Why

My journal tells me: “I began the day by working on the Wakefield central map and by looking at plague doctor images…. I absolutely MUST make a plague doctor mask and costume. The only thing is, why the hell haven’t I before? They look wondrously sinister and bizarrely, they were for real. I read that the medical term for the plague or Black Death, is still “Bubonic Plague”, and that you still only have a 50/50 survival rate. The symptoms are utterly horrific. And to think that so many people died in agony like that is just horrible. I can barely get my head round the horrors, or even that the doctors looked utterly terrifying by today’s standards. Even some of their gloves had damn claws. I mean what the actual fuck?”

When

August 2017

Elements

Hat, mask, robe, capelet, gloves, optional lamp

Amount of Work

The mask, capelet and hat were made from scratch. I had a pattern for the mask but it needed to be developed. I had to figure the hat out myself.

Level of use

I’ve worn it to work and Leeds. It’s not very practical for wearing for any length of time and vision is seriously impaired. The costume is all about the mask, so it’s not ideal for going out in.

Notes

I wanted a staff, but didn’t want to pay a lot for one and didn’t have time or willingness to model and 3D print the topper for it. The hat is a bit heaver than I’d like. I could buy a replica but apart from them costing a bit too much, it would detract from the “all made by me” aspect of the costume.

Future use

Probably. It looks great but isn’t great for wearing (the mask). Especially for talking and drinking. It’s not the easiest to put on and off with a heavy hat as well. And the lenses get steamed up something chronic.

On 21 March 2020, a photo of me appeared on the BBC News Website, along with other scenes of Covid related situations from around the country.
The pubs and cafes had just shut, but I still went for a drink in town with some cans of lager in my bag. I thought I’d lighten the mood for the few people that were out, by appearing as the Plague Doctor with some Father Ted protest placards.

To avoid copyright issues, this image is actually a reproduction I took and edited myself, but you can see that it’s very similar to the original via the link below. I’m in the 13th image down on the news article.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51990809

Getty Images want £275 or more to license the original image, along with others taken at the time. Well I absolutely cannot justify spending a penny on an image of myself that I can recreate myself.
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/search/more-like-this/1207930514?assettype=image&phrase=plague%20doctor%2017th%20century&family=editorial

Elsewhere, during the pandemic, some 18yr old lad in a better costume than mine, got a speaking to from the police for a similar kind of thing. How pathetic(!)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-52533718