Bernadette: I hope you got some hand sewing done Me,stitching together the stuffed penguin that I’ve spent the last few hours knitting with my hand because I lost my yarn needle: .. *yes* Update:The penguin has been completed and is a success.
Lindsey Stein They are adorable. This is actually my second one,mostly because the first one was in blue and pink and didn’t really look like a penguin. Everyone thought it was a turtle or something. It got me a good grade in art,though.
I continued pinning the hem of my skirt that I finally want to finish and am now finishing by hand (heavily inspired by Bernadettes apathy to sewing machines :D). I would love to see a picture of that penguin, it sounds lovely!
I disagree with her there. I think she just finds it difficult to make small talk with people who dont share the same interests as her. I'm the same. When shes chatting to people and she is interested in the subject she is very engaging and supportive of those people and brings out the best in them.
One of the best things I did for that was become a Tour Guide, it was 6 months of sheer terror until I gained my confidence, then one day it was like a switch clicked and the fear was gone.
@Matt Lapierre - It must be especially scary for Ms Banner since she has gained so much UA-cam fame. So many people wanting chunks of her time and assuming that they will become her best friend, etc. >_
@@wonderwend don’t get me wrong. While I like people, it’s difficult for me to interact for a long period of time even with friends. I need private space to recharge my social battery quite often.
I love watching Bernadette the Producer try to ensure the end product is something worth putting on the UA-cams: making sure the microphone is catching all the audio and being incredibly concerned about the ambient noise in the pub wrecking the recording while still engaging in the conversation!
I only really got distracted when Pentatonix started playing in the background. Love them, but my brain couldn't fit them into the actual, wonderful conversation happening.
@@bernadettebanner i kept waiting for Kathy to look over her shoulder "OI! ANSWER THE FECKIN PHONE YA TWAT!" I mean.... that's what *i* was yelling at the screen :)
This was so interesting, I never imagined Mrs Crocombe with another character than Kathy shows. I completely agree with looking at the sources for books that you are reading, but sometimes you end up in a rabbit hole of books and find yourself starting with book about sewing and end up reading how to clean carpets using tea leaves :D
This is why I wanted to point that out--there are so many ways her character can be interpreted as we have so little evidence remaining of what the real Avis Crocombe was like!
@@bernadettebanner I feel like the only way to really know how she acted is to get time machine and travel in time to meet her, which could be quite interesting experience :D
I worked for a certain US candy-based tourist trap's theatre department in high school (why an introvert thought this was a good first job, I still question) and it was a popular paid gig for local actors and interpreters - there were definitely different versions of the same person and it was fascinating to watch one after the other. One was also a Lincoln interpreter who I ran into out of work for me and in work for him, he tried really really hard to stay in character by asking about the "professor" (the other-job character). I still feel bad about that and it's been close to a decade.
As someone who works in a very old library with historical books (as a librarian, not a historian though) I can confirm that those books can completely catch you off guard with their interesting topics and I still remember reading through this little book on childbirth from the early 16th century (I think) where the author (a male, obviously) told the reader that the process of giving birth will definitely be hard if the woman is very pale or dark in complexion or if she is generally unfriendly or acts cold towards others. Oh, and he also writes that giving birth sometimes is difficult if the mother is younger than 13 years old... man, that was such a weird book. Totally worth spending an hour of working time for.
I was born and raised on a state park that held the site of an 1870's historically-significant military fort in the US midwest. My first paying job (at 16--50 years ago) was as an historic-site interpreter wearing a full-length dress that, per current research, was surprisingly semi-accurate for the time period. I loved doing the job and wearing that dress. Now, after all this time, i can get back to this core passion of living history and making/wearing historical fashion! Thanks to all of you who share your extensive knowledge and passion which helps me expand my own.
Hello fellow military interpreter. I'm a volunteer interpreter at Fort McHenry in the fife and drum corps and occasionally a bar maid in the tavern. Our costumes are 100% accurate but a pain in the ass to wear in summer since the uniforms are wool.
I once went to colonial Williamsburg, and when my mom asked a lady what we should do in town, she mentioned that our family liked the musical Hamilton. So naturally the lady recommended we see a play about Laffeyete and Jefferson, but she then proceeded to THIRST over Laffeyete, and tbh that brought history to life more than anything else I saw on that trip. People in historical dress acting like real people is one of my favorite things.
This is absolutely fascinating to learn more about what historical interpreters do, why and how various people come to into it. Kathy is so full of passion and knowledge on this and I am so happy she came to share her thoughts with you and us. It's also really cool to hear Hana's thoughts on it as someone new to it and how it differs from theatre acting.
@@PatrickPoet I guess they all have to deal with accents, British accents are so diverse it's probably just as hard for me to do an accent from another region in the UK as it is for an American to do a British regional accent,
At about 6:40 we can see Bernadette, staring at the camera, whilst she realized she can take a course on this. She looks as if this just changed all of her world views and that's amazing
I work with adults with learning disabilities, one of my young ladies hates museums and finds them boring. However in the September just past we went to the Beamish museum near Newcastle and they had actors in costumes and she loved it. She went back and was telling her flat mate,family and other staff about the history she had learned. She really did engage with the staff.
We went on a school trip to Beamish when I was about 9. The boys had to shovel coal in the mine and the girls had to bake. Then we had to go to school and I'm left-handed, I had to put my left hand behind my back and use my right hand to write, because left-handed people were seen as "bad" back then. Basically child abuse day out but it was fun 😂 at least we got Victorian sweets.
I’ve been a historical interpreter/living historian whatever it is fashionable to call it for 28 years. As well as appearing at events, we go out to schools and give evening and afternoon talks and occasionally lecture at universities. We are often regarded as experimental archaeologists also. My area of interest is textile production and my period is 950-1066.
@hazeluzzell Textile production in 950-1066 sounds fascinating! What was it like- lots of wool and linen? Did everyone produce their own, for the most part, or did people buy it? I bet you could talk about it for ages, but maybe you can give me a brief overview?
So kind of you both! I’m afraid it would take far more space than I feel comfortable taking up here...but briefly, yes, it was all wool or/and linen. Silk for royalty. All the dyes were plant based and the textile finds that have been tested for dye show overwhelmingly 3 main ones. Woad for blue, which was an expensive dye, as it took a while to process. Yellow, almost all from Weld and a brick red from either wild, or cultivated madder. Green was expensive, as it was produced from weld and woad, or weld treated with iron. Most poor people would have worn wool, the colour of the sheep, and unbleached linen. In the early period, cloth was woven in the home on a warp weighted loom, but later, weaving became an industry when it was taken over by the men. Pretty much 90% of the population were farmers and mostly unfree. I think I’ve taken up enough space, and that was a very brief overview.
@@hazeluzzell Wonderful overview! I read a little about textile production when I was in school (history major), but it was from quite a bit later and the source was from France, I believe.
Dan That truly threw me for a second there...😂 Especially, since we’ve been joking around about Mrs. Crocombe being a ‚Dr. Who‘ like character, with the icebox being her Tardis, over at the English Heritage channel 😂
So I do and have done living history professionally for a while now. I’m mostly in 3rd person which is the most common way it’s done today in the US. This means everyone is aware that I am in fact a modern human dressed in old-timey clothes talking about how life was and performing historic tasks. Mostly these days I’m a “costumed interpreter” which means I lead tours in period dress. Third person allows you to be more knowledgeable and explain changes over time and you get less people trying to play “stump the chump” with you. I have done first person interpretation and it is very very challenging. It’s like the most challenging form of improv. At one museum we would have big first-person events like mock weddings and Christmas parties. My challenge was that I look so much younger than I am that I usually played a teenager. So having to pretend to be a teenage girl in rural Middle Tennessee about 1855 and all the baggage that comes with that was interesting. And usually you’re doing multiple things at once. You’re trying to remain in character while making popcorn over the fire or waiting on your “cousin” at her wedding. As for whether or not the things people ask you make you want to do research: all the time! All of the main interpreters at the museum I’m at now, we’re constantly looking things up, constantly trying to better understand our site and the people associated with it. And what we find we document and share with each other so that we can better know the people we talk about.
That was very interesting. At one point, my ears were caught by hearing Kathy say that a character might know something the character wouldn't normally have a reason to know because she had a brother that got quite interested in it. I was delighted. That's such a British thing. In the UK, someone might be a butcher, but at the same time be considered quite an expert at archaeology because they'd developed an interest, volunteered at dig sites, educated themselves and eventually came to be considered real experts in the field. Seriously. That is a thing that still happens in the UK today. There are citizen scientists of all sorts and they are not considered a lower tier than someone who'd been to university. Expertise sets the understanding of others in the field about where you fit. I quite love that. It's quite democratic. Here in the US that is quite less common. Here in the US, if someone had gone to school for archaeology, but then ended up working in another field, some would be offended if they tried to play themselves off as an archaeologist, even though it's their degree! In some fields it still can happen in the US like historical costuming, or software, but less over time.
No, that's not true at all. Only university types get bent out of shape. LOL. But many, many people here in the states have interests in which they are so PASSIONATE, they can surpass so called "experts". I know a car mechanic who is THE best sound technician because music is his passion. He knows how to set up speaks and mics in ANY space and make it sound amazing. My guy who has an Masters from Yale cannot do this. I go give lots of examples: people who garden, watch stocks in their spare time, build motorcylces...
@@healinggrounds19 I completely agree with you, I think I missed communicating my point. The point was that the general public in the UK would accept the person as a professional in a field like linguistics or archaeology or physics even if they didn't have a degree whereas in the US they wouldn't want someone to call themselves an archaeologist even with a degree if they didn't work at it.
Agreed! I am in Canada, and have two degrees in cultural anthropology, but work in law. Technically, I could call myself an anthropologist, but I don't! I have noted somewhat the converse when watching British television. All of the citizen experts! Although I did read an article awhile back about some fellow in the US who passionately studies a particularly rare kind of seahorse and who works, literally daily to both conserve its habitat and track and study it, who is considered to be THE worldwide expert about this seahorse, but has had no formal training in marine biology, or indeed any discipline at all. I believe he was a fishing boat captain or something before he became the world's foremost keeper of knowledge about that seahorse. Quite wonderful!
Yes, I'm an American and have noticed this, too. An actress is a neuroscientist and sometimes voices opinions or perspectives on the work of other neuroscientists, or other fields of sciences, and people somehow don't think that she can voice an opinion, because she is an actress primarily by profession. It's bizarre.
@@PatrickPoet Well I'm technically an archaeologist by degree, but only those who got firsts easily got jobs as archaeologists, if you had a 2:1 or lower, they expected you to have 5 years of excavation experience before you could get a job as an archaeologist. So that's really not very true. Tony Robinson presented Time Team, but I'd never consider him an archaeologist because he was only the presenter of the show, no matter how passionate he was. And within archaeology if you haven't immediately gone to work in it, and are also not a member of the IFA, then you don't really get to call yourself an archaeologist. Because you're out of practice. I'd love to still be a member of the IFA but I couldn't afford to pay the rates as a disabled person with no income so had to stop when my student membership ran out. Maybe in another part of the UK to the places I've lived its different, but you don't consider volunteer archaeologists to be actual archaeologists even if they are super passionate.
