Yeomen Warders

Yeoman Warder Crows from the Tower

Yeomen Warders (oficjalnie: Yeomen Warders of Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London) – strażnicy zamku Tower w Londynie.

This guard was set up in 1485 by Henry VII. Only nominees from among the yeomanes - medium-sized peasants with horses (ie those who can stand on horseback) were engaged. Their duty was to protect the Tower Castle, which was mainly for two purposes: guarding prisoners detained here and guarding the treasures and English insignia of the Crown.

Currently, the guards are made up of 35 guards and a Chief Warder. Its members are recruited only from professional military forces from the Army, Royal Marines, Royal Air Force or Royal Navy. They must have been at least 22 years of impeccable service and have been awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct.

It is the duty of Yeomen Warders to protect the fortress, to supervise its visitors and to take care of the Common Raven. According to legend, as long as the crows live in the Tower, so long will there will be a British empire. These crowns are provided with a food allowance in the Crown budget. At one time, one of the members of the squad is Yeoman Warder Ravenmaster: he is obliged to buy meat and distribute it to the birds.

On August 3, 2007, Moira Cameron, the 42-year-old woman, was admitted to the squad. She joined the army at the age of 20 and worked for 22 years in the military administration. Members of the Yeomen Warders are commonly called "Beefeaters" (beefeater: beef - beef, eater - eat, eat - eat). This name also has a legendary origin. It is highly probable that the first Tower guards had the guaranteed rations of meat (beef, pork or mutton). According to tradition, most of them put beef on other types of meat. Cosimo III de 'Medici, Prince of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, visited the Tower in 1669 to say that the guards were given a very large ration of beef and that they could be called "beef cattle" or "beef eaters". In time, it became apparent that the guards had the privilege of receiving beef from the royal table. And of course the name: Beefeaters.

Every day, "Beefeater" wear dark-gray, almost black outfits with wide red lining. They have red royal crown and "ER" letters on their chest. On the head - dark-hats hats with a red-headed head and a red ribbon. Because of similar parody costumes, red with black and gold laments, the Yeomen Warders are often mistaken for members of the Yeomen of the Guard, a royal bodyguard, also called in 1485. The surface of the two formations is prevailing, Queen Elisabeth II.

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