Pearly Kings and Queens

Who were the the Pearly Kings?

The Pearly Kings were the leaders of the Victorian street sellers.

How did they get their name?

They got their name because they wore 'pearl' buttons on their hats as a sign of authority. Later they began to wear clothes covered all over in buttons.
The London tradition of the Pearly Kings and Queens began in 1875, by a small lad named Henry Croft, an orphan street sweeper who collected money for charity.

The title of Pearly King is passed down in the family, and there are Pearly Queens, Princes and Princesses too. Originally there were 28 families, one for each of the London boroughs, one for the City of Westminster, and one for the City of London.

They now spend their free time collecting for charity