Great timing for this lovely chat, I needed something to listen to while fighting a knotted lump of yarn. (got through it! I was productive and learned stuff at the same time, what a day) It's a lot of things I didn't think about, that historical interpretation gig. All the things that would be brought up in conversation would send me on a crazy knowledge chase, my oh my I'd be terrified of not knowing what to say. Or to say something I thought I knew, then later check and realise I fed lies to the visitors. Wow, just picturing this makes me panic a little. XD ... I might rewatch this a lot to try and reverse-engineer Kathy's top. Looks cozy as heck.
Her top is so pretty! I’d love it in a garnet or royal blue. But the idea is so scary to me; I’ve only begun my knitting journey. The idea that one day I could make something like that!? Since I can’t sew intensively, or drape, etc, the idea of just making clothes... it’s really cool when others do it, but it’s a mountain to climb for sure! Good luck on your knitting journey, and may your rounds never be twisted. 😅
@@SunflowerSpotlight You can do anything you set out your mind to! One thing that can make your first garment easier is going with a chunkier weight of yarn; the bigger the stitches, the fewer you need to make. If you're on Ravelry, you can look for beginner patterns, some of which are free! (btw I'm just 2 years in, I'm far from an "experienced" maker. I just try to learn a new technique with every new project. UA-cam helps a LOT lol) Knit on, my friend!
Love seeing Hana again! It's great to see her working at Audley's End! And Kathy Hipperson a.k.a. Mrs. Crocombe! Love this video and it's great to hear about all the work that go into Audley End!
Th e Townsend's channel has a ton of videos about historical interpretation, reenactment, experimental history, and recipe recreations (using original practice, of course). They also have interviews with people in this field, both in and out of character. It's all amazing.
The Townsends and Victorian Way actually have a pair of crossover episodes, where Jon sends Mrs Crocombe some American food and a recipe for her to try, and Mrs Crocombe sends back some English food and a recipe!
One thing you need to be exceptionally wary of, is the history snobs you're gong to run into at events and things. The ones who sidle up to you and look down their nose while they snidely say "Oh dear... Far be it from me to say anything, but your buttons are 3/64ths of an inch too small to be historically-accurate. It's really embarrassing, and you should leave right away before you cause any problems." You see Farbies everywhere.
One of the things I’ve learned through being a part of living history myself (as a hobby, not a profession) is that it’s easier to tell people what it was like as the person you represent if you’ve experienced what they have yourself. It’s what makes mrs crocombes cooking such an asset, she doesn’t just dress like and talk about being a Victorian cook, she has actually experienced cooking with the implements available to a Victorian cook, and can tell people about the difficulties and how it’s different to today.
Keeping in character while working (especially a character of a real person) and needing to remember historical facts for people who ask questions sounds like it could be very draining, although that could just be for my introvert self. I have a lot of respect for living history actors. And I was way more excited about Kathy mentioning New Zealand in passing than I perhaps should have been. Always love it when people I admire mention my country. I wasn't hand sewing while watching this, but I was winding thread around some old fashioned wooden clothes pegs. I'm using them as a makeshift set of lace bobbins so I can try out lace making without committing lots of money into buying a set of proper bobbins before I even know if I'll enjoy the craft.
Sometimes being a performer is great for introverts (I say this as an introverted actor who knows a lot of introverted actors). A switch kind of flips when you are playing another person, and some of your self-consciousness goes away somehow. It is hard to explain unless you've experienced it.
@@bryanaperry8760 I have experienced that, but never in a situation when I was dealing directly with the public rather than performing for them from a distance or on video. I wonder if it would still be ok for me.
while this video has "only" 2k views, and i have at least small chance of being seen, i wanted to say, even though i don't sew myself (but still like the idea), i still enjoy your videos, simply because you are very interesting and genuine person, and your personality is wonderful
Sireph Lyrrian 24k views in 7 hours and counting. I'm not a hand sewer and certainly not an historical sewer but the atmosphere Bernadette creates is both cozy, informative, and dare I say compelling. I know we'll both keep watching and maybe one day make something historical. 🤞🏻
I nearly finished one of my largest seams on my 2nd ever historical sewing project while watching this! This was an amazing video and it was so fun to watch while sewing. I really felt like I was apart of the conversation and it was just what I needed. Thank you for another amazing video Bernadette! PS: Me and the Cathy did end up talking on instagram after connecting on your last video. Thank you for helping me find such an amazing sewing friend.
I am indeed your personal Cathy, only separated by copious amounts of ocean and land!! So glad I found you though. And it's all thanks to Bernadette's video 😊😊 can't imagine not talking to you on the daily any more. P. S loving your sewing adventure :D p.p.s loving Bernadette's sewing adventure too!!
I absolutely love how full circle this has come. From making the video inspired by Mrs. Crocombe to meeting her at Audley End to sitting here at a pub having a lovely conversation about the method behind the beautiful historical madness!
Bernadette, the face you made when Kathy said: "you can take course in that". I see that you are really into it and eager to know more about it. Your friend Hana working with Mrs Crocombe/Kathy this is wonderful! What an experience to be able to do this. Thanks for sharing it as I can't experience it
It would fit in with her already being around theater, her knowledge of historical costumes and in her videos she acquires historical guides to sections of NYC where she learns about buildings that are no longer there, what things cost etc. She's already 3/4 ready ... just take the class now on how to put all that together.
@@TheJhtlag I couldn't have said it better! 😁 But yes, she's already deep in it so much. Places, costumes, persons... And when I see her adding all this together, when I see her face brightening up, it cheers me and inspire me immensely. Hope to take a sewing class soon🧵, thanks to her and several more
Such an interesting conversation to be part of. As a visitor I know Im often one of the annoying (?) people with very specific historical interests and set of knowledge that flummoxes the staff. But then those often turn into very interesting conversations in themselves where the historic interpreters either go on to where they are comfortable or sponge up the information I have. There is a living history museum in Sweden that we have gone back to a few times that now cook their bread based very heavily on an old family recipe that has survived for hundreds of years in my family. Its rather fun.
Having volunteered and worked in libraries in the past, I love how Bernadette explains sourcing titles from the bibliography of historical books. Not everyone is book knowledgeable to the same degree. Yet she never condescends "whilst" offering information. ♥️ Happy New Year 2020
dc in rb I also work at a library, and would like to add one more tip: if you don’t know where to begin looking, ask your librarian! They are professionals at helping people with that. Once you’ve found your entry point, they can help you get access to the sources referenced in the bibliography of the book(s) you’ve found helpful.
First of all, thank you so much for your videos. I recently retired and found myself looking at You Tube for the first time. I have been a seamstress all my life and for the last 10 years an American Civil War reenactor. I love making my dresses and make other periods in history, too. Your videos are wonderful, they came up when I searched sewing. They are informative and relaxing. The way a lot of your videos come on make you feel as if you are settling down for a wonderful show, full of great expectation and you never disappoint. I have learned a lot from you and I thank you. I loved this video, I found out a great deal. It is so rewarding to see so many people love history and want to keep it alive as I do. I'm glad you are doing more videos even though you are in England. Take care.
First, welcome to our sewing circle, Janet! Numbering in the thousands, we are a cozy group nonetheless. Our gentle Bernadette is a charmer, but she is American, residing in New York. As she has many English friends, it would be simple to draw that conclusion. I do hope that you come to regard her as your Saturday treat (or Friday, if Patreon) as we do. Do expand your viewing pleasure with the many, many stitchers in this little part of UA-cam. Morgan Donner, Costuming Drama, Cathy Hay, Prior Attire, and Historical Belle are just a few of the CosTubers (COStuming youTUBERS) producing excellent videos. They are all well worth your time.
@@DodiTov Yes, I do understand that she resides in New York, I have seen all of the videos. But, alas, I did not think I should write a book here since all of the other replies are so short. : ) I do thank you for your reply and I agree that all of the other stitchers are great too. But there is just something about Bernadette's videos that are special and I should be able to put my finger on it, but the word escapes me. My husband goes down to see his Mom, (she is 90) in the early morning and I use that time to sit down with my coffee and just see what is new. Being retired now gives me that pleasure. I am sewing for other people now, and wanted to see what other seamstresses were doing. Again, thank you for your reply. Take care!
Hi Bernadette , when visiting audley end last year , when the parlour I asked one of the kitchen staff if our border collie was allowed in the kitchen, she answered we would have to ask Mrs Crocomb, Mrs Crocomb, we thought, would not appreciate even Ernie the most obedient Collie , in her kitchen and we decided to not risk asking in case we were rebuked! Thank you for the video, very interesting best wishes Mark
Very interesting. I’ve been asked to be a character ghost at a cemetery for an annual Cemetery Stroll. Now I have a better understanding of what I need to do. Thank all of you for this video.
The one time I did something similar to this was when I played a Mitchum sister (her family being famous for making various products including Mitchum’s Deodorant). It was a Halloween festival showcasing somewhat local notable persons over time. Like, the veil was thin and they could walk among their descendants, keep their stories alive. I’m from TN, the southern accent wasn’t hard to accentuate, adding a little Geo’ja and Alabaymuh southern belle from my Aunts’ way of speaking. But I’d been in a play for a few weeks, performing a character with a somewhat posh British accent, so sometimes I’d slip out of it and realize what was happening, and feign a coughing spell. My "sisters" would show concern, explaining why my constitution was fragile, etc. At one point, one sister completely forgot the years the company made great strides in the industry and, being new at any improvisational work, did what came naturally when you feel appalled that your worst nightmare is coming true publicly and stood there, staring at us for help. Aside from those issues, it was a wonderful experience. I’d love to be able to more of it; history nerd’s dream come true! I really hope you can sink your teeth into the history and just... have fun slipping into another life for a while. I found that dry runs helped me a lot so I wasn’t stiff, and being drilled on facts did I can access them at a moment’s notice. Also, a tip from my director is that if you get anxious, take a moment, put some more weight on your heels, sinking them in the ground and anchoring you. Take a breath. One breath. Performers seem to think three seconds of silence have passed when only one has, according to some data, so it’s probably not as notable as you think. Pausing could also add to the character. She could be mysterious, or imperious or even a bit dim, and the pause will play into the persona you build. If you allow a breath when you feel overwhelmed, all the training and studying will have time to click into place most of the time, and off you go. Good luck. I hope you have a ton of fun!
As a historical novelist who does tons of research, I am massively impressed with how much research these ladies put into their work. Thank you for posting this, Bernadette.
Hiii I'm Globöb. I wasn't planning on working on it this *right away* (I just started a sweater), but I'm making a note to let you know if I figure it out. :) And if you find a pattern before I do, I'd super appreciate if you'd let me know!
It looks as if it’s an ‘infinity’ as it’s currently termed with a bit more length as it’s almost past ‘cowl’ length (Easily moved to cover hair) with a bit of braiding weave thrown in perhaps?
