Stratford Guild's 13 May meeting REVIEW
- RW
- May 14
- 3 min read
The Pearly Kings and Queens – The other London Royal Family
A presentation by Terry Ereira
I had planned to write up Ian Budniak’s talk on the Spanish succession, but a last-minute health issue prevented Ian from attending. As always (and being a Londoner) Terry rose to the occasion and presented an interesting history of the Pearly Kings and Queens of London, and he didn’t need a microphone.
Henry Croft, an orphan born and raised in St Pancras workhouse in 1861, left at 13 years of age and became a road sweeper and rat catcher. Growing up in the St Pancras area, Henry became familiar with the many market traders (costermongers) who plied their trade in the streets and he was impressed with their community spirit
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Costermongers mainly traded in fruit and vegetables and like any gathering of traders there was always going to be conflict of one type or another between themselves or the local authorities. They recognised the importance of having a spokesman, a ‘King’ to represent them, to maintain the peace between traders and to stand up against the authorities.
When we look at today’s market traders in Salisbury, clearly there are plenty of characters amongst them and it was no different in the 1800s. To attract custom a trader would decorate the seams of their trousers, caps and pocket flaps with pearl buttons. The more buttons they had the more successful the trader was; it is said that this is where the term ‘Flash Harry’ comes from.
While ‘mudlarking’ on the banks of the Thames, Henry found a vat of mother-of-pearl buttons and decided to sew 60,000 onto his suit to out-dress the costermongers and thus he became the very first ‘Pearly’. His pearly suit attracted public interest enabling him to collect funds for his beloved orphanage, hospitals and the homeless.
His fame grew and 1875 he drafted in local costermongers and their wives to help him and they became the ‘Pearly Kings & Queens’ sometimes referred to as ‘London’s shimmering Cockney royalty’. Over time, the buttons developed into symbolic patterns and designs that represent charitable values, personal history, and community pride. The patterns act as a language to be read, often highlighting their role as working-class street traders raising money for charity. By 1911 there were 28 pearly families, one for each London borough, forming an organised pearly charitable society in Finchley, North London, that still survives to this day.
Henry Croft died on 1 January 1930 from lung cancer in St Pancras workhouse and was buried at St Pancras Cemetery in East Finchley. His funeral cortège stretched for half a mile and the procession included a horse-drawn hearse, 400 pearly kings and queens, bands, musicians and charity representatives.
Today, the heart and soul of the Pearly Kings and Queens lies in their charitable work and their mantra is “If I can help, I will”.
Terry had planned to show us several video clips, but technology seemed to get the better of us on the night. However, if you would like to view the clips on the internet, please visit the following sites. You might have to wait for the brief adverts to play through and then click on skip to take you the clip. The first clip does not have sound.
Thank you to Terry Ereira for standing in for Ian Budniak at short notice and we wish Ian a full and speedy recovery.
The next Stratford Guild meeting will be our social evening on the Wednesday 10th June in the Reading Room. Please contact Terry Ereira to get your tickets Tel: 01722 501480 or email: tandc.ereira@ntlworld.com .
Steve Mayall