What do beefeaters hold

If you're wondering what exactly it is that they do - we've got you covered. Who comes there? Back in Tudor times they used to guard prisoners in the Tower of London and protect the famous Crown Jewels. Nowadays, Beefeaters are used as tour guides and have become an attraction in their own right because of their colourful uniforms and unique traditions.

Every night, at precisely 9. No one is entirely sure exactly how they got their name. The most popular theory is based on an old agreement where they were granted the right to eat as much meat as they wanted when having a meal with the King!

They need to have at least 22 years' military service. They are different from the Yeomen of the Guard, who accompany the Queen on state occasions and are the Queen's personal bodyguards. State Dress Uniform. Both the Yeomen of the Guard and the Yeomen Warders are best known for their scarlet and gold State dress uniforms which date from and are worn on state occasions. The uniform consists of a knee-length scarlet tunic, scarlet knee-breeches and stockings, and a round brimmed hat called a Tudor bonnet.

Queen Elizabeth I introduced the distinctive white neck ruff. The State dress uniforms of Yeomen of the Guard are almost identical to those of the Yeomen Warders, but the Yeomen of the Guard can be distinguished by their cross belts worn from the left shoulder. Yeoman of the Guard. The uniforms of the Yeoman of the Guard and Yeoman Warders include the thistle , rose and shamrock , emblems of Scotland, England and Ireland. The initials refer to Elizabeth the Second, who is the present Queen.

For everyday duties, Yeomen Warders wear a red and dark blue undress uniform. Lastly we have always lived inside the grounds with our families, people outside these great walls were jealous in the middle ages as they couldnt afford good meat, they were eating vegetables and fish from the River Thames. We the Yeoman Warders were eating the scraps and left overs from the Kings Table in the great halls of the White Tower, the good meat the good Beef, Beefeaters.

Yeoman Warder Mick King, HM Tower of London England A Beaufet - well-made - was an elaborately decorated sideboard on which you could display your valuable plate to astonish your guests and was, I guess, also used to hold dishes until they were needed. The closest servants serving the king directly and guarding his treasures on display were the Beaufetiers.

Note also that they were separate from his official bodyguard who were the Gentlemen of the Guard - with most Royal household members there developed a dignified version which was reserved for the upper crust and a working version whose holders were of humbler origin. They were originally attendants upon the king's buffet. It originally consisted of fifty men, under a captain; they were of larger stature than other guards, being required to be over six feet in height, and they were armed with arquebuses and other arms.

This band was increased by the royal successors of Henry to one hundred men, and seventy supernumeraries; and when one of the hundred died, it was ordered that his place should be supplied out of the seventy.

This is said to have been the first permanent military band instituted in England. John, Earl of Oxford, was the first captain, in And, still trying to remember the reference The role is now restricted to those who can boast 22 years of military service, have reached at least the position of Warrant Officer and been awarded a good conduct medal.

The post is salaried, and today's Beefeaters — the origin of the name is uncertain — are employed by the independent charity Historic Royal Palaces. Though Martin doubts that democratising the role was at the forefront of Wellington's mind, the effect of his reforms, she says, resulted in "anyone, however low their origins, through long and exemplary service in the army, being able to obtain this prized position at the historic heart of the nation.

And this transparency of appointment allowed the warder to become a popular symbol transcending class and region, because the British army attracted recruits from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales and Yeoman Warders were thus drawn from all parts of the kingdom.

Martin's research has involved not only examination of the Tower's archives, but also recording the stories of working Yeoman Warders in the first oral history project to capture the characters and histories of those who choose to wear the iconic uniform today. And though they live in the Tower, it's not a grace and favour thing, they pay market rent — they'd want me to get that in! The Yeoman Warders' hierarchy and traditions reflect that of the military system they're drawn from.

Around 40 are employed at any one time, with a Chief Yeoman Warder in overall charge. In a strict hierarchy, four Yeoman Serjeants report to him, with the other Beefeaters, including the famous Raven Master, working under them.