I was lucky to be raised very near Dearborn , Michigan in the USA where Henry Ford established both a museum and a village of historical accuracy. The folks working in the village are historical artists that display and explain crafts and procedures of the 1900’s the historians working there are wonderful and very patient answering questions they also display the lifestyle of the people and allow both children and adults hands-on experiences through-out the day. The Greenfield Village also has classes for children on Saturday during the summers that give kids even more experiences.
My elementary school class, in the 1970s, would take a field trip and we'd spend the day in the little schoolhouse there. It was a lot of fun dressing up!
So, a few months ago whilst searching for a new gingerbread receipt, I came across two ladies making Mrs Crocome's recipe. Then I met her. Because of that meeting I came to meet, John Townsend. From that I met Max Miller. I now cook so much differently. From my heart, thank you.
The different Crocombe's remind me of Nordic style Larps, where the outline of the story and character sketches are provided at the beginning of the play but every player can define the character differently. There are interesting conversations to be had when players of the same characters go through their experiences and compare their reactions and resulting interpretations to the happenings.
I'm a costumed interpreter at Stirling Castle in Scotland (you should come visit sometime!) and this makes me incredibly happy! I mostly do 16th century stuff and my work is a little tricky in terms of being in character (a large portion of the castle is restored / recreated and a lot of visitors want to talk about that) but all of the conversation rings very true to what my day to day experience is like. Thank you for the appreciation! ❤️
I am over joyed with excitement at seeing you all together . This was perfection I love you all and sadly I only get to see Kathy as Mrs Croscombe so to me Kathy is Mrs Crocombe any other will not do . I know it's impossible but If the real Mrs Crocombe stood right in front of me I would not believe her to be her . Thank you to all of you . Bernadette you are an angel .
I've worked as a docent at a museum in Wisconsin for 5 years and we do occasional historical interpretation and all of this resonated so much with me. The random bits and pieces of knowledge I have gained both from my own research but also from visitors and other workers could fill a book. I cannot begin to explain why I know so much about the medical practices of the 1860's in America or painting techniques but it certainly makes for fun trivia questions.
Miranda SLS I’d love to read a book like that, ever thought about writing it all up? That kind is social history is precious to all us ‘hooman beans’ and it would be so useful for future researchers to have it all in one place ✌🏻🌹🏴🇬🇧🙂
"When you're doing interpretation, drink." Are you suggesting we stay hydrated, or drink something else?! :D I'm a hobby reenactor during the Christmas season, and the hydration struggle is real. My gigs are singing and dancing with visitors, and this is why I and so many of my fellow Dickens Fair folk have period-looking mugs that fit in our reticules.
Many years ago a friend introduced me to the Renaissance Pleasure Faire that is held in Southern California. I had never encountered such a thing and immediately found myself enthralled. I've since discovered several other types of historical reenactments all over the country. There is something magical about stepping back into time and being able to encounter and engage with characters. For those who love history, reenacting provides opportunities to learn and share no matter if you are an actor or a participant/visitor. Very much enjoyed this visit! I'm a fan of Mrs. Crocombe and Kathy. The opportunity to hear her speak is much appreciated!
That's awesome Hannah is able to join them. And thanks to Kathy for breaking down all the different aspects of how the different roles you can go. Very interesting!
There's something so magical about seeing historical characters brought to life in historical settings. In researching woman's suffrage and helping to craft a play about it, I've spent a lot of time trying to imagine what life was like. Even after months of looking at primary sources, it can be difficult. Then I recently saw a fantastic play in New Orleans called the Uninvited, staged in a historic home, with the play happening organically throughout the space. I hope to see much more of that intersection between theater and historical interpretation in the future. It demonstrates how these people lived in an incredibly physical way. It's extremely powerful.
For such an Introvert, Bernadette.... you have quite an amazing sense of humor!!! And you really shine when you're in that element!! Most enjoyable! Thanks for all the enlightening education! I've always loved early history. Even as a small child in 3rd grade, my first experience was the Varner-Hogg Plantation in West Columbia, Texas. (Funny fact... the parents had that southern sense of humor that jumped cliffs... birthed a daughter... and had the gall to name her Ima. Always carried empathy in my heart for her. I was in my 20's, living down in Texas City, when Ima passed away. Amazing feeling to know you existed in such historical moments!)
I just finished my study abroad in London and we focused on theatre and culture appreciation and I actually went to some of the places these ladies work/worked at and it's just surreal to hear about the acting from this background and perspective. Loved it. Love this.
I enjoyed this episode so much. It is interesting to see Historical Interpretation becoming a more popular career. I have worked in this field most of my adult life, employed with the National Park Service in USA. I started as a young girl working in costume in the Civil War period. Later, as an interpreter of Natural history / Park Natiralist, quite different. I love it all and see this as a most effective way of teaching people of all ages to love history and our natural world. I LOVE IT SO MUCH.
I am just starting my second semester for archeology, and due to some people making scarfs and mittens in class I have gotten into nålebinding. It is nice how many history nerds of different kinds there are, and how supportive everyone is. Everyone needs that kind of positivity ^^
This feels very timely. I just cracked open my history textbook last night for the class I am taking this semester, and it did a lot of talking about primary and secondary sources. It was nice to see Hannah again, and it was nice to hear about historical interpretation from the other side. Also I really like the sweater Kathy was wearing.
Bernadette Darling! What a fabulous video chat. Fascinating to get the perspectives from Kathy Hipperson and Hana DeHart; the maestro and the novitiate, both so generous with their experience in the gaining and dissemination of their knowledge in the field of historical interpretation. Though I empathize with your abject fear of this mode of teaching, I could see you sumptuously submersed the part of Lady’s Maid a la Frieda Arnold. Surely you would relish the role and imbue the character with your garnered grace and exacting standards, thus extolling an evocative edifying performance. I don’t know if you realize how much of a celebrity you are in your own right; I was sweetly amused by how star stuck you were in meeting Mrs Crocombe. You are so expressive and engaging Bernadette, effusive and demure at once, it is quite endearing. Many of the finest actors and performers will tell you they are introverted so you are already in good company. Entertain these thoughts. In the meantime I will outline a one woman show for you. No pressure 😂 Till then a little poem for you Bernadette: May your needles be sharp and your fingers be nimble and their tips never want for the lack of a thimble - That was pretty good! Maybe I’ll put that on a needlepoint pillow or a sampler for you this winter.
What a lovely surprise! I work in museum education, and it is always nice to hear others talk about their experience in interpretation. The research thing is so real. You never stop finding new questions you don't know the answers to.
I’m don’t sew in the typical way. I’m a mixed media artist. Yet I find your channel, you and your sweet Guinea pig most interesting. I love fabric! I use it in my art whenever I can. While going through my fabric this morning , for a project , I thought “ I need a basket for my cabbage!” Then I burst out laughing. I’m one of you now!!!! 😘
I am a costumed volunteer interpreter on Angel Island in CA :) 1917 era. I am fairly shy and do not like talking with strangers, but I find when I put the costume (or original dress) on, that goes away, especially in a first person museum like the one being discussed.
So basically they are like historical Disney characters. In character at all times, know how to interact with the public, don't know or talk about things you shouldn't understand, etc. Sounds like great fun, to be honest!
Also in California, the Northern and Southern Renaissance Faires. Under previous management actors were required to wear period dress, and perform historically accurately. Under current management that's been relaxed quite a bit but it's still quite accurate.
Such a great interview! I spent most of my career as a historical interpreter in California, and in my experience in the U.S., historical interpretation is a part-time job for almost everyone, except for a few who work at the largest historic sites (Colonial Williamsburg, Plimoth Plantation, etc.). I couldn't find any museum interpretation job in the state of California that offered more than 20 hours a week of paid work; most museum sites expected all their interpretation staff to be volunteers, actually. I felt lucky to have a job where I got paid at all to do the work! I am no longer working in a museum, however, because I couldn't live on the wages, and my hours at the museum filled the best working hours of the day so I couldn't get a job anywhere else that would pay at a higher rate! That said, I absolutely loved the work, and was inspired to do more and more research because of the questions that the visitors asked. In my work, we had a set of facts (about the historic site, about the time period, about the people who lived and worked there) and it was up to us how we worked those facts into our presentation, and which other facts we included. That worked very well, and I don't know that I could have done the work if I had been required to memorize and recite a script exactly the same way each time!
I was in the same boat as you were. I just retired from CA State Parks, but never did get a permanent position. I love historical reenactment as well, however there are additional challenges in the US when race played such an important part of the history -- ie the Californios of Spanish descent, native Americans who worked as the labourers, often against their will.
How Exciting!!! I love that Hana works at Audley End! All of this Historic Interpretation reminds me of the specific acting that the players do at Disney Land and Disney World. It's very much "what would my character know and not know." BUT WITH HISTORY!!! I love this and I love that it's a growing phenomena. Thank you, Bernadette. This was so much fun!!
This was joyous company for a quick knitting session! I work in a London museum and often see Mary Anning and Charles Darwin gliding through the corridors, so it was lovely to hear this side of the action I've not had the pleasure of meeting any of the interpreters before. Thank you
Me too! I just started knitting two weeks ago and I love it! I hadn’t knitted much today (somehow messed up a long tail cast on 🤦🏻♀️) so a little sess is just what I need! 😁
What a treat this was! I got a few rows of knitting done on my 50's inspired sweater while watching. It was the perfect thing for this snowy day. This makes me want to visit England again so badly! Love your channel!
Reenactor and historical interpreter here! Loved listening to this conversation. There are many wonderful things and also challenges that come from historical interpretation, so it makes me happy to see conversations like this. Thanks so much for posting such an interesting interview to your channel!
Thank you so much for taking us back to the characters and life at Audley End. Congratulations Hannah, I hope you're having as much fun as you appear to. You have all sent me back down the rabbit hole of personal history. Since my mom's passing, I've been charged with finishing our family tree but have neglectful in doing so. This has reignited that interest in our history where I'll inevitably get sidetracked into the many odd aspects of life as I time travel. Cheers, I hope you all have a fabulous weekend.
I work in an interesting intersection of this and regular acting, immersive theater. Some immersive theater is fantastical or unrealistic but period shows can be extensively researched for accuracy. My favorite tidbit I’ve seen was a 1920’s show that featured a trick mirror that allowed audience to peak in on the “dressing room” of the chorus line girls. They had a scene of one girl helping another bind her chest, an actual thing done at the time period that I’d never seen before
This was very informative. Thank you for your comments on how to find the informational resources. As a former teacher, it hurts my heart that this is not the most common of knowledge. However, perhaps some of the listeners heard it this time! :)
I worked as a tour guide in Chicago, IL, but only once as a dressed interpreter for the Molly Brown house in Denver, CO, I showed visitors the kitchen & spoke of that and the laundry. Wonderful fun, but it was all volunteer, not paid. Still exciting. Thanks Hana & Kathy, my fav Mrs. Crocombe! Woohoo! Thanks Bernadette! Q
This is so fun! Our local folk museum (Sverresborg folkemuseum) is one of Norways largest open air museums, and have some living history actors! They have over the years built a city, with old buildings that was taken apart and moved from the city centre up to the museum area. They have a colonial store, dentist office, apothekery and more, and even have a historical kindergarden(!) where you can put your little ones if you need a break.
