God save the pearly queen

The first Sunday of October is the biggest celebration in the pearly kings' calendar. All the pearlies are requested to attend the Harvest Festival service at St Martin-In-The Fields on Trafalgar Square.

Pearlies are one of the few remaining London traditions that date back to Victorian times, having celebrated their 125th anniversary in 2000.

They date back to 1875 and Henry Croft, the municipal road sweeper and rat-catcher of Somers Town market, near King's Cross. Inspired by the flash outfits of the local costermongers, Croft decided to decorate an outfit head-to-foot in pearl buttons. The idea was to draw attention to himself and raise money for charity. He proved so successful that soon there was a pearly family for every London borough.

The pearly 'monarchies' are usually hereditary, and there are still around 40 families working today, collecting for a range of charities. A few of the families can be traced back to the original generation of pearlies --indeed, Henry Croft's greatgranddaughter is currently the pearly queen of Somers Town.

The Original Pearly Kings And Queens Association meets every month in the crypt of St Martin-In-The-Fields.

For more information visit www.pearlies.co.uk