History Fair III at Rockingham Castle: Show CANCELLED

[His Grace, Duke Henry]

History Fair III at Rockingham Castle:
Show CANCELLED

2nd to 4th May 2009

It is with deep and bitter regret, that I finally have to admit we have failed to get this show off the ground this year, due entirely to lack of funding. Sally Green Historical Costumes entirely funded History Fair 1 and 2, you owe it to Sally Green for funding the super shows we had, and on that she has burnt over £30k of her entire life savings. For this third year, we had been heavily reliant on a single sponsor on the belief that this time, with the increasing gate potential, the reputation of History Fair which was building, the genuinely friendly “muck in together” attitude of the societies and traders who supported us like the stars they are, the solid backbone of one of the best “Yellow Jacket” teams it has been my pleasure to work with - a belief we could pull it off and produce the greatest yet.

No money, no show. Hurts.

For the societies, caterers and traders looking forward to this event, it is a major annoyance, for some of the traders, an early season event collapsing is going to be a disaster or at the very least a lean time. We had managed to build a super, working partnership with most of the attending groups who loved the buzz of a big, multi-era, without the excessive regulation and nit picking, blended with a very unique insanity. Time after time, I've heard the phrase, there really is no other show like it, followed by an entirely different reason from the last.

For the public, it destroys the chance to see the biggest and the best societies in the Living History and Heritage industry, performing together and a vast range of eras covered by a multitude of societies and groups. The insane sight of a site full of tents from a thousand years with a couple of huge teepees in the middle of it. So much gunpowder being blown up, that the show actually fell into the Anti-Terrorism Provisions. The only relief will be not having to read the terrible attempts at puns in the local newspaper coverage headlines.

For the team it is a dreadful disappointment. The “Yellow Jackets” have a lifetime of beertent stories from the first two shows and there would have been more no doubt. With so many re-enactors, so many traders, so much gunpowder – something will go wrong. Disastrous, Nearly Disaster-except-for-pure-bl00dy-miracle-ous, Side-Splittingly Hilarious, Hilari-Afterwards-But-Brown-Trouser-Time-When-It-Happened-ous. Stories which now will never be told.

For the company, it leaves one director bankrupt, another with her life savings burnt beyond recovery and the last one in his usual penniless state, no change there at least. One could make the usual noises about recession, credit crunch, serial money supply failure, serial crunch, and Gordon Brown. However, all the good excuses have already been claimed by the Banking industry, so there is nothing left to say, except we boxed it. Spare a thought too for our sponsor, who was funding this on the profits, the profit in fact, of a now failed business deal which now leaves him without a roof, our offer of crash space stands but he will have to fight the Mrs. for the sofa.

For most of you this now means a hopefully not-too-last-minute scrabble round to find an alternative to a long, wet weekend. The organiser's decision to cancel now went Triumvirate and I lost. It leaves all concerned time to re-organise and contemplate other options, and I hope you will find a profitable recourse – or indeed, a pleasurably pointless and enjoyable division to lighten your busy lives.

For me personally, it's the end the road. My mother is dying of cancer, it was my last chance to prove I could have achieved more than just being a failed directory publisher. A donation to the McMillan Hospice who are looking after her would have been a nice touch. Was not to be.

Game over.

(All and any variations to this statement, future if there is any, will be reflected on http://www.historyfair.co.uk – please refer to the website in the first instance NOT the rumour mill)

[The Iron Dwarf]

am sorry to see it cancelled, it was good

[Skevmeister]

I am so sorry that you are all having such a lousy time. My thoughts and best wishes are with you.

Alixx

[Martin]

m8, we're very sorry to hear the problems you guys are having, I wish there was some solid help I could give but all I can offer is our sympathy

[lucy the tudor]

Lousy news Sir,
So sorry you are having such a bloody time at the moment.
BUT
You are not a failure, you have achieved much in the past, it was a fantastic show and the reason I was watching the website so carefully was because I had been told so much about how good it was and was waiting for the traders forms to come out. Hence my rather rudely putting out the earlier posting when I read your website announcement. Apologies.
You have tried very hard, that is all anyone can ask.
Look after your Mum, and our thoughts are with you.

[The Bearded Dwarf]

Very sorry to hear your news Henry, my thoughts are with you in these diffucult and uncertain times.

As to failure, naah, you and your team put on two ambitious and enjoyable shows and you should be proud of evrything you've acheived. I'm sure we're all proud of everything you've done and look forward to working with you in the future.

