The Company of Pikemen & Musketeers
The Company of Pikemen and Musketeers is the ceremonial branch of the Honourable Artilary Company (HAC). Although not the most senior, the Pikemen & Musketeers is the oldest regiment in the British Army. One of the duties of the Company is to act as the ceremonial Body Guard to the Lord Mayor of The City of London; including escorting the Lord Mayor’s state coach at the Lord Mayor’s show.
The Company of Pikemen and Musketeers was granted the Royal Warrant by HM Queen Elizabeth II in 1955. The warrant allows for a maximum of 63 members to be paraded at any one time. This is to represent the number of members in the 1640’s under the reign of Charles I.
Around every 20 years there is a substantial programme for re-equipment for the whole company which is a huge investment. The company are pleased to have been able to use all UK craftsmen for this round of new equipment.
Sashes & Knee Ties
Cotton and Wool Twill Cloth
Humphries Weaving were approached by the Company of Pikemen and Musketeers to reweave fabric for sashes and knee ties for ceremonial dress.
The colour was custom dyed using the best shade from the inside of an existing sash. It was important that the colour also coordinated with the Venetian red pilot cloth used for tunics.
Humphries Weaving put together a hand woven trial to show both colour and the twill weave structure before going ahead with production weaving of the fabric.
Project References: 3100 / 3211
