Staff

Peter Ryan

Peter has been involved with Living History groups since 1982. He has performed at medieval education demonstrations for schools and the general public since 1986. Peter has nearly a quarter of a century of re-enacting medieval combat, including extended periods in the USA to further hone his skills, and training others in the skills of chivalric combat in the use of metal and replica rattan weapons. He is the immediate past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Australian branch of the largest medieval living history group in the world, the SCA, and has several times been President of the Victorian branch. His specific areas of interest in the Middle Ages include tournament fighting, heraldry, cooking, furniture, calligraphy & illumination, armoring, games, woodwork. leatherwork, metalwork, jewelry, philosophy, stone-masonryand medieval encampments. He has appeared in several advertisements and television programs as a medieval extra (recently Skithouse), and undertaken fight coordination and technical direction & production duties. Peter holds post-graduate qualifications in Organisation Dynamics (Graduate Certificate in Organisation Dynamics, Swinburne University of Technology Graduate School of Management) and is a trained Fine Art photographer. He has also competed at National level as a Sports Rock climber. He has been recognised for his contribution to community and recreational groups (medieval re-enactment, education and other recreational and community groups) with a nomination in the 2008 Australian of the Year Awards.

Lillian Johnston

Lillian has been a Living History Re-enactor for 16 years and has served as the President of the Victorian branch 6 of those years, and holds a regional (Australia and New Zealand) position in the Society for Creative Anachronism. Her interest areas are broad, but mainly revolve around catering feasts of up to over 200 attendees, medieval cooking (especially from original sources), dancing, costuming, calligraphy and illumination, textiles and period encampments. She also teaches ballet, has provided end user software training, been an IT Manager, supplied support for both hardware and software and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Business Administration, majoring in Information Systems). She has appeared at medieval education presentations in Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia.

Jason Tate

Jason has studied medieval fighting techniques for nine years, and is especially interested in the crafts of the Middle Ages. He has served as a regional (Australia and New Zealand) level officer in the Society for Creative Anachronism and President of a local branch. His main areas of interest are armoring, blacksmithing, tournament combat, combat archery, pageantry, renaissance fencing, and the many other crafts of the medieval world. Jason also operates a small armoring workshop. On his recent visit to the Royal Armory at Leeds in the UK he was offered a position as an armorer for one of the most significant collections of medieval armor in the world. His interest and passion for this dying craft will bring the past alive in the mind of your students. Jason has previously taught Martial Arts and has 17 years experience in corporate coaching and training.

Breana Johnston

Breana has been a Living Historian nearly all her life. She joins us this year to assist with our Vacation Care sessions and Festival appearances. Already she has been awarded the regional service award (Australia/New Zealand) for her work for the SCA, the world's largest medieval re-enactment group. She has taught dance at the Elegant School of Dance. Her vitality, enthusiasm and rapport with the children is amazing. She specialises in medieval dance, games, cooking, archery, costuming and combat.

Behind the Scenes

In addition to the considerable resources of the main faces of the company, the talents, research and skills of a number of other experienced living historians help to provide Days of Knights with its breadth of knowledge. Peter's wife, Sue, apart from being the Company Secretary, is also an expert in spinning, dyeing, weaving, embroidery and medieval cooking. Lillian's husband, Kelley, does jewelery and woodwork and has done extensive research into medieval navagation instruments. Jason's wife, Suzanne, costumes, makes glass beads (lampworking), cooks and has experience in many other of the crafts of the Middle Ages. Beyond this, we have access to scores of people who are experts in all manner of fields pertaining to the Middle Ages all over the world, including casters of jewelry and accessories, armorers, costumers, seige weapon builders, cobblers, potters, jewellers, weavers, dyers, cartographers, calligraphers, felters and just about anything else that would have been a part of Medieval life.

Last updated on 12 May, 2008

Days of Knights Pty Ltd

Medieval Education, Entertainment and Consulting
History comes alive!

ABN - 3112 224 503