What is the origin of the word beefeater

19 May 2020

Beefeater is the popular name for the Yeoman of Guard in Britain and to the Warders of the Tower of London. Beefeater started out as slang, but whether it still fits within that category is debatable; it’s certainly not an official designation. The name has a quite literal origin, that of a well-fed servant.

The name beefeater arises in contrast with the older loaf-eater, a general term for a servant, one who eats the master’s bread (cf. lord). This name is much older, going back to the Old English hlafæta. From the Laws of Æthelbert of Kent, dating to the early seventh century:

Gif man ceorlas hlafætan ofslæhð, VI scillingum gebete.
(If someone slays a churl’s loaf-eater, he shall pay six shillings.)

So, beefeater was originally a term for a privileged servant. The word first appears in this general sense in John Marston’s play Histrio-mastix, or The Player Whipt, which was first performed in 1599 and published in 1610. In one passage, a master complains about how much it has cost to feed his servants, whom he has just dismissed from his service:

Walke sirs, nay walke; awake yee drowsie drones,
That long haue suckt the honney from my hiuevs:
Be gone yee greedy beefe-eaters y’are best:
The Callis Cormorants from Douer roade,
Are not so chargeable as you to feed.

Beefeater is applied to a royal guard in John Crowne’s 1671 play Juliana, Princess of Poland, in this exchange where the guard takes the name to be an insult:

LANDLORD:      There did the Beef-eaters o’ the Guard and I—

GUARD:               Beef-eaters you Rascal!

LANDLORD:       Sit in Councel about the good o’ Christendom, till at parting we did our reverences to Pope Paul, fall down and kiss his great Toe, the Spigot, and let the heavenly Benediction drop into our mouthes.

GUARD:               You’d have my Halbeard drop into your mouthes, would you Beef-eater, you saucy Cur? 

The word is applied specifically to the British court by 1736, when it appears in Henry Fielding’s satirical play Pasquin. In the scene, voters are lining up in an attempt to get patronage positions from the government:

1ST VOTER:        Could not your Lordship provide for me at Court?

LORD PLACE:    Nothing easier; what sort of Place would you like?

1ST VOTER:        Is not there as sort of Employment, Sir, call’d ———Beef-Eating? If your Lordship please to make me a Beef-Eater, I would have a Place fitted for my Capacity.

LORD PLACE:    Sir, I will be sure to remember you.

Fielding is clearly punning on the literal meaning of the word, and it’s clear from the context that the term was already in use.

There is a false etymology that beefeater comes from a supposed French word, *buffetier, and refers to an old function where the yeomen would serve at table, or buffet. This is simply incorrect, and there is no such French word as *buffetier. This spurious origin story has been floating about for years.

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Sources:

Dictionary of Old English: A to I, 2018, s.v. hlaf-æta.

Oxford English Dictionary, second edition, 1989, beefeater, n., loaf-eater, n.

Photo credit: Maurice Enclave and D.J. Zachary, 2007. Public domain image.

Asked by: Dorothy Casper

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(9 votes)

The name Beefeaters is often thought to come from the French word — ‘buffetier’. (Buffetiers were guards in the palace of French kings. … However, the name Beefeater is more likely to have originated from the time when the Yeomen Warders at the Tower were paid part of their salary with chunks of beef.

How much do Beefeaters get paid?

Employed by Historic Royal Palaces, you can expect a salary of around £30,000 and accommodation in the Tower for you and your family — but you do have to pay rent (and council tax!) for the privilege, and it isn’t subsidised.

What is an English Beefeater?

What is a Beefeater? Well, they are the ceremonial guards of the Tower of London. Their official title is ‘The Yeomen Warders of Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign’s Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary’.

What is a Beefeater hat called?

It’s called a ‘bearskin’, a type of ceremonial military cap that dates back to the 17th century. And yes, despite some controversy, the bearskin is exactly as its name suggests. Bearskin hats are made from the skin of American black bears, taken annually during the Black Bear Cull in Canada.

