Pearly Kings and Queens of London

Pearly Kings and Queens are one of the most intriguing, unique and beautiful attractions of London. Each London Borough has a its King and Queen, as do the City of London and the City of Westminster. It is a colourful London tradition and one that has been kept alive by a few dedicated people, who work hard on the promotion of this tradition. Today there are 30 Pearly families that are active in collecting money and fund raising different charities.

The story about Pearly Kings and Queens started in the Victorian London among street traders or 'The Costermongers', as they were called. They were selling their goods marching the streets of London, selling from baskets, later from barrows, and, finally, from static market stalls. It was usually a family business and went from the generation to generation.

Pearly family at Peckham Derby Show

The Costermongers were caring and looked after each other if they were sick or in need. Collecting money for those who have a hard times in their lives was common. You have to bear in mind that people in Victorian Britain lived in very harsh conditions. It seems to be even worse in London, as it was a big city and centre of trade that always attracted a masses of immigrants. Immigrants, sailors, dockers, factory girls and general workers - they all lived in slum's cold, wet and dirty houses. No wonder the Costermonger liked to spend their time in public houses, Gin Palaces and the Penny Gaff Music Halls, where they felt welcome and warm.

Pearly Kings and Queens in the 1950s

Poverty was of a type that we cannot even begin to imagine today. The worse Dickensian scenes were quite normal way of life for poor, and any job opportunity gained or lost, was basically the matter of life or death. Apart from a few conscientious philanthropists and campaigners, like Lord Shaftesbury (a good friend to the Costermongers) and like Dickens himself, the ruling classes did little to alleviate the suffering of those who had fallen on hard times. The poorest supposed to be invisible.

Pearly Kings and Queens today

The key figure to Pearly history was Henry Croft (24 May 1861 - 1 January 1930), a London orphan who start his hard-working life all alone in the world at the age of 13. He worked as the street sweeper, but was always attracted with the life of the Costermongers, especially with their tradition of camaraderie and support of each other. He wanted to help all those who were more unfortunate than himself, but he knew that he has to do something rather special to draw the attention.

So, cleaning the muddy streets of London, he started to collect any mother-of-pearl button he could found on the streets.The other version says that he found a discarded ship load of pearl buttons on the mud banks of the Thames. He than sew all buttons on his suit and hat, all alone because he didn't have anyone to help him and teach him how to do it. By 1880, Croft was wearing a "smother" suit completely covered with thousands of white buttons. He later created more sparsely decorated "skeleton" suits. He is thought to have made at least seven suits to wear himself, two of which he left in his will. He also made pearly clothes - suits, hats, belts, and ties - for others.

Croft raised money for a variety of hospitals, workhouses and orphanages. He was fully recognised by London officials and he is thought to have received around 2,000 medals and ribbons for his fund-raising efforts, which were estimated to have totalled around £4,000 to £5,000. The demand for increasing the charity work led Henry to seek for the help among other street trader families, and that is how the all movement starts to be big. His funeral was a spectacular affair, and was filmed by Pathe News. All of the Pearlies attended (roughly 400) and they followed the coffin to where Henry was buried.

The portraits of famous Alf Dole of St Pancras (left) and Larry Barnes of Thornton Heath. Photos by  James Pearson-Howes

The Pearly suits are shiny and wild, with thousands of buttons sewn in various styles. There are few designs that have a special meaning, such as Horseshoe (Luck), Doves (Peace), Heart (Charity), Anchor (Hope), Cross (Faith), Wheel (Circle of Life), Symbols of Playing Cards (Life is a gamble), Flower Pots (Costermongers) or Donkey Carts (Costermongers). Each outfit can have as many as 30,000 buttons on it and can weigh as much as 30 kilograms or more.

These suits are worn at charity events, christenings, weddings and funerals. Where there is a special charity drive the kings and queens ride in splendour on their decorated carts. At the annual autumn Harvest Festival service at St. Martin-in-the-Fields church in London, the Pearly princesses take bouquets of vegetables as thank - offerings.

Tradition is very live today, and Pearly Kings and Queens work hard as ever to raise the funds to many charities. Though the lifestyle of ordinary people are greatly changed from the late 19th century until today, there are always people who need a support. One of the legends of our time is Alf Dole, Pearly King of St Pancras, who was well known in London, especially at Greenwich Market, in his pearly cab and collecting funds for the Great Ormond Street Childrens Hospital.

Some people find them funny, even ridiculous, but we have to admire their tradition and efforts in making the world better place. So, hats down to all cockney Pearly Kings and Queens, proper royalty of working class.