Look forward to seeing you soon,

best wishes

John

[squamatus]

I was really sorry to hear that this fantastic show is off. We don't normally do shows for nothing (typical Romans) but this was a great opportunity to put something back into our hobby. The Call To Arms directory has always been like a bible for me, and certainly helped me and the others in our group go from complete newbies to whatever it is we have become now. That is in my book a lasting legacy for which I will always be grateful. Take care Duke Henry. Best Wishes, and again, Thank you.

[gregory23b]

Oh Crap.

So very sorry to hear it.

You are far from a failure your Grace, you are in fact a legendary figure, I mean that without irony or saccharin.

What you are is a trier and someone who gives a major crap about people, so failure you are not sir!

My sincerest condolences for the load you are bearing.

[Bryan De'Ath]

it's a real shame there'll be no rockingham this year, though in the current climate i can't say i'm that surprised. we were there last year, loved it & were excited about this year.
as for you, your grace, a failure? i'll hear none of it!
i remember meeting you the day i started in muddy evil, i thought then you were witty, intelligent & more than a little eccentric. having met you many times since, i've not changed my mind at all so there!

[Mordengaard]

as for you, your grace, a failure? i'll hear none of it!
... witty, intelligent & more than a little eccentric...

HEAR HEAR!

Also, very sorry to hear about the demise of Rockingham, we missed the previous shows due to prior commitments but were firmly on task to attend this year and greatly looking forward to it.

[Mark Griffin]

As a professional organiser who used CTA over the years I'm more than happy to make a donation towards Macmillan Trust in that respect.

As long as I can write 'Duke Henry is a really nice well respected chap nice chap and a much appreciated contributer to this industry and the world in general' on the bank note and your mum gets to read it!

[Cat]

Can I second what Griff (and the others) have said. (One already contributes a little to MacMillan, and will continue to do so.).
With all good wishes.

[Catherine of Gwent]

Although we have not attended Rockingham, we know how difficult organising events are, and you sir are definitely not a failure.

So sorry to hear that the event is no more and our thoughts at this difficult time are with all those who are now trying to pick up the pieces.

Spend more time with you mum, that will be something you can treasure.

All in the Freemen of Gwent

[pegs]

henryI have known you for years, and you are certainly not a failure - I know, probably more than most, just what it takes to keep an event going.
Tewkesbury would certainly not have become the success it is without the support of Call to Arms -we and the re-enactment world in general owes you a huge debt of gratitude.
Please come to Tewkesbury this year if you possibly can - I look forward to seeing you.
Best wishes

Peggy

[Daniel Ezra]

Henry: You more than any one has made this hobby the success it is. You have done more than anyone else, with only Howard Giles coming even close.

A Failure? No, No, No.

We all feel for you in this incredibly stressful time, but we know that you will bounce back.

Good Luck, and Best Wishes.

[lawrence]

Henry,

Call To Arms gave me the info I needed to start, I found the right group to join through it and seeing all the people making historical crafts gave me the impetus to follow my own interest. I now make a living as a specialist in Roman mosaics. What you did made a difference to me.

My thoughts are with you at this time, all the best

Lawrence

[Marcus Woodhouse]

I'd call you many things omae, but no a failure.

[Joanna Spencer]

Your Grace - as a small and insignificant fairly newbie trader, I'd just like to say how sorry we are for the horrid time you are having. greatly regret cancellation of Rockingham also as it was huge fun and a great start to the year. The photo of the portaloos in the early morning mist will remain legendary. Our sympathy and very best wishes and some big hugs. (if I'm not being too impertinent to an also Legend-in- his-own-right)

Joanna

[Miss Costello]

Not my era, but as an organiser myself I know how hard it is right now.

I don't think from what I've heard about past shows that you are a failure, I'm sure your mum doesn't think so and to be honest, this is a hobby to most, her opinion surely counts for more, lost my mum in law to Cancer in june last yr so you have my understanding and sympathy.

take care
Kate

[IDEEDEE]

It is difficult to put into words how sorry I was to hear this.

The loss of a show is always a disapointment for us reenactors, but the personal and financial effect that a cancellation has on organisers and traders is sometimes forgotten.. I'm glad to see, from the kind comments above, that this is certainly not the case on this occasion...

Your personal presence at a show is always one of the highlights for me, and I'm sure I speak for Sapper & the rest of the Scum crew when I say our best wishes are with you all.. Good luck.

[REDD MYST]

I am so sorry for you all that have lost so much trying to put on what is the best most fun show ever, the best bang since the big one.
Henry mate, you're no failure! right from the start, this, your show, had rave reveiws by one and all. Everything from the night time parties and bands, to the catering, the encampments and banging displays to the toilets was superb and you know it.
I can't tell you how bad we all feel for you and I as a re-enactor that there is no Rocking Rockingham this year.
God bless you and Sally and all of your team for doing your very best to try and pull it off in such bad times.
hats off to you and three cheers hip hip!