What is the ER on Beefeater uniform?

In addition to those, the initials ER are present on the chest of the tunic. They stand for ‘Elizabeth Regina’ (Queen Elizabeth in Latin), about the present Queen; Elizabeth the Second. The general attire of the Yeoman Warders is dark blue and red as granted in 1858 by Queen Victoria.

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Last Update: Jan 03, 2023

This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. Now, we have got the complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested!

Asked by: Prof. Shawna Wilderman

Score: 4.7/5
(52 votes)

Yeomen Warders have been in service at the Tower of London since 1485 when the corps were formed by King Henry VII, although their origins date back even further. Traditionally Beefeaters had been men. But Moira Cameron of Argyll, Scotland made history when she became the first female Yeoman Warder ever in 2007.

What is the origin of Beefeaters?

However, the name Beefeater is more likely to have originated from the time when the Yeomen Warders at the Tower were paid part of their salary with chunks of beef. This took place right up until the 1800s. The Queen’s Body Guard, known as the Yeomen of the Guard, are a bodyguard of the British Monarch.

Why do we have Beefeaters?

What does a Beefeater do? 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.

What are they called Beefeaters?

What is a Beefeater? Well, they are the ceremonial guards of the Tower of London. Their official title is ‘The Yeomen Warders of Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign’s Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary’.

How many female Beefeaters are there?

There are only 37 men and women warders currently working at the Tower, two of which are women. Through history, there have been 410 Beefeaters, with 408 of them men.

39 related questions found

They’ve played a part in royal occasions for centuries, and can often be seen in their distinctive uniform outside the Tower of London. But why are beefeaters called beefeaters?

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, many have questions about the unfamiliar traditions around the national mourning period that has followed. From what does lying in state mean (opens in new tab) to will trains run on the day of the funeral (opens in new tab), there’s a lot we didn’t know before about what happens when the Queen dies (opens in new tab).

And amid the ceremonies and processions that come with the death of the monarch, people are wondering about the officials who are involved. And one question that many want to know about the royal guards is why are beefeaters called beefeaters?

Though nobody knows for sure, the most popular theory is that the name ‘beefeater’ comes from the fact that they were allowed to eat as much meat as they wanted from the King’s table.

However, ‘beefeater’ is actually just a nickname. Their official title is The Yeomen Warders of Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign’s Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary — though they are often just referred to as Yeoman Warders.

The Yeoman Warders were formed in 1845 by Henry VII — the first Tudor monarch — after the Battle of Bosworth. 

They are not be confused with the Yeoman of the Guard — although their uniforms are almost identical — who were traditionally bodyguards for the British monarch. 

What do beefeaters do?

Nowadays, beefeaters are mostly ceremonial, but they do keep the Tower of London safe and secure, as well as working as tour guides. Beefeaters have become a tourist attraction in their own right, because of their unique uniform.

Other activities beefeaters take part in include the Ceremony of the Keys. At the same time each night, the Chief Yeoman Warder of the Tower emerges from the Byward Tower, wearing the traditional uniform and carrying a set of keys. The Chief then takes the keys back to the Queen’s House, to hand them back to the Queen’s representative at the Tower, The Resident Governor.

Beefeaters also attend the State Opening of Parliament and other state occasions.

Traditionally, however, beefeaters were responsible for guarding prisoners at the Tower of London and protecting the Crown Jewels.

Are there female beefeaters?

There are just three female beefeaters. Traditionally, the role has been held only by men since the order was founded.

In 2007, Moira Cameron became the first ever female beefeater after beating five other applicants. Cameron, from Argyll, Scotland, joined the army in 1985.

Ten years later, the second female beefeater joined the ranks, Amanda Clark from Lancashire. She had served in the Royal Logistics Corps for 22 years and completed tours in Germany, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, and the Falkland Islands. Speaking to the BBC (opens in new tab) after her appointment, Clark said: «It didn’t really hit me until the first time I wore the uniform and realised I am now part of the Tower’s history.

