Beefeater
Fancy Dress Costume
1953 (made)
1953 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Handmade child's fancy dress costume representing a Beefeater's Tudor State Dress. The costume consists of a long-sleeved red tunic with a separable ruff, a belt, a hat, a set of medals, a pair of gloves, a pair of stockings, a pair of garters, a pair of pompoms, and a model version of a 'partisan' polearm.
The tunic is hand and machine-sewn cotton, with a rectilinear pattern of gold ribbons with applied black ribbons, hand-sewn. In the centre of the chest is a design embroidered in coloured wools showing a thistle, a red rose and a shamrock surmounted by a crown. The tunic fastens at the back. A separate ruff can be attached inside the neckline using press-studs, this too fastens at the back. A broad belt of gold and black ribbons fastens at the waist with a brass buckle. A set of three medals can be fastened to the chest with a metal pin, the 'medals' being made from low value coins, soldered to metal loops and hung from coloured silk ribbons.
With the tunic and its accessories is a model of a 'partisan', a type of polearm carried by Beefeaters. This is made from carved and turned wood. The spear-tip is painted gold, the shaft black. Just below the spear-tip is attached a fringe of red wool. There is also a hat, covered with stretched black cotton, with red, white and blue woollen pompoms applied around its crown. There are a pair of small white cotton gloves. The two red stockings are held in place by elastic garters, each with an applied red, white and blue wool pompom. There are also two pompoms designed to be attached to shoes, each has a pin fastening.
The tunic is hand and machine-sewn cotton, with a rectilinear pattern of gold ribbons with applied black ribbons, hand-sewn. In the centre of the chest is a design embroidered in coloured wools showing a thistle, a red rose and a shamrock surmounted by a crown. The tunic fastens at the back. A separate ruff can be attached inside the neckline using press-studs, this too fastens at the back. A broad belt of gold and black ribbons fastens at the waist with a brass buckle. A set of three medals can be fastened to the chest with a metal pin, the 'medals' being made from low value coins, soldered to metal loops and hung from coloured silk ribbons.
With the tunic and its accessories is a model of a 'partisan', a type of polearm carried by Beefeaters. This is made from carved and turned wood. The spear-tip is painted gold, the shaft black. Just below the spear-tip is attached a fringe of red wool. There is also a hat, covered with stretched black cotton, with red, white and blue woollen pompoms applied around its crown. There are a pair of small white cotton gloves. The two red stockings are held in place by elastic garters, each with an applied red, white and blue wool pompom. There are also two pompoms designed to be attached to shoes, each has a pin fastening.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 15 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
|
| Title | Beefeater (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Wool, cotton, metal, coins, wood, silk |
| Brief description | Fancy dress costume, beefeater, made by Peggy and Eddie Allnutt, England, 1953 |
| Physical description | Handmade child's fancy dress costume representing a Beefeater's Tudor State Dress. The costume consists of a long-sleeved red tunic with a separable ruff, a belt, a hat, a set of medals, a pair of gloves, a pair of stockings, a pair of garters, a pair of pompoms, and a model version of a 'partisan' polearm. The tunic is hand and machine-sewn cotton, with a rectilinear pattern of gold ribbons with applied black ribbons, hand-sewn. In the centre of the chest is a design embroidered in coloured wools showing a thistle, a red rose and a shamrock surmounted by a crown. The tunic fastens at the back. A separate ruff can be attached inside the neckline using press-studs, this too fastens at the back. A broad belt of gold and black ribbons fastens at the waist with a brass buckle. A set of three medals can be fastened to the chest with a metal pin, the 'medals' being made from low value coins, soldered to metal loops and hung from coloured silk ribbons. With the tunic and its accessories is a model of a 'partisan', a type of polearm carried by Beefeaters. This is made from carved and turned wood. The spear-tip is painted gold, the shaft black. Just below the spear-tip is attached a fringe of red wool. There is also a hat, covered with stretched black cotton, with red, white and blue woollen pompoms applied around its crown. There are a pair of small white cotton gloves. The two red stockings are held in place by elastic garters, each with an applied red, white and blue wool pompom. There are also two pompoms designed to be attached to shoes, each has a pin fastening. |
| Production type | Unique |
| Credit line | Given by Joanne Kennedy |
| Object history | This costume was handmade by the donor's parents, Peggy and Eddie Allnutt, for their son Michael Allnutt. Michael wore this costume at a party held in Southall Park in 1953 for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and won first prize in a fancy dress competition. He was five years old at the time. Michael Allnutt later recalled: 'I remember the time around the coronation; our street had a number of stands erected, raised sections festooned with Union Jacks. There was an air of excitement and expectation in the air. My most vivid memory of the Beefeater costume is, rather strangely, the feel of the rim of the hat pressing into my temples and forehead. I remember enduring several final fittings, as I would call them now; then it was just an annoying chore to put up with before I was allowed out into the street to play. The fancy dress competition was in the park in Southall, I remember the lonely walk in front of the spectators and judges but not much about actually coming first! I know my mother was a stickler for detail, she would have researched the detail of that costume assidiously. She once contacted the Amateur Athletics Association to determine the colours that Roger Bannister wore when breaking the four minute mile in 1954. We won in that fancy dress competition as well!' The costume was donated to the Museum in 2018 [2018/310] along with a photograph of it being worn (see B.2-2018) |
| Historical context | The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place on 2nd June 1953, after a decade of national austerity brought about by the Second World War. It was day of national celebration, communities throughout the UK and Commonwealth devised huge parties and celebrations. The event is particularly well-remembered by children for its scale and conviviality. Beefeaters, or Yeoman Warders, are the ceremonial guardians of the Tower of London and the crown jewels. Their uniforms are highly distinctive, particularly the red and gold ‘Tudor State Dress’ they are required to wear on state occasions or when the monarch visits the Tower. Beefeaters’ ranks consist of retired military personnel who served with the British or Commonwealth armed forces for at least twenty-two years. Beefeaters are popular with the British public and tourists alike, and are highly recognisable symbols of Britain, the Tower of London, and the British Royal Family. |
| Association | |
| Associated object | B.2-2018 (Depiction) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | B.1-2018 |
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| Record created | May 11, 2018 |
| Record URL |
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