Camp followers

[otto]

Hello
Out of interests what kind of jobs did the Camp follower do, was it just women.
Thanks Otto

[m300572]

Cooked, repaired kit, carried kit, children and men (there's a Rawlinson print of a camp follower carrying a soldier but I dont know if its satirical) acted as sutlers, foraged for rations, nursed sick and wounded, provided 'services of an intimate nature' etc.

[otto]

So what kind of role would a camp follower do in reenactment.

[KieranB]

More or less the same, apart form the latter (generally speaking at least). They often help with cooking, repairing kit, looking after everyone generally. Thanks ladies :)

[otto]

Would that be the same for man as well who for reasons can't get the fire arms paperwork.

[m300572]

Male camp followers - wagon drivers, 'tinkers' carrying out minor repairs, cooks, traders, clerks, in large camps specialist craftsmen (blacksmiths, cobblers etc)

[auldMotherBegg]

'Barber surgeon' is a good one with plenty of scope for development of cameos, and aquiring kit.

[the real lord duvet]

officers batman?

[Marcus Woodhouse]

effeminate valets? (not that sort fo camp then...)

[Wiblick]

camp followers weren't just women but you might find this article of interest, the 1810-1900 era is the very tail end of the camp follower phenomena but is covered to an extent in the article

http://www.assostoria.it/Armisovrano/Hacker-Vining.pdf

Aoife

[Havercake Lad]

Would that be the same for man as well who for reasons can't get the fire arms paperwork.

Besides soldier servants there would be regimental members doing clerks jobs and also people from the Commiseriat department.