Friday, August 1, 2008

Anyone know the origin of the word "Beefeater"?

2 comments:

Mari said...

Whatever it is, it can't be good.

Unknown said...

IIRC, "Beefeaters" were guards at the Tower of London back in Henry the 8th's day, when only royalty could afford to actually eat beef -- everyone else had to get by on small morsels of poultry or pork. So to keep the Tower guards loyal to the crown, they were paid in beef. But how that relates to the foul distilled spirit called "gin" is beyond me. *shrug*