Huge thanks to Kathy and Hana for joining Bernadette for this amazing conversational visit, and to Bernadette for filming and editing the whole thing. It was so fascinating I just watched without trying to do anything else at all. I love all the Victorian Way videos, and Bernadette’s on Victorian fashion, and this one was wonderful, bringing several aspects of history and the re-enactment process together. Bernadette, you are a wonderful interviewer- you ask good questions and then allow the people to answer completely without interruption. I enjoyed this very much, and rather than being too long, it was so interesting It ended with me wishing for more. Thumbs up is putting it mildly!
as someone who lives in the UK and grew up going to museums and castles and the like , i loved hearing about the nature of living history also cant wait to get into reenacting some time. thanks for another awesome video.
My grandmother worked at an old plantation house in Texas when I was growing up and I loved it when they had huge festivals and the kids got to be extra actors. I have a huge respect for historical actors
I love the living museum experience. this episode was so interesting and it was great to see faces from last year. I would love to retire and work at a living museum and chat with people about my favorite stories and places and times from history.... sigh... that would be the life. I'm so very grateful that we as a society value this. It's so important to know where we came from because this helps us to discovery who we are and what we can become. thanks for sharing all the love Bernadette. You are amazing.
I'm a historical reenactor and it's an absolute joy to do. It's a really wonderful way to dig deep into whichever period you're interested in. To live and breathe it to the best of your ability is truly a unique experience. I've made so many discoveries and gained a deeper understanding of the people who lived during various times that I could never get from reading a book.
This is one of my FAVORITE videos you've produced. I love your sewing - I'm addicted, really - but this video gives so much inspiration for delving into history.
I LOVE THIS!! I'm a historical interpreter in Canada and have worked at a number of sites, both in and out of costume, ,though never in character (always 3rd person, so me, but in costume, and I can talk about the 'future', in addition to the past). My fave was at Fort Langley, BC where I ran the outdoor kitchen/oven area - Audley End and Mrs Croccombe are goals!! I love this work for just what Kathy was saying about the type of person who interprets - I love history, and I love historical dress, and this combines both loves in one! The discussion on 1st person interpretation was fascinating - portraying real people has to be such a balancing act and it was cool to have a little view into how English Heritage and the interps there do it! I was nerding out through the whole video!!
Where I live we have a reconstructed Spanish/native american settlement (Mission San Luis, holla). It's interesting to see how much of the like guts of the operation stay the same in terms of having like traceable historical roles and ages, versus the people being slotted in to play them or whatnot. Here it's a lot of volunteer work since the funding is abysmal but its very much the same feeling just....a couple hundred years earlier and a lot more american lol
Funding for this in the United States is not like it appears to be in the UK. After trying to cut Meals on Wheels, can you imagine our Congress actually funding something akin to English Heritage?
I do a 1780s working woman from NJ. That said, I live in Idaho where 1780s is native Americans and not likely to be European. I make and sell handmade soaps so in order to promote my business I do it in custome. I also speak at schools or groups about life in 1780s as a woman. I too have developed a back story to accompany my persona. Thanks for another great video.
Thank you for sharing this! I know a fair amount of people who do Civil War re-enacting. They are just ordinary people interested in history and like dressing up for that role. Thank you for interviewing these ladies! Love love love!
Eek! I just started to learn to knit about two weeks ago, so it’s cool that I can actually take her up on the offer of knitting along while watching! Excuse me as I rise gracefully and then proceed to catapult to my yarn bag!
Northern Light 😊 Thanks, I appreciate it! It’s a little one step forward, one step back, heh. 😅 But I’m getting practice in being a kinder teacher to myself. If I can just be as encouraging to myself as I am to other people, it’ll be an easier experience! It’s great for practicing that if nothing else. And I’m getting quite a wonky washcloth collection. 😂 I’ll get there! Eventually! Thanks for the encouragement. I’m finding the crafty community to be really welcoming and positive. 😊
Another fantastic video! Also, I don't know about anyone else but I for one am very happy you history dive then youtube as it allows me to learn and be interested in a commonly rather niche subject without having to travel (not that that's a bad thing) and in the comfort of my home with lots of food.
I loved the historical interpretation they do in Philadelphia. I went on a class trip and they had people in costume that you could talk to and they had people who were doing plays that were historically accurate on how we got our money together in America. The attention to detail is the most impressive part and the people who do it are brave. It’s a different experience with history than anything else you can get.
that's how I came to historical sewing btw~ I know LOADS about it and could SHARE lots about Canadian historic sewing practices as well as the victorian dress I'm "trying" to historically restore ... maybe you could help? I've run into funny looks when I brought it into a modern sewing studio in Toronto for help with the hem.....
I work as a living historian. The way we do it it’s not based on playing specific people rather than portraying types of women. So we do laundress demonstrations. We do laundry the way women would have done it in 1814 and it’s so much fun to actually do the laundry with the visitors. They get to help us and it’s so much fun to scrub clothes with little kids.
Thank-you for this video. Kathy Hipperson, through her portrayal of Avis Crocombe, is one of my all time favourite historical historical interpretative actors! 👍😘
Thank You for this pub chat interview. As an American historical interpreter it is so wonderful to hear about the thoughts and methodologies of others in the field. It is such a multi faceted and new field that continues to develop, challenging the public to think of history in a different way. Thank You.
This was sush a fascinating video, so thank you for bringing it to us. I'm happy to know the area of historical interpretation/living history is thriving and growing. And such wonderful backstage type tidbits: six Mrs. Crocombes indeed! There is one way to get into historical interpretation that wasn't mentioned; be born into it (me). It has left me with a occasionally odd perspective though. I sometimes must remind myself that just because I was wearing hoop skirts by age 7 doesn't mean an adult is odd for having trouble when wearing hoops for the first time.
I loved this video! I’ve always wondered about the acting aspect of things. When I was in 5th grade our class took a field trip to a historical farm and school house. We all had to dress up like 1890’s school kids and everyone running the farm/school house was in character. It was a blast. We all sat in the one room school house and went through their lesson plan, writing with quills and practicing writing in the style they did. After that we walked through the farm and had to try whatever farm work a 5th grader could handle haha. I’m 32 now and looking back that’s been my favorite part of grade school.
One of the first jobs I had during college was taking photos for a small magazine advertising Old Salem. It’s sort of bizarre to get off of the interstate in North Carolina and take a step back in time. I still go every year or so, just to make candles and buy cookies.
Watching your original practice sewing has sparked my love of history once more! Even though there’s not much in Australia in the way of historical reenactment, I am venturing into making my own period clothing and hopefully I will find my way into the reenacting villages that are few and far between!
I grew up with Historical Interpretation because my mother loved Old Sturbridge Village! It brought history to life for me as a child and furthered my passion for history. I don’t know when OSV started, but I am 40 now and was there quite a bit as a very young child. So it’s at least 30 years old. If you haven’t been you should go! It’s not far from NYC!
This was such a wonderful video, thank you! I'm currently in the process of trying to become historical interpreter in the rural northwestern reaches of the UK (climbing Lakeland fells in Victorian hiking gear, anyone?) and Kathy Hipperson has actually been a huge inspiration! Hearing her and Hana talk about living history from a behind-the-scenes POV is super interesting and they said so many things that I found really helpful. I would love to work somewhere like Audley End House, but Past Pleasures don't quite come this far north... Videos like this help inspire me to create my own opportunities where I am!
![WE MET MRS CROCOMBE. || A Visit to Audley End House and Gardens [Vlog]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ofm-oztDo8g/mqdefault.jpg)
![WE MET MRS CROCOMBE. || A Visit to Audley End House and Gardens [Vlog]](/img/tr.png)
Bernadette: I hope you got some hand sewing done
Me,stitching together the stuffed penguin that I’ve spent the last few hours knitting with my hand because I lost my yarn needle: .. *yes*
Update:The penguin has been completed and is a success.
That sounds like an adorable project, penguins are my favorite
Noor Azraq we love penguins
Lindsey Stein They are adorable. This is actually my second one,mostly because the first one was in blue and pink and didn’t really look like a penguin. Everyone thought it was a turtle or something. It got me a good grade in art,though.
Penguin! (sorry, love penguins.)
I continued pinning the hem of my skirt that I finally want to finish and am now finishing by hand (heavily inspired by Bernadettes apathy to sewing machines :D). I would love to see a picture of that penguin, it sounds lovely!
"I struggle with the interaction ... interactions with all humans in general", and "...people are scary." Big mood.
I disagree with her there. I think she just finds it difficult to make small talk with people who dont share the same interests as her. I'm the same. When shes chatting to people and she is interested in the subject she is very engaging and supportive of those people and brings out the best in them.
One of the best things I did for that was become a Tour Guide, it was 6 months of sheer terror until I gained my confidence, then one day it was like a switch clicked and the fear was gone.
Completely empathize and share this thought.
@Matt Lapierre - It must be especially scary for Ms Banner since she has gained so much UA-cam fame. So many people wanting chunks of her time and assuming that they will become her best friend, etc. >_
@@wonderwend don’t get me wrong. While I like people, it’s difficult for me to interact for a long period of time even with friends. I need private space to recharge my social battery quite often.
I love watching Bernadette the Producer try to ensure the end product is something worth putting on the UA-cams: making sure the microphone is catching all the audio and being incredibly concerned about the ambient noise in the pub wrecking the recording while still engaging in the conversation!
Oh yes can you tell I'm dying internally when the phone starts ringing at an important moment in the conversation 😂
I only really got distracted when Pentatonix started playing in the background. Love them, but my brain couldn't fit them into the actual, wonderful conversation happening.
@@bernadettebanner but for future reference the audio level was fine regardless where the mic was.
@@bernadettebanner i kept waiting for Kathy to look over her shoulder "OI! ANSWER THE FECKIN PHONE YA TWAT!"
I mean.... that's what *i* was yelling at the screen :)
That side-eye at 21:30ish...LOLOLOL
This was so interesting, I never imagined Mrs Crocombe with another character than Kathy shows.
I completely agree with looking at the sources for books that you are reading, but sometimes you end up in a rabbit hole of books and find yourself starting with book about sewing and end up reading how to clean carpets using tea leaves :D
This is why I wanted to point that out--there are so many ways her character can be interpreted as we have so little evidence remaining of what the real Avis Crocombe was like!
@@bernadettebanner I feel like the only way to really know how she acted is to get time machine and travel in time to meet her, which could be quite interesting experience :D
I worked for a certain US candy-based tourist trap's theatre department in high school (why an introvert thought this was a good first job, I still question) and it was a popular paid gig for local actors and interpreters - there were definitely different versions of the same person and it was fascinating to watch one after the other. One was also a Lincoln interpreter who I ran into out of work for me and in work for him, he tried really really hard to stay in character by asking about the "professor" (the other-job character). I still feel bad about that and it's been close to a decade.
