Report On The
Napoleonic Fair 2000
Recap
by Dave Watkins
 |
The number of visitors was excellent, with there being a line at the door for the 9.30am Sunday morning opening time. Visitors came for the event from the United States, France, Belgium, Germany, and for the first time from Spain and Italy. To recognise this the event will in future be called 'The International Napoleonic Fair'. Presentations in the lecture theatre each had two hundred or more in the audience. The presentation for THE NAPOLEON OPTIONS had six of the contributors talk about their provocative alternative approach to the Napoleonic Wars, being presented as fact rather than fiction or discussion. There were a number of pointed questions from the floor. Colonel John Elting 'in conversation with' Dr Christopher Duffy was a delightful event, full of knowledge, humour, insight and perspective. Professor John Gallaher presented a masterful lecture on Marshal Davout, chaired by Colonel John Hughes-Wilson.
The key 'Life Time Achievement Award' went to Dr David Chandler. (at right, on left). Other Awards included:
The individual or organisation most responsible for raising the public profile of Napoleonic History within the UK - Mr Bernard Cornwell The UK commercial organisation doing the most to promote Napoleonic History - Greenhill Books
There was considerable interest in the four war-games, presented under the direction of Stuart Asquith whose views on the Fair were: The wargames were very well attended and each table had a good crowd throughout the day. The Ellis Room was bustling with an excellent atmosphere. The games ranged from the Naval Wargames Society whose display featured beautifully and painstakingly finished 1/1200 scale Napoleonic warships, the Napoleonic Wargamers presenting 'The British have lost at Vimeiro' using hundreds of 6mm figures on an extensive and eye-catching 12 foot by 6 foot terrain, to the Rayners Lane War Games Group putting on a 'French in Egypt' action, with an outnumbered French force fighting for possession of a vital oasis in the face of native hordes, and the Loughton Strike Force staging 'What if the French had rallied after Waterloo?'.
The exhibitors' stands ranged from booksellers, to model and print dealers, and associations including the Sharpe Appreciation Society. Dealers reported a very busy day. The date and venue for The International Napoleonic Fair in 2001 will be announced in due course. Back to Table of Contents -- First Empire #52 Back to First Empire List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2000 by First Empire. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com |
'Better and better'; each year the event is reported as 'the best yet', and this is the message from this year's Napoleonic Fair which was held on Sunday 20th February 2000
At this Napoleonic Fair awards were granted to key figures in the modern Napoleonic scene.
At right, Prof. John Gallaher (seated) autographing his latest work: The Iron Marshal, a biography of Louis Davout.
At right, from left: Dr. Christopher Duffy, Napoleonic Alliance president William Hurlbutt, and Col. John Elting.