Facts

George Peppard was a fencing instructor before becoming famous in ‘The A-Team’ TV series.

The earliest known surviving treatise on fencing, stored at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, England, dates from around 1300 AD and is from Germany. Written in medieval Latin and German, it describes a system of using the sword and buckler (small shield) and is illustrated by over 100 ink and watercolour drawings.

The world’s oldest fencing club is the Confrérie de Saint-Michel, which was established in 1613 in Ghent, Belgium, where it still meets twice a week in the 17th century tower that has been its home for nearly 400 years.

Leon Paul Fencing Equipment has always been a company run by competitive fencers. Members of the family have competed in 20 Olympic Games and 30 World Championships and have won 25 national titles.

Winston Churchill won the Public Schools Fencing championship in foil in his youth – his name can still be seen on the trophy presented in the current championship.