music, a Herald for announcements, Target Archery and a Tournament with rudimentary weapons and armor. What we do today was all there even then. Their expressed goal was to relive the Middle Ages ‘…as they should have been.” That event was so much fun for everyone, it was soon determined to hold a second event (at a local park) that occurred almost two months later…25, June, 1966. An eight-minute, super 8 movie of that event was recorded and today can be seen on YouTube under the title, ‘SCA Second Tournament June 25, 1966’. So…In 1982 I flew south from Vancouver to San Francisco and attended the Kingdom of the West Crown Tournament (held at the Big Trees site}. I had been ‘In’ the SCA for 7 years and been a knight for 3 by that time. Still, I was a bit in awe of those that I met at that event, several of which had been members since the earliest days. One such person was Master Beverly. I saw him talking to others and because they said he was one of the folks who had been at the first event, I asked to meet him. He was an older fellow with short grey hair…a simple Turquoise Surcoat was belted over a t-shirt and jeans. He was leaving the event but said I could talk to him on the way to his car. Sure, said I, so on the way to his car I asked him a number of questions about ‘the early days of the SCA’. I was obviously star-struck and just as we got to his vehicle, he stopped and turned to me. After taking off his surcoat, he made a sweeping arm gesture toward the event site and all the fighters, tents and other costumed folk in the distance and said, “Do you see all that?” “Yes”, said I. “Well, it’s STILL just a garden party.” he said and got into his car and slowly drove off. SCA Time. The first SCA event was held on 1 May, 1966. SCA time is recorded such that the first year from 1 May, 66 to 30 April, 67 is figured as AS 1, (Anno Societatis or “in the year of the Society), 1 May, 67 to 30 April, 68 is AS 2, and so on to today. May we all be remembered in AS 100….
Greate Book of FightersA link to the book <[2]> AwardsBranch Pursuivant Sept 7, AS X Baroness' Inspiration in Combat Aug 15, XI Award of Arms Sept 11, AS XI Pernicious Lily - Nov 1, XI Black Lion Herald - Mar 1, XI - July 1, XIII Sergeant (Lions Gate) - July 29, XIII Olde Shattered Shield - Sept 30, XIII Knight - July 1, XIV Olde Battered Helm - June 22, XV Leaf of Merit - July 12, XVI Lion's Claw - Nov 9, XX Magistrae Ithra - Oct 18, XXI Goutte de Sang - Aug 5, XXIX Etoile d'Argent - Jun 11, LI Heron's Quill Dec 3, LI Jambe de Lion Jun 3, LII Plate - Jun 10, LII Sable Scrivener - Nov 18 LII Hafoc - May 5, LIII Princess' Talon of Favor - Aug 25, LIII Acacia - Dec 9, LIII |
