You have to be 40-plus to be a yeoman at the Tower

The photo and caption in your article on ‘elderly Londoners’ (Personnel Today, 7 March) are misleading. Contrary to the implication that yeoman warders (Beefeaters) are “left on the scrapheap” when they retire, actually, this career choice is tailor-made for older people.

Applications for vacancies within the Body of Yeoman Warders at the Tower of London can only be made by people who have served a minimum of 22 years in the regular Armed Forces.

Having served for this length of time, they would be in their early 40s when they become yeoman warders. They are entitled to retire between 60 and 65 at their choice, and most retire at around 62, having completed 20 years’ service at the Tower.

At the moment, yeoman warders are all white males, but we are keen to attract more qualified ethnic minority and female candidates, particular as the career prospects for women in the Armed Forces have expanded so rapidly in recent years.

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Hopefully, it won’t be too long before you are able to report that the first female yeoman warder in 700 years has taken up her appointment at the Tower of London.

David Cooper
HR manager
The Tower of London