As someone who works in a very old library with historical books (as a librarian, not a historian though) I can confirm that those books can completely catch you off guard with their interesting topics and I still remember reading through this little book on childbirth from the early 16th century (I think) where the author (a male, obviously) told the reader that the process of giving birth will definitely be hard if the woman is very pale or dark in complexion or if she is generally unfriendly or acts cold towards others. Oh, and he also writes that giving birth sometimes is difficult if the mother is younger than 13 years old... man, that was such a weird book. Totally worth spending an hour of working time for.
I was born and raised on a state park that held the site of an 1870's historically-significant military fort in the US midwest. My first paying job (at 16--50 years ago) was as an historic-site interpreter wearing a full-length dress that, per current research, was surprisingly semi-accurate for the time period. I loved doing the job and wearing that dress. Now, after all this time, i can get back to this core passion of living history and making/wearing historical fashion! Thanks to all of you who share your extensive knowledge and passion which helps me expand my own.
Was it Fort Snelling?
Hello fellow military interpreter. I'm a volunteer interpreter at Fort McHenry in the fife and drum corps and occasionally a bar maid in the tavern. Our costumes are 100% accurate but a pain in the ass to wear in summer since the uniforms are wool.
I once went to colonial Williamsburg, and when my mom asked a lady what we should do in town, she mentioned that our family liked the musical Hamilton. So naturally the lady recommended we see a play about Laffeyete and Jefferson, but she then proceeded to THIRST over Laffeyete, and tbh that brought history to life more than anything else I saw on that trip. People in historical dress acting like real people is one of my favorite things.
This is absolutely fascinating to learn more about what historical interpreters do, why and how various people come to into it. Kathy is so full of passion and knowledge on this and I am so happy she came to share her thoughts with you and us. It's also really cool to hear Hana's thoughts on it as someone new to it and how it differs from theatre acting.
I was quite curious about how Hana deals with accent
@@PatrickPoet I guess they all have to deal with accents, British accents are so diverse it's probably just as hard for me to do an accent from another region in the UK as it is for an American to do a British regional accent,
@@DC-fo3bn or vice versa! So many Brit actors have done American roles and I didn't realize they weren't American until later!
At about 6:40 we can see Bernadette, staring at the camera, whilst she realized she can take a course on this. She looks as if this just changed all of her world views and that's amazing
You can see her light up!❤
To “collect all Mrs Crocombes” is now top of the bucket list.
I work with adults with learning disabilities, one of my young ladies hates museums and finds them boring. However in the September just past we went to the Beamish museum near Newcastle and they had actors in costumes and she loved it. She went back and was telling her flat mate,family and other staff about the history she had learned. She really did engage with the staff.
We went on a school trip to Beamish when I was about 9. The boys had to shovel coal in the mine and the girls had to bake. Then we had to go to school and I'm left-handed, I had to put my left hand behind my back and use my right hand to write, because left-handed people were seen as "bad" back then. Basically child abuse day out but it was fun 😂 at least we got Victorian sweets.
Beamish museum is an awesome and totally amazing place being there twice now
I’ve been a historical interpreter/living historian whatever it is fashionable to call it for 28 years. As well as appearing at events, we go out to schools and give evening and afternoon talks and occasionally lecture at universities. We are often regarded as experimental archaeologists also. My area of interest is textile production and my period is 950-1066.
@hazeluzzell Textile production in 950-1066 sounds fascinating! What was it like- lots of wool and linen? Did everyone produce their own, for the most part, or did people buy it? I bet you could talk about it for ages, but maybe you can give me a brief overview?
I would love to learn what you know!
So kind of you both! I’m afraid it would take far more space than I feel comfortable taking up here...but briefly, yes, it was all wool or/and linen. Silk for royalty. All the dyes were plant based and the textile finds that have been tested for dye show overwhelmingly 3 main ones. Woad for blue, which was an expensive dye, as it took a while to process. Yellow, almost all from Weld and a brick red from either wild, or cultivated madder. Green was expensive, as it was produced from weld and woad, or weld treated with iron. Most poor people would have worn wool, the colour of the sheep, and unbleached linen. In the early period, cloth was woven in the home on a warp weighted loom, but later, weaving became an industry when it was taken over by the men. Pretty much 90% of the population were farmers and mostly unfree. I think I’ve taken up enough space, and that was a very brief overview.
@@hazeluzzell Wonderful overview! I read a little about textile production when I was in school (history major), but it was from quite a bit later and the source was from France, I believe.
hazeluzzell amazing! Do you have any resources you’d recommend, if you can think of any?
Yes, go to the library! Your librarian is trained at finding sources for you, and probably knows how to search for the right thing way better you do.
"There are 6 Mrs Crocombes" 😱
How can the truth feel so blasphemous!? 😭
Kathy is the famous one though
Nay, there is but one, all others are mere shadows of The One True Avis!!!!!!
Dan
That truly threw me for a second there...😂
Especially, since we’ve been joking around about Mrs. Crocombe being a ‚Dr. Who‘ like character, with the icebox being her Tardis, over at the English Heritage channel 😂
Rara Avis Mary Poppins is also a time lord. Can’t help thinking that Kathy would make an excellent Mary too - Spit Spot!
So I do and have done living history professionally for a while now. I’m mostly in 3rd person which is the most common way it’s done today in the US. This means everyone is aware that I am in fact a modern human dressed in old-timey clothes talking about how life was and performing historic tasks. Mostly these days I’m a “costumed interpreter” which means I lead tours in period dress. Third person allows you to be more knowledgeable and explain changes over time and you get less people trying to play “stump the chump” with you. I have done first person interpretation and it is very very challenging. It’s like the most challenging form of improv. At one museum we would have big first-person events like mock weddings and Christmas parties. My challenge was that I look so much younger than I am that I usually played a teenager. So having to pretend to be a teenage girl in rural Middle Tennessee about 1855 and all the baggage that comes with that was interesting. And usually you’re doing multiple things at once. You’re trying to remain in character while making popcorn over the fire or waiting on your “cousin” at her wedding.
As for whether or not the things people ask you make you want to do research: all the time! All of the main interpreters at the museum I’m at now, we’re constantly looking things up, constantly trying to better understand our site and the people associated with it. And what we find we document and share with each other so that we can better know the people we talk about.
Thank you for the reality check as not everyone is lucky enough to play a lead character as fascinating as Mrs. Crocombe.
That was very interesting. At one point, my ears were caught by hearing Kathy say that a character might know something the character wouldn't normally have a reason to know because she had a brother that got quite interested in it. I was delighted. That's such a British thing. In the UK, someone might be a butcher, but at the same time be considered quite an expert at archaeology because they'd developed an interest, volunteered at dig sites, educated themselves and eventually came to be considered real experts in the field. Seriously. That is a thing that still happens in the UK today. There are citizen scientists of all sorts and they are not considered a lower tier than someone who'd been to university. Expertise sets the understanding of others in the field about where you fit. I quite love that. It's quite democratic. Here in the US that is quite less common. Here in the US, if someone had gone to school for archaeology, but then ended up working in another field, some would be offended if they tried to play themselves off as an archaeologist, even though it's their degree! In some fields it still can happen in the US like historical costuming, or software, but less over time.
No, that's not true at all. Only university types get bent out of shape. LOL. But many, many people here in the states have interests in which they are so PASSIONATE, they can surpass so called "experts". I know a car mechanic who is THE best sound technician because music is his passion. He knows how to set up speaks and mics in ANY space and make it sound amazing. My guy who has an Masters from Yale cannot do this. I go give lots of examples: people who garden, watch stocks in their spare time, build motorcylces...
@@healinggrounds19 I completely agree with you, I think I missed communicating my point. The point was that the general public in the UK would accept the person as a professional in a field like linguistics or archaeology or physics even if they didn't have a degree whereas in the US they wouldn't want someone to call themselves an archaeologist even with a degree if they didn't work at it.
Agreed! I am in Canada, and have two degrees in cultural anthropology, but work in law. Technically, I could call myself an anthropologist, but I don't!
I have noted somewhat the converse when watching British television. All of the citizen experts!
Although I did read an article awhile back about some fellow in the US who passionately studies a particularly rare kind of seahorse and who works, literally daily to both conserve its habitat and track and study it, who is considered to be THE worldwide expert about this seahorse, but has had no formal training in marine biology, or indeed any discipline at all. I believe he was a fishing boat captain or something before he became the world's foremost keeper of knowledge about that seahorse. Quite wonderful!
Yes, I'm an American and have noticed this, too. An actress is a neuroscientist and sometimes voices opinions or perspectives on the work of other neuroscientists, or other fields of sciences, and people somehow don't think that she can voice an opinion, because she is an actress primarily by profession. It's bizarre.
@@PatrickPoet Well I'm technically an archaeologist by degree, but only those who got firsts easily got jobs as archaeologists, if you had a 2:1 or lower, they expected you to have 5 years of excavation experience before you could get a job as an archaeologist. So that's really not very true. Tony Robinson presented Time Team, but I'd never consider him an archaeologist because he was only the presenter of the show, no matter how passionate he was. And within archaeology if you haven't immediately gone to work in it, and are also not a member of the IFA, then you don't really get to call yourself an archaeologist. Because you're out of practice. I'd love to still be a member of the IFA but I couldn't afford to pay the rates as a disabled person with no income so had to stop when my student membership ran out. Maybe in another part of the UK to the places I've lived its different, but you don't consider volunteer archaeologists to be actual archaeologists even if they are super passionate.
Great timing for this lovely chat, I needed something to listen to while fighting a knotted lump of yarn. (got through it! I was productive and learned stuff at the same time, what a day) It's a lot of things I didn't think about, that historical interpretation gig. All the things that would be brought up in conversation would send me on a crazy knowledge chase, my oh my I'd be terrified of not knowing what to say. Or to say something I thought I knew, then later check and realise I fed lies to the visitors. Wow, just picturing this makes me panic a little. XD
... I might rewatch this a lot to try and reverse-engineer Kathy's top. Looks cozy as heck.
Oh, fighting the urge to google during this chat was *difficult*! Too bad Magical Pocket Encyclopaedias aren't allowed in the 19th century.
Her top is so pretty! I’d love it in a garnet or royal blue. But the idea is so scary to me; I’ve only begun my knitting journey. The idea that one day I could make something like that!? Since I can’t sew intensively, or drape, etc, the idea of just making clothes... it’s really cool when others do it, but it’s a mountain to climb for sure! Good luck on your knitting journey, and may your rounds never be twisted. 😅
I'm still fairly new to the world of knitting, but it looks like an alternating knit-purl pattern?
