Ruislip & Eastcote & Northwood Gazette
Hayes Yeoman takes part in vigil
A HAYES man was one of the Yeoman Warders who attended the vigil last week to guard the Queen’s coffin during the country’s period of mourning.
Terry Briggs is a Beefeater at the Tower of London, a popular venue for tourists from around the world, and where the Crown Jewels are kept.
Beefeaters are ceremonial guardians of her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress - to give the tower its full name - and the Yeoman body of 32 men and women are all drawn from the Armed Forces. They have been guarding the tower since Tudor times.
Born in Harlington, Terry grew up in York Avenue, Hayes, and was educated at Botwell Primary and Walsingham schools.
After joining the Royal Navy at 16 he was in military service for 33 years until 2018.
When he appeared in the Gazette’s Bm@il column in March this year it was touching to hear how he couldn’t believe his luck to have such a wonderful job.
He said: “I now work and live in the Tower of London as a Yeoman Warder (Beefeater). Not a bad place
for a Hayes boy to end up.”
His father, also called Terence, contacted the Gazette to tell us the whole family were very proud of the role his son was playing at the vigil, and he was likely to have done at least six stints before the funeral on Monday