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<font face="Arial">Noble Friends, Especially Fellow Archers:<br>
<br>
Today the BBC is reporting the death of veteran British actor Sir
Robert Hardy. Most of you will remember Hardy as Cornelius Fudge,
the Minister of Magic in several Harry Potter films. Those of us
who study the history of archery will also remember him as an
expert on the English longbow, both has a keen historian and as an
accomplished archer. He was heavily involved in the conservation
of the bows recovered from the Mary Rose shipwreck, and lovingly
tended the precious relics as a long freshwater bath forced 500
years of salt from the wood. Besides being a trustee of the Mary
Rose Trust, he served for eleven years as a trustee of the Royal
Armouries at HM Tower of London. Robert Hardy wrote two historical
works on archery: LONGBOW, A SOCIAL AND MILITARY HISTORY, and with
Matthew Strickland, THE GREAT WARBOW, FROM HASTINGS TO THE MARY
ROSE.<br>
<br>
The BBC story can be found at
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-40818839">http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-40818839</a><br>
<br>
Tomorrow morning I will think of Sir Robert as I practice with my
own longbow.<br>
<br>
Yours Aye,<br>
<br>
<br>
Lord Mungo Napier, The Archer of Mallard Lodge<br>
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