Pearlies

Firstly - if anyone is waiting for an e-mail reply from me, the e-mail here is being a bit sulky just now. It just folded its arms and pretended not to see me. I'll reply as soon as I can.

Now, the Pearlies. In the nineteenth century the costermongers, who were street traders, were a hard bitten lot who looked after their own. They'd have a whip round (money collection) to support any of their community who were too ill to work, widows and orphans, etc. Henry -um - Yorke, I think his name was, who had grown up in an orphanage and then went to work as a street cleaner in the London markets, made friends with the costermongers and took their work a step further. He raised money for various charities benefiting the poor, especially orphans, and adopted the costermonger tradition of decorating his clothes with pearl buttons.

To this day, every London borough has a Pearly King and Queen, who wear the most amazing pearl button suits, some decorated with symbols and designs, some 'smother' suits covered with buttons, and raise money for charity. We had the great joy of meeting the Pearly King of Walthamstow and the Pearly Queen of Tower Hamlets last week when they were at St Martin's for their Harvest Festival. The Pearly Princes and Princesses were there in their best, too. Great to see you around, Pearlies.

The chiropractor says I mustn't sit at a keyboard for more than half an hour absolutely top max. I'll have to type faster.