Female Beefeater brings girl power to the Tower

A Beefeater wearing a black armband watches as members of the Honourable Artillery Company fire a 41-gun salute in tribute to Britain's Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, at the Tower of London in this April 1, 2002 file photograph. The guardians of Britain's famous Tower of London are enlisting girl power for the first time in their 522-year history.

LONDON (Reuters) - The guardians of Britain's historic Tower of London are enlisting girl power for the first time in their 522-year history.

The Tower's Yeoman Warders, commonly known as Beefeaters -- whose ceremonial dress is a distinctive scarlet and gold tunic, white ruff, red stockings and black patent shoes -- have appointed the first female member to their ranks.

"There were six candidates -- five were male and she was the only female," spokeswoman Natasha Woollard said. "She was the best candidate for the job."

Woollard said the woman, whose name has not yet been made public, was serving in the armed forces and "will join her new colleagues in the Yeoman Body at the Tower of London in summer 2007".

The new Beefeater's full job title will be "Yeoman Warder of Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign's Body Guard of the Yeoman Guard Extraordinary".

Beefeaters, believed to have earned their nickname from their daily ration of meat, date from 1485 when King Henry VII formed a bodyguard.

Historically their duty was to guard "the Tower of London and all things within it" -- a role which included the supervision and care of state prisoners.

Now there are just 35 of them, plus the Chief Yeoman Warder and Yeoman Gaoler, and one of their main tasks is to give tours to the two million visitors from around the world who come to the Tower each year.

They are also responsible for the Tower's ravens -- six coal-black birds which, according to legend, must always reside in the fortress on the banks of the River Thames to ensure the future of the Kingdom of England.

The Tower of London was first built in 1078 by William the Conqueror. Its primary functions were as a fortress, royal palace and a prison, but it has served as a place of execution, an armoury, a treasury, a zoo, a mint and -- since 1303 -- the home of the Crown Jewels.

To apply to become a Beefeater, candidates must have a minimum of 22 years' service in Britain's armed forces and have earned medals for long service and good conduct.