@@SunflowerSpotlight You can do anything you set out your mind to! One thing that can make your first garment easier is going with a chunkier weight of yarn; the bigger the stitches, the fewer you need to make. If you're on Ravelry, you can look for beginner patterns, some of which are free! (btw I'm just 2 years in, I'm far from an "experienced" maker. I just try to learn a new technique with every new project. UA-cam helps a LOT lol) Knit on, my friend!
Amara Jordan you can do it, I have faith! ✌🏻🏴
Love seeing Hana again! It's great to see her working at Audley's End! And Kathy Hipperson a.k.a. Mrs. Crocombe! Love this video and it's great to hear about all the work that go into Audley End!
Th e Townsend's channel has a ton of videos about historical interpretation, reenactment, experimental history, and recipe recreations (using original practice, of course). They also have interviews with people in this field, both in and out of character. It's all amazing.
Chae Howard I recently started watching and I really liked the laundry series.
I love the Townsends channel.
The Townsends and Victorian Way actually have a pair of crossover episodes, where Jon sends Mrs Crocombe some American food and a recipe for her to try, and Mrs Crocombe sends back some English food and a recipe!
@@kirstinmckeown3581 Ooh! I need to check that out!
One thing you need to be exceptionally wary of, is the history snobs you're gong to run into at events and things. The ones who sidle up to you and look down their nose while they snidely say "Oh dear... Far be it from me to say anything, but your buttons are 3/64ths of an inch too small to be historically-accurate. It's really embarrassing, and you should leave right away before you cause any problems." You see Farbies everywhere.
One of the things I’ve learned through being a part of living history myself (as a hobby, not a profession) is that it’s easier to tell people what it was like as the person you represent if you’ve experienced what they have yourself. It’s what makes mrs crocombes cooking such an asset, she doesn’t just dress like and talk about being a Victorian cook, she has actually experienced cooking with the implements available to a Victorian cook, and can tell people about the difficulties and how it’s different to today.
"Not many people are related to King Henry the 8th"
Me - Slowly raises hand as an actual relative.
So does that mean you’re related to the Tudor siblings as well? Neat!
Supposedly same
Whaaaa-?! That's so AWESOME!!
wooaahh!
That's so cool!
Keeping in character while working (especially a character of a real person) and needing to remember historical facts for people who ask questions sounds like it could be very draining, although that could just be for my introvert self. I have a lot of respect for living history actors. And I was way more excited about Kathy mentioning New Zealand in passing than I perhaps should have been. Always love it when people I admire mention my country.
I wasn't hand sewing while watching this, but I was winding thread around some old fashioned wooden clothes pegs. I'm using them as a makeshift set of lace bobbins so I can try out lace making without committing lots of money into buying a set of proper bobbins before I even know if I'll enjoy the craft.
Jacqui Harrison
Making do with what you have at hand is a very historically accurate thing to do.
Jacqui, it's the same for me. I would be completely drained. I love the history but too many people is TOO many people;) Not the job for me:)
What a brilliant tip! Will hasten to copy one of these days, because I'm very much wanting try out bobbin lace making as well. Cheers
Sometimes being a performer is great for introverts (I say this as an introverted actor who knows a lot of introverted actors). A switch kind of flips when you are playing another person, and some of your self-consciousness goes away somehow. It is hard to explain unless you've experienced it.
@@bryanaperry8760 I have experienced that, but never in a situation when I was dealing directly with the public rather than performing for them from a distance or on video. I wonder if it would still be ok for me.
while this video has "only" 2k views, and i have at least small chance of being seen, i wanted to say, even though i don't sew myself (but still like the idea), i still enjoy your videos, simply because you are very interesting and genuine person, and your personality is wonderful
Sireph Lyrrian 24k views in 7 hours and counting. I'm not a hand sewer and certainly not an historical sewer but the atmosphere Bernadette creates is both cozy, informative, and dare I say compelling. I know we'll both keep watching and maybe one day make something historical. 🤞🏻
I nearly finished one of my largest seams on my 2nd ever historical sewing project while watching this! This was an amazing video and it was so fun to watch while sewing. I really felt like I was apart of the conversation and it was just what I needed. Thank you for another amazing video Bernadette!
PS: Me and the Cathy did end up talking on instagram after connecting on your last video. Thank you for helping me find such an amazing sewing friend.
Oh excellent, I was wondering about that! Merry sewing adventures to you both!
I wasn't able to "do" anything! I just sat in rapt attention! I think I will play it again, and do my hand-sewing!
(I am sewing fleece socks!)
I am indeed your personal Cathy, only separated by copious amounts of ocean and land!! So glad I found you though. And it's all thanks to Bernadette's video 😊😊 can't imagine not talking to you on the daily any more. P. S loving your sewing adventure :D p.p.s loving Bernadette's sewing adventure too!!
I absolutely love how full circle this has come. From making the video inspired by Mrs. Crocombe to meeting her at Audley End to sitting here at a pub having a lovely conversation about the method behind the beautiful historical madness!
Bernadette, the face you made when Kathy said: "you can take course in that". I see that you are really into it and eager to know more about it. Your friend Hana working with Mrs Crocombe/Kathy this is wonderful! What an experience to be able to do this. Thanks for sharing it as I can't experience it
It would fit in with her already being around theater, her knowledge of historical costumes and in her videos she acquires historical guides to sections of NYC where she learns about buildings that are no longer there, what things cost etc. She's already 3/4 ready ... just take the class now on how to put all that together.
@@TheJhtlag I couldn't have said it better! 😁 But yes, she's already deep in it so much. Places, costumes, persons... And when I see her adding all this together, when I see her face brightening up, it cheers me and inspire me immensely. Hope to take a sewing class soon🧵, thanks to her and several more
Such an interesting conversation to be part of. As a visitor I know Im often one of the annoying (?) people with very specific historical interests and set of knowledge that flummoxes the staff. But then those often turn into very interesting conversations in themselves where the historic interpreters either go on to where they are comfortable or sponge up the information I have. There is a living history museum in Sweden that we have gone back to a few times that now cook their bread based very heavily on an old family recipe that has survived for hundreds of years in my family. Its rather fun.
Alma Ulmane what a lovely story! 🙂 any chance of the recipe, I would love to have a go at that - please?☺️☺️☺️✌🏻🏴🌹
Me too! Seriously, that is fantastic!
Oh wow can you share the recipe? It would be fascinating!
Having volunteered and worked in libraries in the past, I love how Bernadette explains sourcing titles from the bibliography of historical books. Not everyone is book knowledgeable to the same degree. Yet she never condescends "whilst" offering information. ♥️ Happy New Year 2020
dc in rb
I also work at a library, and would like to add one more tip: if you don’t know where to begin looking, ask your librarian! They are professionals at helping people with that. Once you’ve found your entry point, they can help you get access to the sources referenced in the bibliography of the book(s) you’ve found helpful.
@@ragnkja yes, yes, a thousand times yes! Librarians are wonderful resources. 💕
@@ragnkja do you mean a university like library or just a normal library where you get books from?
@@juliusroman8616
Regular public library.
First of all, thank you so much for your videos. I recently retired and found myself looking at You Tube for the first time. I have been a seamstress all my life and for the last 10 years an American Civil War reenactor. I love making my dresses and make other periods in history, too. Your videos are wonderful, they came up when I searched sewing. They are informative and relaxing. The way a lot of your videos come on make you feel as if you are settling down for a wonderful show, full of great expectation and you never disappoint. I have learned a lot from you and I thank you. I loved this video, I found out a great deal. It is so rewarding to see so many people love history and want to keep it alive as I do. I'm glad you are doing more videos even though you are in England. Take care.
First, welcome to our sewing circle, Janet! Numbering in the thousands, we are a cozy group nonetheless. Our gentle Bernadette is a charmer, but she is American, residing in New York. As she has many English friends, it would be simple to draw that conclusion. I do hope that you come to regard her as your Saturday treat (or Friday, if Patreon) as we do. Do expand your viewing pleasure with the many, many stitchers in this little part of UA-cam. Morgan Donner, Costuming Drama, Cathy Hay, Prior Attire, and Historical Belle are just a few of the CosTubers (COStuming youTUBERS) producing excellent videos. They are all well worth your time.
@@DodiTov Yes, I do understand that she resides in New York, I have seen all of the videos. But, alas, I did not think I should write a book here since all of the other replies are so short. : ) I do thank you for your reply and I agree that all of the other stitchers are great too. But there is just something about Bernadette's videos that are special and I should be able to put my finger on it, but the word escapes me. My husband goes down to see his Mom, (she is 90) in the early morning and I use that time to sit down with my coffee and just see what is new. Being retired now gives me that pleasure. I am sewing for other people now, and wanted to see what other seamstresses were doing. Again, thank you for your reply. Take care!
@@janetsingperry5834 Ah. It's early yet. The wordsmiths have not yet awakened.
Hi Bernadette , when visiting audley end last year , when the parlour I asked one of the kitchen staff if our border collie was allowed in the kitchen, she answered we would have to ask Mrs Crocomb, Mrs Crocomb, we thought, would not appreciate even Ernie the most obedient Collie , in her kitchen and we decided to not risk asking in case we were rebuked! Thank you for the video, very interesting best wishes Mark
Very interesting. I’ve been asked to be a character ghost at a cemetery for an annual Cemetery Stroll. Now I have a better understanding of what I need to do. Thank all of you for this video.
The one time I did something similar to this was when I played a Mitchum sister (her family being famous for making various products including Mitchum’s Deodorant). It was a Halloween festival showcasing somewhat local notable persons over time. Like, the veil was thin and they could walk among their descendants, keep their stories alive. I’m from TN, the southern accent wasn’t hard to accentuate, adding a little Geo’ja and Alabaymuh southern belle from my Aunts’ way of speaking. But I’d been in a play for a few weeks, performing a character with a somewhat posh British accent, so sometimes I’d slip out of it and realize what was happening, and feign a coughing spell. My "sisters" would show concern, explaining why my constitution was fragile, etc. At one point, one sister completely forgot the years the company made great strides in the industry and, being new at any improvisational work, did what came naturally when you feel appalled that your worst nightmare is coming true publicly and stood there, staring at us for help. Aside from those issues, it was a wonderful experience. I’d love to be able to more of it; history nerd’s dream come true!
I really hope you can sink your teeth into the history and just... have fun slipping into another life for a while. I found that dry runs helped me a lot so I wasn’t stiff, and being drilled on facts did I can access them at a moment’s notice. Also, a tip from my director is that if you get anxious, take a moment, put some more weight on your heels, sinking them in the ground and anchoring you. Take a breath. One breath. Performers seem to think three seconds of silence have passed when only one has, according to some data, so it’s probably not as notable as you think. Pausing could also add to the character. She could be mysterious, or imperious or even a bit dim, and the pause will play into the persona you build. If you allow a breath when you feel overwhelmed, all the training and studying will have time to click into place most of the time, and off you go. Good luck. I hope you have a ton of fun!
teri dahlin is that Biloxi?
99zanne no Huntsville Alabama
As a historical novelist who does tons of research, I am massively impressed with how much research these ladies put into their work. Thank you for posting this, Bernadette.
