Queen Alexandra gives Maundy Money to the poor people in the Westminster area
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_jRHqY33yo
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This is a very charming video showing Queen Alexandra giving out Maundy money to the poor in Westminster. Queen Alexandra was the wife of King Edward VII until his death in 1910. Edward VII actually only outlived his mother Queen Victoria by nine years. Wasn’t Queen Alexandra wonderful? This lovely moment in time was likely taken shortly after King Edward’s death. It shows images of the Edwardian time, a period of extreme hat wearing. Please enjoy it!
It actually brought shivers to me. The people have such an enigmatic look. The elderly lady who reminded us of the Victorian years in the center of the shot at the 1.00 minute point particularly touched me. The older gentleman in the bowler hat who appears at the left shortly thereafter was also interesting. I wonder when these two were born? Likely they were about 70 (people looked older then) and it would put their birth dates in the 1840s -- truly truly wonderful -- eye candy for history buffs like me and to see them actually moving and their expressions. I am really in awe! Please tell me who you think was the most interesting character in this short clip.
The Beafeaters at the beginning of the clip were great. They wear similar uniforms even now and they are the Guardians of the Tower of London (Yeoman Warders). These specially honored former Servicemen -- they are former NCOs (Non Commissioned Officers) and now act as tour guides -- they are great characters. The first woman Beafeater, Moira Cameron, was appointed in September 2007 -- see this Wikipedia entry. The guys in the Edwardian clip probably would be surprised (to put it mildly). It is a sign of the times as more women participate in active military service as I noted in yesterday’s Memorial Day post.
The people are all wearing hats except when they have them off in respect for the Queen or the Church. It was a very different time. Did you notice the Boer War veterans in their “cowboy” type hats? They spent a lot of time riding horses in that war. Many Canadians and Australians also fought in that war. Thanks to the Royal Channel on You Tube for sharing this wonderful vignette with the world. I love to see the Royal family with their great hats especially the current Queen of England.
What is Maundy Money?
Maundy Money is given to the deserving poor in a religious ceremony on Maundy Thursday, This is the Thursday before Easter.
The custom is based loosely on Christ’s humility in washing the feet of the poor. It has been in existence in various forms since about 600 AD. It continues to be observed.
The coins distributed are specially minted coinage. The coins minted after 1908 carry a premium. In 1908 Edward VII decreed the special coins were only to be distributed to the actual recipients. In Victorian times one could simply order a set from the Royal Mint and therefore the older Victorian coins are actually far more common. In the year 2005 the total mintage of each denomination of coin was only 1685. So the coins of particular years sell for a premium over their face legal tender amount. the worth of the coins may not be proportional to their value so be careful on E-Bay. Source: Wikipedia
