Halt! Who comes there? For centuries, those words have echoed around a walkway inside the Tower of London, forming part of an ancient ceremony which sees the gate of the fortress locked for the night and the keys delivered to the monarch’s representative inside.
Taking part in the Ceremony of the Keys is just one of the roles of the famous Yeoman Warders, the ‘royal bodyguards’ of the tower, also known as beefeaters. Halifax-born Lisa Garland is one of them, only the sixth woman to ever take on the role, despite it being introduced hundreds of years ago by Henry VIII.
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Today, the Yeoman Warders combine ancient traditions with their modern duties as the public face of a World Heritage Attraction, including giving tours to millions of visitors. “I wasn’t particularly looking to be a beefeater but when I saw the job description I was really curious about it and thought I’d be good at the job,” reflects Lisa, who has been in post since summer 2023.
“It was very much a sliding doors moment for me. “It’s a front of house, speaking to people, role, and a great opportunity to be able to share the history of the tower. We are custodi ans of the tower and preserving that history for future generations.”
Lisa is supporting a new campaign by Historic Royal Palaces (HRP), the independent charity that looks after the Tower of London, as well as five other sites including Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace and Hillsborough Castle. It is currently running its inaugural Inspiring History Teaching Awards, launched to celebrate those who bring the past to life in classrooms across the country.
Lisa, who served in the Royal Air Force for more than 20 years, says: “History is really important to me being a former military person. I do think about those that have gone before me and ultimately sacrificed so that we’ve got the life that we have today.”
