It was a grand day out.
Hanley Soloway, Sutlers was of course the star of the show, featuring a dazzling array of Weapons of Brass Destruction, hats, goggles, uniforms and expeditionary essentials
I had the prime spot, this was the first view visitors got when walking through the door
Hanley and Mrs Soloway, Junior and Uncle Andy the won the Best Dressed Family prize (a double pass to Armageddon).
Bridge and Zoe, surgeon and officer of 9th New York Infantry "Hawkins Zouaves"
Before the results of the comp were announced, the MC gave a speech outlining the judging criteria. They were looking for a family who's costumes displayed a consistent theme and consistent quality; "imagine peter jackson had asked you to make a costume for one of his films, that's the sort of quality we are looking for. Like Phil's stuff". Bahhaha! At that point I felt obliged to stand up and take a bow, but was still honestly surprised when we were announced as the winners. I didn't have any particular theme in mind when I made the costumes, but being an ACW nerd had made, without realising, a zouve costume for Zoe, hussar costume for Andy, another post civil war alternate 1900's confederate cavalry costume for myself and a 19th century surgeon's outfit for Bridge, so we were unwittingly the "Civil War Family".
Afterwards I got back into my usual Hanley Soloway outfit, and had to demonstrate the Armstrong Medium Mechanical Gun.
The evening do. I made all of my kit, Andy's hussar jacket and Geoff's gun. I'd never met Geoff before, he just turned up wearing on of my guns which was quite a buzz.