Is it possible there Kathy Hipperson can point me to a knitting pattern for her top?
Wonderful video by the way :)
You may want to talk to @globöb Oboglöb here in the comments, they seem to be on the case of reverse engineering it!
Hiii I'm Globöb. I wasn't planning on working on it this *right away* (I just started a sweater), but I'm making a note to let you know if I figure it out. :) And if you find a pattern before I do, I'd super appreciate if you'd let me know!
That sweater is fabulous!
It looks as if it’s an ‘infinity’ as it’s currently termed with a bit more length as it’s almost past ‘cowl’ length (Easily moved to cover hair) with a bit of braiding weave thrown in perhaps?
@What color is an albino polar bear? Sweater aside, your nick name gave me a lil chuckle. :D
I was lucky to be raised very near Dearborn , Michigan in the USA where Henry Ford established both a museum and a village of historical accuracy. The folks working in the village are historical artists that display and explain crafts and procedures of the 1900’s the historians working there are wonderful and very patient answering questions they also display the lifestyle of the people and allow both children and adults hands-on experiences through-out the day. The Greenfield Village also has classes for children on Saturday during the summers that give kids even more experiences.
gail handschuh My grandparents and Mom brought me there as a kid. It was so interesting! Also Williamsburg VA and Rocky Mount TN.
I remember going on a field trip to Stanley School, it was either third or fifth grade i have a hard time remembering
@@cocoateacosplay6851 me too!
My elementary school class, in the 1970s, would take a field trip and we'd spend the day in the little schoolhouse there. It was a lot of fun dressing up!
I love that place. Several trips as a child. Wish I were closer so I could share the experience with my kids and grandkids.
So, a few months ago whilst searching for a new gingerbread receipt, I came across two ladies making Mrs Crocome's recipe. Then I met her. Because of that meeting I came to meet, John Townsend. From that I met Max Miller.
I now cook so much differently.
From my heart, thank you.
The different Crocombe's remind me of Nordic style Larps, where the outline of the story and character sketches are provided at the beginning of the play but every player can define the character differently. There are interesting conversations to be had when players of the same characters go through their experiences and compare their reactions and resulting interpretations to the happenings.
I'm a costumed interpreter at Stirling Castle in Scotland (you should come visit sometime!) and this makes me incredibly happy! I mostly do 16th century stuff and my work is a little tricky in terms of being in character (a large portion of the castle is restored / recreated and a lot of visitors want to talk about that) but all of the conversation rings very true to what my day to day experience is like.
Thank you for the appreciation! ❤️
I am over joyed with excitement at seeing you all together . This was perfection I love you all and sadly I only get to see Kathy as Mrs Croscombe so to me Kathy is Mrs Crocombe any other will not do . I know it's impossible but If the real Mrs Crocombe stood right in front of me I would not believe her to be her . Thank you to all of you . Bernadette you are an angel .
If I visit Audley House in the fall and Kathy isn't Mrs. Crocombe on my visit, I shall weep!!
I've worked as a docent at a museum in Wisconsin for 5 years and we do occasional historical interpretation and all of this resonated so much with me. The random bits and pieces of knowledge I have gained both from my own research but also from visitors and other workers could fill a book. I cannot begin to explain why I know so much about the medical practices of the 1860's in America or painting techniques but it certainly makes for fun trivia questions.
Miranda SLS I’d love to read a book like that, ever thought about writing it all up? That kind is social history is precious to all us ‘hooman beans’ and it would be so useful for future researchers to have it all in one place ✌🏻🌹🏴🇬🇧🙂
Which one would you struggle with?
"Interactions with all humans in general"
Me too Bernadette, me too.
"When you're doing interpretation, drink." Are you suggesting we stay hydrated, or drink something else?! :D
I'm a hobby reenactor during the Christmas season, and the hydration struggle is real. My gigs are singing and dancing with visitors, and this is why I and so many of my fellow Dickens Fair folk have period-looking mugs that fit in our reticules.
Many years ago a friend introduced me to the Renaissance Pleasure Faire that is held in Southern California. I had never encountered such a thing and immediately found myself enthralled. I've since discovered several other types of historical reenactments all over the country.
There is something magical about stepping back into time and being able to encounter and engage with characters.
For those who love history, reenacting provides opportunities to learn and share no matter if you are an actor or a participant/visitor.
Very much enjoyed this visit! I'm a fan of Mrs. Crocombe and Kathy. The opportunity to hear her speak is much appreciated!
I've been to several " Ren Faires", and enjoyed them immensely. It's more fun if you wear a costume when you attend.
That's awesome Hannah is able to join them. And thanks to Kathy for breaking down all the different aspects of how the different roles you can go. Very interesting!
There's something so magical about seeing historical characters brought to life in historical settings.
In researching woman's suffrage and helping to craft a play about it, I've spent a lot of time trying to imagine what life was like. Even after months of looking at primary sources, it can be difficult. Then I recently saw a fantastic play in New Orleans called the Uninvited, staged in a historic home, with the play happening organically throughout the space. I hope to see much more of that intersection between theater and historical interpretation in the future. It demonstrates how these people lived in an incredibly physical way. It's extremely powerful.
For such an Introvert, Bernadette.... you have quite an amazing sense of humor!!! And you really shine when you're in that element!! Most enjoyable! Thanks for all the enlightening education! I've always loved early history. Even as a small child in 3rd grade, my first experience was the Varner-Hogg Plantation in West Columbia, Texas. (Funny fact... the parents had that southern sense of humor that jumped cliffs... birthed a daughter... and had the gall to name her Ima. Always carried empathy in my heart for her. I was in my 20's, living down in Texas City, when Ima passed away. Amazing feeling to know you existed in such historical moments!)
@17:15
Gotta catch 'em all, Crocomon! ♥️👍
Fascinating insight, thank you all and happy new year!
I live right near Audley End. Kathy is incredible!
Thank you, Ms. Banner, for including your friends into your conversation! What a marvelous profession, the Historical Interpreter!
I just finished my study abroad in London and we focused on theatre and culture appreciation and I actually went to some of the places these ladies work/worked at and it's just surreal to hear about the acting from this background and perspective. Loved it. Love this.
I enjoyed this episode so much. It is interesting to see Historical Interpretation becoming a more popular career. I have worked in this field most of my adult life, employed with the National Park Service in USA. I started as a young girl working in costume in the Civil War period. Later, as an interpreter of Natural history / Park Natiralist, quite different. I love it all and see this as a most effective way of teaching people of all ages to love history and our natural world. I LOVE IT SO MUCH.
I am just starting my second semester for archeology, and due to some people making scarfs and mittens in class I have gotten into nålebinding. It is nice how many history nerds of different kinds there are, and how supportive everyone is. Everyone needs that kind of positivity ^^
May I ask what nålebinding is?
@@hydeandseek8428 it means 'needle binding' and it's basically another form of crochet to make socks and hats, just with a straight needle :)
This feels very timely. I just cracked open my history textbook last night for the class I am taking this semester, and it did a lot of talking about primary and secondary sources. It was nice to see Hannah again, and it was nice to hear about historical interpretation from the other side. Also I really like the sweater Kathy was wearing.
How lucky you are to have met both Kathy Hipperson AND her mrs Crocombe! Totally envious!
People think the avengers is the most ambitious crossover ever??
Mark Wooldridge Good point!
Bernadette Darling! What a fabulous video chat. Fascinating to get the perspectives from Kathy Hipperson and Hana DeHart; the maestro and the novitiate, both so generous with their experience in the gaining and dissemination of their knowledge in the field of historical interpretation.
Though I empathize with your abject fear of this mode of teaching, I could see you sumptuously submersed the part of Lady’s Maid a la Frieda Arnold. Surely you would relish the role and imbue the character with your garnered grace and exacting standards, thus extolling an evocative edifying performance.
I don’t know if you realize how much of a celebrity you are in your own right; I was sweetly amused by how star stuck you were in meeting Mrs Crocombe. You are so expressive and engaging Bernadette, effusive and demure at once, it is quite endearing. Many of the finest actors and performers will tell you they are introverted so you are already in good company. Entertain these thoughts. In the meantime I will outline a one woman show for you. No pressure 😂
Till then a little poem for you Bernadette:
May your needles be sharp and your fingers be nimble and their tips never want for the lack of a thimble -
That was pretty good! Maybe I’ll put that on a needlepoint pillow or a sampler for you this winter.
What a lovely surprise! I work in museum education, and it is always nice to hear others talk about their experience in interpretation. The research thing is so real. You never stop finding new questions you don't know the answers to.
I’m don’t sew in the typical way. I’m a mixed media artist. Yet I find your channel, you and your sweet Guinea pig most interesting. I love fabric! I use it in my art whenever I can. While going through my fabric this morning , for a project , I thought “ I need a basket for my cabbage!” Then I burst out laughing. I’m one of you now!!!! 😘
I am a costumed volunteer interpreter on Angel Island in CA :) 1917 era. I am fairly shy and do not like talking with strangers, but I find when I put the costume (or original dress) on, that goes away, especially in a first person museum like the one being discussed.
So basically they are like historical Disney characters. In character at all times, know how to interact with the public, don't know or talk about things you shouldn't understand, etc. Sounds like great fun, to be honest!
Also in California, the Northern and Southern Renaissance Faires. Under previous management actors were required to wear period dress, and perform historically accurately. Under current management that's been relaxed quite a bit but it's still quite accurate.
Please do not use Disney and history in a positive sentence as Disney has botched history so badly.
Such a great interview! I spent most of my career as a historical interpreter in California, and in my experience in the U.S., historical interpretation is a part-time job for almost everyone, except for a few who work at the largest historic sites (Colonial Williamsburg, Plimoth Plantation, etc.). I couldn't find any museum interpretation job in the state of California that offered more than 20 hours a week of paid work; most museum sites expected all their interpretation staff to be volunteers, actually. I felt lucky to have a job where I got paid at all to do the work! I am no longer working in a museum, however, because I couldn't live on the wages, and my hours at the museum filled the best working hours of the day so I couldn't get a job anywhere else that would pay at a higher rate!
That said, I absolutely loved the work, and was inspired to do more and more research because of the questions that the visitors asked. In my work, we had a set of facts (about the historic site, about the time period, about the people who lived and worked there) and it was up to us how we worked those facts into our presentation, and which other facts we included. That worked very well, and I don't know that I could have done the work if I had been required to memorize and recite a script exactly the same way each time!
I was in the same boat as you were. I just retired from CA State Parks, but never did get a permanent position. I love historical reenactment as well, however there are additional challenges in the US when race played such an important part of the history -- ie the Californios of Spanish descent, native Americans who worked as the labourers, often against their will.
How Exciting!!! I love that Hana works at Audley End! All of this Historic Interpretation reminds me of the specific acting that the players do at Disney Land and Disney World. It's very much "what would my character know and not know." BUT WITH HISTORY!!! I love this and I love that it's a growing phenomena. Thank you, Bernadette. This was so much fun!!
