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John Waller, Founder Member and Guild Master, EHCG
Introduction:
Master Steve had known of Guild Master John Waller for many years and met him a few times but was not ready to go to him for advice on Swordsmanship until he had done something himself. This proved to be the correct, even if long, route to train with John and Jonathan. Their knowledge are second-to-none in their chosen fields and they fully understood the concepts/principles related to weaponry and body mechanics – they knew what the Masters of old were preaching and more importantly could develop it – which is why they could work together as EC follows the same ethics.
Steve’s (A Senior Guild Teacher and Founding Member) fascination with Escrima opened up his interest in European combat history in the late 70’s and he joined and contacted different historical societies to satisfy his interest. Over the years he made contact with several prominent people with knowledge and expertise in history and combat. Steve and fellow Escrima Instructor John Dovey did much research and came into contact with John Waller at the Tower Of London where manuscripts were discussed and copied. Eventually this lead to meeting John Waller at Leeds where John put Steve into contact with his son Jonathan. Training together began and friendships were formed and shortly after the Guild was Founded and now many students study and practice with both EC and the Guild.
The help and influence on weapon and body mechanics with strategy that John Waller teaches has been very reassuring for Steve and helped him stay motivated and focused. Steve highly rates John Waller as a great gentleman, with a glint in his eye and has been a friend to Steve for several years and his skills of sword combat are without equal. His son Jonathan follows this path too. Read on to learn more about the men and why the Guild and EC are such good friends and work together.
John Waller has been conducting research into the uses and application of arms and armour since the late 1950’s. Hs research led him to develop a Specific Philosophy when approaching historical combat styles and weapons. He also discovered a number of Principles that need to be applied when using historical weapons. These Principles can be shown to be common to most historical European combat styles and are also shared by many other martial arts from around the world. It is these Principles and Philosophy that lie at the heart of the Guild system and it teachings.
John is a Professional Archer and also a Horseman and Falconer. He has helped with experiments in respect of the Archery finds on King Henry VIII’s flagship, Mary Rose, raised from the Solent. His research into Archery and into Medieval Weapons and their use are joined with a wide knowledge of medieval life, customs and behaviour.
A Founder Member of the Society of British Fight Directors in 1969 and an original member of Equity’s Fight Director’s Register. He founded the Medieval Society in 1963. This group was the first, dedicated to the practical research of medieval life.
With the Royal Armouries at the Tower of London, John made films on practical wearing and use of armour and weapons and films on swords and swordsmanship in which he directed the fights - How a Man Schall by Armyd and Masters of Defence.
Some of his other credits over the last 40 years have included: Films; including Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Television dramas including Pride and Prejudice. Many commercials, including ‘Strongbow’ for 29 years. Extensive work for the Theatre, most recently as Master of Fight at Shakespeare’s Globe. Historical documentaries including Arms in Action and Warrior School.
For 19 years John taught Combat at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Arts Educational School and the Drama Studio.
Since 1995 John has been Director of Interpretation and Education at the Royal Armouries Museum. There he is responsible for research into the interpretation of the artefacts in the museum and the demonstrations that take place in the Museums of The Royal Armouries. Whilst at the Museum John Founded the Guild and the Museum has run many seminars to support the Guild since it was created.
Jonathon Waller, Founder Member and Guild Secretary, EHCG
Jonathan Waller is a Founder member of The European Historical Combat Guild (EHCG), as well being a Guild Senior Teacher and Secretary of the Guild.
As well as having a wide ranging knowledge of medieval life, customs and behaviour, Jonathan carries out extensive practical research into European Arms and Armour and is both a Master Bowman and horseman. His knowledge and skills have been developed since childhood, thanks to his father John Waller.
Jonathan works regularly with The Royal Armouries and has been closely involved in many of their projects, including work on a number of films for their museum in Leeds. 1995 he was a member of a Royal Armouries Team invited to Japan, by The Nikko Toshugo Shrine, with whom the Armouries are twinned. This involved demonstrations of European Medieval Martial skills including, archery, and swordsmanship and mounted skill at arms as part of an annual festival, which includes special demonstrations of Yabusame, Japanese mounted archery.
As Guild Secretary and a Senior Teacher of The European Historical Combat Guild, he has been responsible for teaching students in the Guild’s English, Danish, Swedish, German, Dutch, American, Mexican and Irish Chapters and for the organisation of events for the Guild including Annual seminars at The Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds.
Jonathan has taught seminars in the USA, for The Historical Armed Combat Association (HACA, now ARMA) and The Higgins Armoury. Jonathan also works very closely with Steve Tappin, Guild Senior Teacher and currently the Chief-Instructor and Examiner for Escrima Concepts.
Jonathan is Combat Teacher at:
The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
The Guildhall School of Music and Drama
The Drama Studio London
Rutgers University – London Program
Master of Fight, Shakespeare’s Globe
Jonathan has also written magazine articles for different organisations and has contributed to several books. He continues to write for the Guild and is involved in several projects for later publication on the use of historical arms and armour.
Kristina Søeborg – Guild Senior Teacher, EHCG
Kristina has practising martial arts since 1994, studying primarily Wing Tsun and Escrima. She is a qualified Instructor in Wing Tsun and has reached a good standard in Escrima.
Kristina has been a member of The European Historical Combat Guild since 1999 and was the first member to progress through the training program to become qualified first as a Teacher then as a Senior Teacher.
As a Teacher of The European Historical Combat Guild, she has been responsible for teaching students in the Guild’s English, Danish, Swedish, German, Dutch, Mexican and Irish Chapters. She has also been highly involved in the organisation of events for the Guild including a special inaugural seminar at The Royal Armouries in 2001 and annual seminars at The Armouries in 2002 and 2003. She has also been involved in teaching Guild methods in Frankfurt and Hanover, in Germany
Kristina as well as teaching combat is an archer favouring the longbow and is involved in research into the practical understanding of arms and armour. Kristina is assembling a harness of armour so that she can fight and eventually ride and joust wearing it.
Kristina has been teaching combat at a number of colleges since 1999, including, The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, The Drama Studio London, Rutgers University Program at Shakespeare’s Globe, The London Centre for Theatre Studies, The London Academy of Theatre
Kristina has directed combat for a number of theatrical productions including, ‘Henry V’ for the Arundel Festival, ‘Richard III’ at Shakespeare’s Globe and ‘The Green Hills Beyond, The Donmar Warehouse. She is also an archer, favouring the longbow as her bow of choice.
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