Bandoleers

The armies of the Civil war were supplied with bandoleers from a mixture of suppliers.  In some instances, gentry might produce their own on a small scale.  It is, however, clear that others were produced on an industrial scale in order to meet demand. The most detailed descriptions come from the 16454/6 New Model Army contracts. 

At this time, the army was with supplied with bandoliers of a number of types at either 14^d or 20^d a set.  The latter included the famous blue-painted bottles (as survive in the Royal Armouries and other collections) and bottles made of tin-plate.

the fift of July 1645  [1645]
one thousand Bandileers at xiiii^d a peece

Eleaventh of July 1645  [1645]
500 Bandeleirs at 14^d each sett

3 August 1645  [1645]
3000 Bandileers each 1000 at 14^d a peice

January the vii^th 1645  [1646]
4000 Bandeleers the boxes of strong double plate the heads of the same w^th whipcord strings & with good belts according to the patterne at 20^d apeece

the last of April 1646  [1646]
The Boxes  of the said 2000 Bandileers to bee of wood w^th whole bottoms to bee turned w^thin and not bored, the Heade to bee of wood and to bee layd in oyle, vizt Three times over and to bee coloured blew w^th blew and white strings, w^th strong thred twist and w^th good belts att xx^d  a peece to bee brought into the Tower of London.

The full accounts are published in Mungeam, G.I. ‘Contracts for the supply of equipment to the New Model Army in 1645’, Journal of Arms and Armour Society, Vol.VI, no.3, 1969, pp. 53 - 115).

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