«Waking up at the Tower of London is magical. Every morning I wake up and the Tower looks so peaceful.»

The third and final female beefeater, Emma Rousell from Derby, was appointed in September 2021. Previously, she had served in the RAF.

How do you become a beefeater?

To qualify as a beefeater, candidates must have served for at least 22 years in the armed forces, as well as hold the Long Service and Good Conduct medal.

Applicants to be beefeaters must also have reached the position of Warrant Officer or equivalent, and competition for the roles are often fierce.

According to Londonist (opens in new tab), ideal candidates are good communicators who can bring the history and stories of the place to life, and those who enjoy meeting new people every day.

The most senior beefeater is the Chief Yeoman Warder, followed by four Yeoman Serjeants and then the other Beefeaters, who report to the Chief. This includes the famous Ravenmaster, who looks after the ravens at the Tower of London.

Legend has it that King Charles II demanded that six ravens be kept at the Tower at all times, otherwise the kingdom would fall.

How much do beefeaters get paid?

According to The Mirror (opens in new tab), beefeaters’ staring salary is around £24,996 a year, but they can expect to get around £30,000 with allowances.

The job involves working 37 hours a week for 14 days out of every three weeks, which includes weekends and occasional night shifts. They get 23 days off a year at first, rising to 25.5 after three years’ employment and 26.5 after ten years — plus bank holidays.

A major perk of the job is getting to live in the Tower of London, where each gets a two-bed unfurnished flat — though veterans can get three-bed properties. However, beefeaters do have to pay rent, utility bills and council tax.

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Beefeaters in their distinctive scarlet and gold outfits with ruffs and hats have played an important part in royal occasions for centuries.

Here is what we know about them.

What do beefeaters do?

Their official title is “The Yeomen Warders of Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign’s Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary”.

Yeomen Warders were formed in 1485 by King Henry VII. Their original role in Tudor times was to guard prisoners in the Tower of London and protect the crown jewels.

Nowadays, the Beefeaters’ role is largely ceremonial. They are a tourist attraction in their own right and since Victorian times they have acted as tour guides.

The Yeoman Warder Ravenmaster (also known as the Ravenmaster for short) is responsible for the welfare of the Tower of London’s famous ravens. This official title has been in use since the 60s. Legend has it that should the ravens ever leave the Tower, the White Tower will fall and disaster will befall the kingdom.

Beefeaters attend the State Opening of Parliament as well as other state occasions.

The Yeomen Warders normally wear an “undress” uniform of dark blue with red trimmings.

However, when the sovereign visits the Tower or the warder are on duty at a state occasion they will wear their distinctive red and gold uniforms.

As well as their formal responsibilities, Beefeaters have their own quirky rituals, one of which sees them take part in the Ceremony of Keys every night at precisely 9.53pm.

During this “ceremony” in which they utter the famous phrase “Halt! Who comes there?”, the Queen’s keys are examined and put away safely.

The Tower is like a self-contained community in the heart of London. Yeoman Warders have living quarters on-site, a church, a doctor’s surgery and there’s even a pub, aptly named The Keys.

How do you become a Beefeater?

All warders are retired from the British Armed Forces.

They need to have at least 22 years of military service and have reached the rank of warrant officer.

They will also need to have been awarded the long service and good conduct medal.

In 2007 Moira Cameron made history when she became the first female Beefeater at the Tower of London. In November 2009, two male yeomen who were accused of a campaign of bullying against her, were sacked.

Why are they called beefeaters?

Although no one knows for sure, one theory is that it originated from an old agreement where beefeaters could eat as much meat as they liked when they were having a meal with the king.

According to Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable as early as the 17th century, the word “beefeater” was used as a slang term for the English.

Another, albeit contested, theory was that the name derives from buffetier (an Old French term meaning “a waiter or servant” at a sideboard) as Beefeaters would serve the king at meals.

It was thought the word was anglicised into buffeters or buffeteers and this was then corrupted into Beefeaters. But the jury’s out on this.