"About Me" (aka "hello world")
Congratulations, you have found the obligatory self-indulgent page where the author sings his or her own praises.
Actually this saves a lot of time - it's certainly quicker than waiting around for someone else to do it..
Okay, for the record, here are my interests:

Computers, of course... Over the years I have been known to mess about with computers. Just to show that Medieval re-enactment and computing are not incompatible I shall now admit that until very recently part of my earning a living involved programming in Fortran on a DEC PDP11-44 computer. (It's not hard - you just use commands like "readeth", "writeth" & "go thou")
(This is not a unique case. A friend and fellow re-enactor who also has an inclination towards "archaeo-computing" has recently decided that his dear old Amiga isn't compatible with his studies - so he's lashed out and purchased a modern 286 .... oh well...)
Oh yes, I do work and play with more modern computers - but I keep wondering about repairing my old Commodore 64.
It must be those Medievalist instincts again.

Armour anyone?...I recently began to make my first attempts at building plate armour. (Basically, you cook steel to red heat, allow it to cool slowly - and then you whop it with a rounded-faced hammer several thousand times until it stretches to the shape you want.
"Use MIG welders"? - you must be joking..)

The photo at the top of this page and here show me wearing a professionally-made visored sallet helmet (Made by Warren Green of Stahlhalm Armory, New Zealand), a prototype back-and-breast armour made by me (based somewhat loosely on a Dutch piece made in 1490) and using a 50 pound longbow made by Cliff Turpin of Queensland, Australia.
I still have a lot to learn, but it's loads of fun trying...

Hitting people - safely... I am a member of Grey Company, an historical re-enactment group whose core activity is Dark Age combat, but which also does work involving other historical periods such as 14th century Knightly Tournament, 13th century siege engineering, 16th century Tudor, 17th century rapier and 17th century Dutch maritime. This tends to mean that the club is not as tightly focussed as other, single subject groups - but it has the advantage of keeping the more creative members interested and challenged.
Grey Co has a theatrical element to it, making dozens of entertaining public appearances every year.
The photo to the right shows me in borrowed armour kindly provided by the Pike & Musket Society of New South Wales at the 1997 Australasian Medieval Conference.)
Remind me to wear a helmet if ever I volunteer for another "demonstration" pike combat - I got the butt end of a pike dropped on my head. It seems that nobody told the opposition that it wasn't meant to be a competitive event.

Historic Ships...I am also a member of the Friends of the Duyfken, a group of people drawn from the whole WA community who got a project going which resulted in the construction of an exact replica of the late 16th century yacht Duyfken ("Little Dove").
This little Dutch vessel was the earliest known European ship to contact the Australian coast (in 1606). The idea was that the construction should be done using 17th century techniques, and so form an exibit in its own right.
It all came together and the Duyfken was launched early in 1999. After fitting out and trials she will take her place as a good will messenger between Australia, Indonesia (the campaign area and resting place of the original Little Dove) and the Netherlands.
After you've finished looking at my page have a look at the Duyfken home pages - very nice stuff. (See the Maritime Archaeology links at the end of this page)

Links to some of my favourite sites and sights:

	Visit "Kate's Art" for Face Painting, Henna and Craft... and say hello. BTW This is a small picture of my wonderfully talented wife Kate. Incomprehensively, she actually seems to quite like me too. Lucky, lucky, lucky...
	The Grey Co Trebuchet Page - our experiments with trebuchets of various sizes, considerable numbers of historic illustrations of these wonderful old siege engines ..plus lots of links to other trebuchet-related sites.
	Rest easy, good citizens - The Stams Home Guard is on duty. Grey Co's experiments with the concept of stingingly accurate historical re-enactment where the characters portrayed are neither elite nor heroes.. (We're working on the accuracy.)
	Meet Jonathon de Hadleigh - A Professional Jester! Jonathon divides his working year between Britain, Germany, France and Western Australia - it pays to be versatile (or is that "a moving target"?).
	Some links to interesting maritime archaeology sites. I used to do quite a bit of diving with the Maritime Archaeology Association of Western Australia back when I had more fitness and spare time. I still love the subject. ...Maybe next year...

	Look at The Grey Company's page Meet one of the friendliest (and most geographically isolated) re-enactment groups in the world. We'll even show you how to make your own sword..
	Mediaeval Arms and Armour See Ray Morris' artistry and armouring craft in historic and fantasy pieces - many beautifully etched with intricate detail.

Email: If you have any questions about trebuchets, Grey Company or whatever please feel free to ask. I'm fairly approachable (in fact some might even say "hard to shut up").

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The Standard "Under Construction" Disclaimer Please look in from time to time to check out any new bits. (with any luck they might even be interesting..)

© Russell Miners ...... This page was last edited June 1999