The original Civil War society was started (1967?) by a mad Sandhurst instructor ("The Brig"). This was the 'Sealed Knot' (SK). It consisted of bored officer cadets dragged out to remote fields and made to march around shooting at a pretend enemy. The unit expanded to include civilians, some of whom wanted to be The Parliament, so formed another society, called the Roundhead Association (or RA).

At some point, another society started up, the English Civil War Society (ECWS, pronounced equus). They, however, never got more than 20 or 30 members . Other ECW societies were formed after the SK, so are bound to be accused of being splitters, copycats etc. simply because they weren't the first, and there was bound to be some overlap of membership (still is, in fact).

So, it's all nancy politics I'm afraid. Let's get out there and make large explosions, I say. oh, and more beer, more shouting.