This was joyous company for a quick knitting session! I work in a London museum and often see Mary Anning and Charles Darwin gliding through the corridors, so it was lovely to hear this side of the action I've not had the pleasure of meeting any of the interpreters before. Thank you
Me too! I just started knitting two weeks ago and I love it! I hadn’t knitted much today (somehow messed up a long tail cast on 🤦🏻♀️) so a little sess is just what I need! 😁
What a treat this was! I got a few rows of knitting done on my 50's inspired sweater while watching. It was the perfect thing for this snowy day. This makes me want to visit England again so badly! Love your channel!
6:43 The moment when Bernadette realised that the dream career does infact exist.
(As did I! 😄)
Same here, it’d be my absolute favourite thing to do, playing as a butler, or a hunter, or a lord
Reenactor and historical interpreter here! Loved listening to this conversation. There are many wonderful things and also challenges that come from historical interpretation, so it makes me happy to see conversations like this. Thanks so much for posting such an interesting interview to your channel!
It's amazing that Hana has found herself in Audley End now!!! It's amazing how things have come into fruition now :O
This is the second interview/conversation with Kathy as herself that I have seen and I must say this one was much more enjoyable to watch. Well done.
Thank you so much for taking us back to the characters and life at Audley End. Congratulations Hannah, I hope you're having as much fun as you appear to.
You have all sent me back down the rabbit hole of personal history. Since my mom's passing, I've been charged with finishing our family tree but have neglectful in doing so. This has reignited that interest in our history where I'll inevitably get sidetracked into the many odd aspects of life as I time travel.
Cheers, I hope you all have a fabulous weekend.
I work in an interesting intersection of this and regular acting, immersive theater. Some immersive theater is fantastical or unrealistic but period shows can be extensively researched for accuracy. My favorite tidbit I’ve seen was a 1920’s show that featured a trick mirror that allowed audience to peak in on the “dressing room” of the chorus line girls. They had a scene of one girl helping another bind her chest, an actual thing done at the time period that I’d never seen before
This was very informative. Thank you for your comments on how to find the informational resources. As a former teacher, it hurts my heart that this is not the most common of knowledge. However, perhaps some of the listeners heard it this time! :)
I worked as a tour guide in Chicago, IL, but only once as a dressed interpreter for the Molly Brown house in Denver, CO, I showed visitors the kitchen & spoke of that and the laundry. Wonderful fun, but it was all volunteer, not paid. Still exciting. Thanks Hana & Kathy, my fav Mrs. Crocombe! Woohoo! Thanks Bernadette! Q
This is so fun! Our local folk museum (Sverresborg folkemuseum) is one of Norways largest open air museums, and have some living history actors! They have over the years built a city, with old buildings that was taken apart and moved from the city centre up to the museum area. They have a colonial store, dentist office, apothekery and more, and even have a historical kindergarden(!) where you can put your little ones if you need a break.
Huge thanks to Kathy and Hana for joining Bernadette for this amazing conversational visit, and to Bernadette for filming and editing the whole thing. It was so fascinating I just watched without trying to do anything else at all. I love all the Victorian Way videos, and Bernadette’s on Victorian fashion, and this one was wonderful, bringing several aspects of history and the re-enactment process together. Bernadette, you are a wonderful interviewer- you ask good questions and then allow the people to answer completely without interruption. I enjoyed this very much, and rather than being too long, it was so interesting It ended with me wishing for more. Thumbs up is putting it mildly!
as someone who lives in the UK and grew up going to museums and castles and the like , i loved hearing about the nature of living history also cant wait to get into reenacting some time. thanks for another awesome video.
My grandmother worked at an old plantation house in Texas when I was growing up and I loved it when they had huge festivals and the kids got to be extra actors. I have a huge respect for historical actors
This just opened my eyes to a career path I never even considered as someone getting a theatre degree with a lifelong history of working in museums...
Such a beautiful young lady Bernadette . It’s a pity there was not such interesting young ladies around when I was younger. Love your channel .
I love the living museum experience. this episode was so interesting and it was great to see faces from last year. I would love to retire and work at a living museum and chat with people about my favorite stories and places and times from history.... sigh... that would be the life. I'm so very grateful that we as a society value this. It's so important to know where we came from because this helps us to discovery who we are and what we can become. thanks for sharing all the love Bernadette. You are amazing.
I'm a historical reenactor and it's an absolute joy to do. It's a really wonderful way to dig deep into whichever period you're interested in. To live and breathe it to the best of your ability is truly a unique experience. I've made so many discoveries and gained a deeper understanding of the people who lived during various times that I could never get from reading a book.
This is one of my FAVORITE videos you've produced. I love your sewing - I'm addicted, really - but this video gives so much inspiration for delving into history.
I LOVE THIS!! I'm a historical interpreter in Canada and have worked at a number of sites, both in and out of costume, ,though never in character (always 3rd person, so me, but in costume, and I can talk about the 'future', in addition to the past). My fave was at Fort Langley, BC where I ran the outdoor kitchen/oven area - Audley End and Mrs Croccombe are goals!! I love this work for just what Kathy was saying about the type of person who interprets - I love history, and I love historical dress, and this combines both loves in one! The discussion on 1st person interpretation was fascinating - portraying real people has to be such a balancing act and it was cool to have a little view into how English Heritage and the interps there do it! I was nerding out through the whole video!!
Where I live we have a reconstructed Spanish/native american settlement (Mission San Luis, holla). It's interesting to see how much of the like guts of the operation stay the same in terms of having like traceable historical roles and ages, versus the people being slotted in to play them or whatnot. Here it's a lot of volunteer work since the funding is abysmal but its very much the same feeling just....a couple hundred years earlier and a lot more american lol
Funding for this in the United States is not like it appears to be in the UK. After trying to cut Meals on Wheels, can you imagine our Congress actually funding something akin to English Heritage?
I do a 1780s working woman from NJ. That said, I live in Idaho where 1780s is native Americans and not likely to be European. I make and sell handmade soaps so in order to promote my business I do it in custome. I also speak at schools or groups about life in 1780s as a woman. I too have developed a back story to accompany my persona. Thanks for another great video.
Hannah: “With the other characters, it’s always fun...”
Bernadette: what is wrong with you
Lovely conversation to sit in on! Thank you, all of you. ❤️
Thank you for sharing this! I know a fair amount of people who do Civil War re-enacting. They are just ordinary people interested in history and like dressing up for that role.
Thank you for interviewing these ladies! Love love love!
Eek! I just started to learn to knit about two weeks ago, so it’s cool that I can actually take her up on the offer of knitting along while watching! Excuse me as I rise gracefully and then proceed to catapult to my yarn bag!
Amara Jordan You have such a way with words. Hope the knitting thing is working for you now! ✌🏻🌹🏴
Northern Light 😊 Thanks, I appreciate it! It’s a little one step forward, one step back, heh. 😅 But I’m getting practice in being a kinder teacher to myself. If I can just be as encouraging to myself as I am to other people, it’ll be an easier experience! It’s great for practicing that if nothing else. And I’m getting quite a wonky washcloth collection. 😂 I’ll get there! Eventually!
Thanks for the encouragement. I’m finding the crafty community to be really welcoming and positive. 😊
Another fantastic video! Also, I don't know about anyone else but I for one am very happy you history dive then youtube as it allows me to learn and be interested in a commonly rather niche subject without having to travel (not that that's a bad thing) and in the comfort of my home with lots of food.
I loved the historical interpretation they do in Philadelphia. I went on a class trip and they had people in costume that you could talk to and they had people who were doing plays that were historically accurate on how we got our money together in America. The attention to detail is the most impressive part and the people who do it are brave. It’s a different experience with history than anything else you can get.
I'm a retired Historical Interpreter (BEST JOB EVER). Background in Canadian and English Colonial History (currently writing)~
that's how I came to historical sewing btw~ I know LOADS about it and could SHARE lots about Canadian historic sewing practices as well as the victorian dress I'm "trying" to historically restore ... maybe you could help? I've run into funny looks when I brought it into a modern sewing studio in Toronto for help with the hem.....
I work as a living historian. The way we do it it’s not based on playing specific people rather than portraying types of women. So we do laundress demonstrations. We do laundry the way women would have done it in 1814 and it’s so much fun to actually do the laundry with the visitors. They get to help us and it’s so much fun to scrub clothes with little kids.
Thank-you for this video. Kathy Hipperson, through her portrayal of Avis Crocombe, is one of my all time favourite historical historical interpretative actors! 👍😘
I would definitely fall down a research rabbit hole doing a job like that!
Thank You for this pub chat interview. As an American historical interpreter it is so wonderful to hear about the thoughts and methodologies of others in the field. It is such a multi faceted and new field that continues to develop, challenging the public to think of history in a different way. Thank You.
This was sush a fascinating video, so thank you for bringing it to us. I'm happy to know the area of historical interpretation/living history is thriving and growing. And such wonderful backstage type tidbits: six Mrs. Crocombes indeed!
There is one way to get into historical interpretation that wasn't mentioned; be born into it (me). It has left me with a occasionally odd perspective though. I sometimes must remind myself that just because I was wearing hoop skirts by age 7 doesn't mean an adult is odd for having trouble when wearing hoops for the first time.
I loved this video! I’ve always wondered about the acting aspect of things. When I was in 5th grade our class took a field trip to a historical farm and school house. We all had to dress up like 1890’s school kids and everyone running the farm/school house was in character. It was a blast. We all sat in the one room school house and went through their lesson plan, writing with quills and practicing writing in the style they did. After that we walked through the farm and had to try whatever farm work a 5th grader could handle haha. I’m 32 now and looking back that’s been my favorite part of grade school.
One of the first jobs I had during college was taking photos for a small magazine advertising Old Salem. It’s sort of bizarre to get off of the interstate in North Carolina and take a step back in time. I still go every year or so, just to make candles and buy cookies.
Old Salem is so fun and every time I eat Moravian cookies that’s the place I think of.
Watching your original practice sewing has sparked my love of history once more! Even though there’s not much in Australia in the way of historical reenactment, I am venturing into making my own period clothing and hopefully I will find my way into the reenacting villages that are few and far between!
This really is bringing history back to life.
I grew up with Historical Interpretation because my mother loved Old Sturbridge Village! It brought history to life for me as a child and furthered my passion for history. I don’t know when OSV started, but I am 40 now and was there quite a bit as a very young child. So it’s at least 30 years old. If you haven’t been you should go! It’s not far from NYC!
This shed so much light of what it is like to be a historical interpreter. This was so beautiful!
This was such a wonderful video, thank you! I'm currently in the process of trying to become historical interpreter in the rural northwestern reaches of the UK (climbing Lakeland fells in Victorian hiking gear, anyone?) and Kathy Hipperson has actually been a huge inspiration! Hearing her and Hana talk about living history from a behind-the-scenes POV is super interesting and they said so many things that I found really helpful. I would love to work somewhere like Audley End House, but Past Pleasures don't quite come this far north... Videos like this help inspire me to create my own opportunities where I am!