Arms and Armour Research Group

The Arms and Armour Research Group (AAARG) was formed as a result of the development of the relationship between the Royal Armouries and the University of Huddersfield, established in October 2008.

The group consists of a team of academics selected for their respective research backgrounds across the multi-disciplinary subject of Arms and Armour and Military History.

The purpose of the group is to promote research into the materiel and design of weapons and how they were manufactured and utilised, from the earliest edged weapons and firearms to issues involving modern ballistic analysis, and the examination of minute marking on edged weapons.

Professor Tim Thornton, Pro Vice Chancellor Teaching and Learning is a leading historian in the fields of politics and warfare in the Tudor era; Professor David Taylor, Emeritus Professor, focuses on the First World War and research related to crime and policing; Professor Liam Blunt contributes research into signature ballistics and utilises surface metrology in the examination of arms and armour and finally the group is led by Reverend Paul Wilcock whose research areas include edged weapons and identification marks on arms. Paul also is an Historical Consultant to the Royal Armouries.

These full time members of the University staff are complimented by Graeme Rimer Academic Director of the Royal Armouries and Visiting Professor. Graeme is regarded as an internationally recognised authority on a variety of aspects of arms and armour, including early firearms particularly on the weapons of John Jacobs Scinde Irregular Horse; Peter Smithurst, Senior Curator (Firearms) at the Royal Armouries in Leeds is an authority on the history of firearms manufacturing technology as well as weapons produced by Samuel Colt and early hand operated machine guns. Martin Pegler now lives in France and is regarded as a world authority on snipers and the weapons they utilised. He has published many books on the subject including ‘Out of Nowhere’ regarded as the authoritative work on the military sniper.

Finally, this diverse group is ably organised and administered by Anne Brooke.

As well as research and publication the group engages in consultancy through the University to provide advice to museums, auction houses, television productions and individual collectors.

Further details can be obtained by emailing: armsandarmour@hud.ac.uk