Jamestown Volunteer Training Weekend by Thomas Pennington
Some of Gardiner’s Company escaped the ice and snow over Presidents Day weekend and headed to Jamestown Settlement for volunteer training. Gardiner’s was well represented, with several folks down for the first time. After an exciting round of paperwork and fire extinguisher training (hey, the fort did burn several times), we proceeded with interpretive techniques, black powder safety, Elizabethan edged weapons, and domestic activities. Vince did a great presentation on the processing of iron ore into wrought iron using a period style bloomery, as well as other processes and types of iron and steel. Not to mention fresh Duck Donuts!
Sunday, Mary Bull presented a class on the other colonial and trade ventures that we’re going on in the New World, giving some additional context to what the English we’re doing at Jamestown. Then some folks got additional black powder training while others checked out more progress with the Governor’s House and renovations to the fort office. The day wrapped up with a Volunteers Retreat, where the Governor’s new clothes were displayed and a call was put out for help staffing the new house so we can display more high-status artifacts without them going walkabout or getting damaged.
The next Jamestown event will be Military Through the Ages the weekend of March 15th, where Gardiner’s members will volunteer in the fort to provide military and domestic demonstrations, as well as judges for the various competitions.
