In History Revealed’s ‘My life in history’ series, Lauren Piper explores her role as object conservator at the Royal Armouries in Leeds
How did you get into conservation at the Royal Armouries?
It came about in a bit of a roundabout way to be honest! I was always interested in the past and did my undergraduate degree in archaeology, but then I felt that I wanted to pursue a career in academia and completed a PhD in Roman Egyptian funerary portraiture. At that time, I was volunteering at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford and realised that my true love was working with historical objects. It was another few years before I took the plunge and did a master’s in conservation – it was as if everything fell into place at that point because conservation is a career that combines history, science and art, all of which I love. When the job came up at the Royal Armouries, I jumped at the chance.
What does an average day at your job look like?
I would say there isn’t really any such thing as an average day. One day I can be working as part of a team cleaning objects that are on open display in the galleries, the next I might be X-raying an object to learn more about its construction, or doing an in-depth conservation treatment at my workbench. Our busiest times are often during the lead-up to the installation of exhibitions or new displays. Obviously, our collection is inherently hazardous as it contains large numbers of edged weapons and firearms, but in the conservation team we have to manage other hazards, such as radiation and asbestos, so that forms quite
a large part of my work as well.
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Why is it important that we continue to conserve armour and weaponry for future generations?
It sounds a bit of a cliché, but… so that we learn from the past. For better or worse, the conflicts of the past have shaped the world that we live in today and it is important to understand and learn from this. I would say that the history of the development of arms and armour is very much one that reflects – and sometimes drives – wider developments in technology and design. Many of the pieces in our collection represent the highest standards of craftsmanship. There are also objects that reflect the lives of people from all walks of life, from farmers taking up arms at times of conflict, to royalty. Our collection is never static and we continue to acquire a diverse range of objects to keep the story going.
What are some of your favourite pieces that you’ve looked after?
I have been privileged to care for two of Henry VIII’s armours: the Foot Combat Armour that was designed for him to wear at the Field of Cloth of Gold tournament in 1520, and the Tonlet Armour, which he actually wore following a last-minute rule change before the event. Because the best armours were designed to fit the wearer perfectly, it’s really something to get an idea of the stature of the man when he was young and athletic – before his famous weight gain.
I very much enjoy working on composite objects that combine multiple materials as they present interesting technical challenges. For instance, we have examples of a type of body defence called a ‘jack of plate’, comprising a network of small iron plates stitched between layers of fabric. It’s also exciting to conserve some of our more historic firearms: disassembling the lock mechanisms can be quite puzzle-like and you often discover makers’ marks or decorative finishes that only a few people will have ever seen.
What are the best and worst parts of your job?
I don’t think I could ever tire of getting to handle and work on objects that were made, worn and used by people who lived hundreds of years before me. The opportunity to appreciate the craftsmanship up close, to see evidence of use, and even mistakes, in decoration makes these pieces very human. As we lend objects to other institutions, I sometimes get the chance to courier pieces to different venues both in the UK and abroad.
In terms of the worst parts of my job, some of the work that has to be done at height can be a little scary, though also rather exciting. At the museum in Leeds, we have the Hall of Steel, a glass tower containing the largest mass display of arms and armour created since the 19th century. Last year, the team were required to clean each of the c2,700 objects on show; for the interior of the tower this necessitated working from and driving a mobile working platform 23 metres in the air. It was pretty nerve-wracking, but we were definitely on an adrenaline high afterwards!
This article was first published in the November 2021 issue of BBC History Revealed