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Original poster

Does anyone here live in the Tower of London?!

62 replies

SuzieBishop · 21/08/2019 19:21

I’m a proper history geek - did it at University and I’m obsessed with the Royals and London and especially the Tower of London. The new series of Inside the Tower of London is on and I just love that the Yeoman Warders live there!!! Just wondering if anyone here has lived there/knows someone who does?!

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Spaghettio · 21/08/2019 19:22

I used to work for Historic Royal Palaces (the charity that runs The Tower). Happy to answer any questions I have if I can. ☺️

Spaghettio · 21/08/2019 19:22

Questions you have.... 🙄

Original poster
SuzieBishop · 21/08/2019 19:28

Oh wow Spaghettio!!! I never got to be a Curator (made a choice of a boy over a postgraduate and now I’m nearly 40 so don’t think it’ll happen) but my dream job would be working for the Royal Palaces or Royal Collection!!’ What did you do? Do you work in anything Royal related now? And my number 1 question- did you ever meet a member of the Royal Family?!

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Pavlova31 · 21/08/2019 19:30

Following this with interest ...

PotteringAlong · 21/08/2019 19:31

I’ve been to a wedding there once!

Woodlandwitch · 21/08/2019 19:32

I used to know someone who did. He was the son of one of the guards

Found it quite difficult to bring girls back after meeting them on a night out.

Can you imagine a bloke walking you to his house and he gets to Tower of London and says -‘here we are then’.
You would laugh and think he was having you on

DoesThisLookRight · 21/08/2019 19:32

My friend from uni is married to the vicar of the chapel and lives there. I stayed there about a decade ago and, although I’m normally very sensible, it was so exciting that I could sleep.

Original poster
SuzieBishop · 21/08/2019 19:37

@PotteringAlong did not know you could get married there! Is it only people that work there that can get married there?
@Woodlandwitch haha I think I’d be the opposite! I’d be running through the door!
@DoesThisLookRight I’m sooo jealous! I’d absolutely love to live there! Your friend is so lucky! The houses seem very small. So much history!!!

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Woodlandwitch · 21/08/2019 19:39

@suziebishop
Me too! I didn’t know him when he lived there (it’s just a little anecdote he tells) but I would have jumped at the chance to go in

Original poster
SuzieBishop · 21/08/2019 19:42

@Woodlandwitch The narrator has just said that more people have been in space than been Yeoman Warders so he’s so lucky that he’s a tiny percentage of people that can say they’ve actually lived there!!

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Woodlandwitch · 21/08/2019 19:43

Wow
That’s an impressive statistic. I would have never guessed it was that little

Smellslikebiscuits · 21/08/2019 19:45

No, but I highly recommend trying to get on the list for nightly Ceremony of the Keys where they lock up the tower at night.
It’s all done in the same way as it has been for hundreds of years, and all by the light from beef tallow candles.
Really incredible experience.

Original poster
SuzieBishop · 21/08/2019 20:01

@Smellslikebiscuits oh wow!!! Had no idea this was a thing! I’m planning a trip to London for my 40th birthday so I’m definitely looking this up! Thanks so much!

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Spaghettio · 21/08/2019 20:08

Sorry - dinner was ready!

I worked in HR but had quite a bit to do with all of the departments run by HRP. I was based at Hampton Court Palace but had to go to The Tower regularly.

It's quite a big deal to get in there if you're not a tourist - there are a lot of security checks (even for staff members) as the Crown Jewels are there.

I don't work in anything Royal related anymore (unless you count my two year old who thinks he's king of this house). Weirdly I met Prince Harry before I worked for HRP, and we had lots of royal visits while I was there. The Queen turned up one day but we didn't know until after she'd left - she was filming her Xmas speech in the Chapel Royal.

If you wanted to work for HRP you don't need to be a curator - there's lots of different work there, but it's all related to the buildings and the history (even HR!).

Spaghettio · 21/08/2019 20:09

I second the Ceremony of the Keys. It's amazing! If you can wait, go when it's later in the year, as it happens at sunset and is much more atmospheric once the cooler nights set in.

MinistryofRevenge · 21/08/2019 20:12

Friend of a friend lives there. Apparently they have to make complicated arrangements if they want a night out and will be back late, because when it's all locked up, it's really, really all locked up. Also very difficult to get food delivered until the pizza/chinese/curry place gets to know you, everyone thinks it's a hoax.

But she says the difficulties are well worth it.

Artesia · 21/08/2019 20:13

I know someone who knows someone, so got a full “behind the scenes” tour of all the bits of the tower the public aren’t allowed in. It was absolutely amazing- I am a huge history nerd and was in absolute heaven. One of my best days ever.

Original poster
SuzieBishop · 21/08/2019 20:20

@Spaghettio I’m way up in the north east of Scotland so no way I’m getting any Royal jobs nearby. Keep trying to convince my husband that we need to move to London but he’s the opposite of me - London is his worst nightmare! Must of been amazing though!
@MinistryofRevenge oh I can totally imagine phoning up for a pizza and the phone getting slammed down when you say the Tower of London!
@Artesia sounds amazing! Lucky you! I’m so so jealous!!

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Spaghettio · 21/08/2019 20:22

@SuzieBishop they have recently acquired a palace in Ireland.... maybe they'll pick one up in Scotland? 😆

OvalCanvas · 21/08/2019 20:27

My friend's exbf is the son of a guard. When she was staying overnight at his she had to leave the pub really early to make sure that she could get in. Around 9ish iirc. The son was a bit meh about living there as he saw it as a hassle.

Original poster
SuzieBishop · 21/08/2019 20:28

@Spaghettio oooh let’s hope so!! I’ll be first at the door! Going to Holyrood in October to see Meghan’s wedding dress so very excited for that as I’ve never visited there!

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Original poster
SuzieBishop · 21/08/2019 20:32

@OvalCanvas I suppose that and the thousands of people wandering about your home every day must of been annoying! I’d of happily swapped!

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MaureenSowerbutts · 21/08/2019 20:43

Another one saying book the ceremony of the keys.

DD1 and I went about 10 years ago in winter so it was cold and dark and so atmospheric. They only let a handful of people in and it all happens right in front of you.

To walk through there in the dark being lead by a guard with just a few others was amazing.

If I remember rightly you have to apply in writing unless you are a member of historic royal palaces which we were at the time. That may have changed now though.

HundredMilesAnHour · 21/08/2019 20:47

If I remember rightly you have to apply in writing unless you are a member of historic royal palaces which we were at the time.

Not any more. You can just book tickets online although you need to pay a small reservation fee. You usually have to book at least 12 months in advance. I have some tickets for Ceremony of the Keys in March 2020 that I booked in 2018!

Original poster
SuzieBishop · 21/08/2019 20:49

@MaureenSowerbutts thanks, I’m definitely going to research this!

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