[The Iron Dwarf]

A loony you may be but certainly not a failure!

[His Grace, Duke Henry]

One is actually stunned beyond belief by the outpouring of support and offers of help from every compass point to the point of - please let me walk away with some dignity here, by limiting the admission to "physical emotional reaction".

Cannot begin to describe the emotional rollercoaster of the last few days. This thread, combined with those elsewhere, leaves me lost for words (Duke watchers, take note, a first here, 50 points in your I Spy Book). The email and messages makes me wonder if I haven't accidentally hacked someone else's mail server, I do not see me here, I do not understand the praise being meted out, I just spent rather many years writing an address list which got too heavy and excessively out of hand.

There has been much talk elsewhere of donations of £10 a head, buckets being put round. Poor Bucket, I say what! Why are we putting him round? As trusting and generous and overwhelming as your offers are of £10 per head are, I cannot accept your gifts. History Fund needs a war budget of £25,000 to launch, that is before I declare war and start mugging the usual poor suspects like my long suffering fellow traders. The idea of micro-funding is wonderful, the reality is a lot colder and more painful. Here's why:

1.) We can no longer be a "for profit" operation. It is unfair to ask a sponsor - any sponsor - to donate and then walk away with the profits. [Waits for Hollow Laughter to die away] Let us pretend there was an outside chance of running at a profit. If profits are made, Donors are repaid. This has always been the principle, the honour.

2.) There is a built-in resentment among the wider community to "pay to play". Does not affect the hardcore here but the general feeling in the British re-enactment community is that we have no wish to go down the North American route taken by the "Ren Faires". One is personally not in favour of the concept, but not for selfless reasons, just the belief that the participants are providing a service for the love of it, it is upto the show organiser to create an income stream from visitors, not the participants.

3.) Even if I was not agin' it, the mathematics win the argument. I have 1,000 friends basically penniless friends who would rip their sofa to bits to give me their last £10, One needs 2,500 friends, I'm not that popular.

No indeed. But what you can do for me is this. Think of everyone you know. Think of everyone they might know. £25 k in corporate terms is chicken feed. "Call to Arms (Events) Ltd." is a legitimate company. We are a genuine point of tax write-off, I am below selling out to a corporate sponsor. I will cheerfully plaster a ringside with General Widget Company banners, I will cheerfully smother re-enactors with General Widget Company stickers - if they will give me £25 k to give all of you a cracking good party at their expense. We are a tax write-off - give me money, I can spend it for you and provide the VAT invoices. Why pay this diseased and corrupt government which is busy drinking the blood of our lives and liberties it's ill deserved taxes, when you could bring happiness to and win the eternal gratitude of five thousand, maybe more re-enactors, all potential customers.

Now be done with your lavishment of praise, and put your moth eaten note back in your purses (the moths are staving already). Instead, place your collective minds together and let us find, impress someone with a finger on their company money, who finds the concept of paying Fred Goodwin's pension with taxpayer's money, sticks in their throat. [Carefully deletes comment about points of sword at one throat, tempting though it is..] Have them contact me via the usual channels.

Go forth, my friends, my companions-at-arms, noble warriors, my Ladies, my Lords, dearest to me that you are, track them down for me! BRING THEM TO ME ALIVE... and we shall party! For if my war chest exceeds the base line, I can begin to activate other plans, and misdeeds I am plotting! For verily, thou ain'teth seen nothing yet!

This link - http://penkat.com/temp/rockingham%20viewing%20page - may prove VERY useful. Load it - bookmark it. Remember to screen it to potential victerrrm... "sponsors". Good luck for all of us!

Hys Grace, Duke Henry
"Call to Arms"

[Edited for spelling, rogue HTML]

[gregory23b]

Now that's more like it your grace.

[timbobarnacle]

Indeed, excellent, much more like it- there is great power in good friendships

[His Grace, Duke Henry]

Let it be said that One is at this very moment plotting something.

[GuyDeDinan]

Lat: 52:31:00N (52.51674)
Lon: 0:43:29W (-0.72475)

?

[lucy the tudor]

Let it be said that One is at this very moment plotting something.

Great!

Just wish we knew some rich people to help you a bit, all my friends go to church mice for hand outs...

[guthrie]

Surely theres a banker looking for some friends?

[Brand]

Will check my treasure chest...

damn! Fake pearls and forged coins...