Digital Marketers Touring the Tower of London At Night!

The Digital Recruiters and friends from the industry take a tour around the sensational Tower of London, and we all made it back alive! 

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We ran a competition back at the Content Marketing Show, unfortunately our winner was unable to join us but he kindly passed on his prize to Tom Gregan, Account Manager at Caliber. In addition to Tom, joining us we had Founder of Call Tracks, Stuart Buckley with Sales and Marketing Director, Ali White. Also joining our group was Vanessa Willmott, Marketing Manager for Why Not!

Our tour was led by clockworkTalent’s family friend  Yeoman Warder Crawford Butler, the longest serving  BeefEater at the Tower.

As soon as we stepped through West Gate into the Tower,  Crawford had us enthralled with historical facts, romantic stories, gory executions and interesting origins of the English language such as “hangers on” coming from those kind family members who clung to their loved one’s feet in the hope to quickly bringing on death in a hanging…

Severance pay being the money slipped to the executioner – to ensure the swing their sword in one clean cut to separate the head from neck, for a quick and “pain-free” death and many more great tales.

It’s been in all the news.. the beautiful and utterly breath-taking WW1 Poppy installation at the Tower.

From cascading poppies pouring from the main gate to what appears to be meadows of the stunning ceramic poppies throughout the Tower’s moat.

We were fortunate to get up close to the poppies and see what a magical and significant creation this work of art is.

One of our guests, former army serviceman Phil Negus, was amongst the many volunteers who are planting the 800,000+ poppies; the final one to be planted on Armistice Day – November 11^th. These poppies offer a significant focus for reflection and remembrance of those fallen during the war; you’re able to purchase these poppies now until Armistice Day. Contributions from your purchase will go direct to a number of Service Charities.

Sitting outside on this beautiful evening we saw a side of the Tower few visitors get to see… it’s in actual fact a little like a village,  with it’s own church, doctor, village green (albeit with their own execution site!), pub and of course the infamous ravens.

Stuart of CallTracks loved the ceremony and tells us..” that a bit of pomp and ceremony never goes amiss!”. We were treated to a supper of Fish’n’ Chips with Beefeater’s Gin at the Yeoman’s own bar or as it’s known the Mess.  Did you know all Yeoman Warder’s live within the Tower’s walls along with their families?

Funny how you never imagine one of Britain’s most iconic sites is home to more than 100 people! We saw soldiers with guns patrolling the perimeter and guardsmen in their sentry boxes but most importantly we saw the Ceremony of the Keys.

Vanessa of WhyNot! told our very own Digital Recruiter, Brett Dickinson ..”what a wonderful experience” it is and was particularly taken with the precise military running of the ceremony. Unfortunately we weren’t able to take photos during the ceremony but essentially this is the longest running, shortest ceremony ever.

This formal, military ceremony has taken place each and every night without fail for over 700 years!

We watched the Chief Yeoman Warder and Yeoman Warder “Watchman” carry the keys by candlelight through the cobbled pathways from locking the gate only to be challenged by the sentry and upon being permitted to pass, carry the keys through to the safety of inside the fortress.

With the last post being played, the keys were then marched back to the safety of Queens House. And through all of this our group stood watching in awed silence….. quite a feat for Digital Marketing professionals!

Punctual as ever- at precisely 10:05 our Tour was finished and whilst majority of the group exited through the the hatch door in the now locked Tower of London Gates…

clockworkTalent returned to the Mess for one last drink with the Beef Eaters before hitting the road back out into the bright lights and architecture, hustle and bustle of London… we sat back and reflected what a great night it was and how fortunate we are to work with such great clients.