A Yeoman Warder (Beefeater) tour guide keeps the crowd smiling and laughing during a Thursday, December 9, 2010 visit to the Tower of London by Jerry and Judy Clark.
I had a history teacher exactly the same as this guy. Strict, intelligent and a great dry sense of humour. He was so educational for students. He was an Outstanding teacher and I love history because of him.
You were very fortunate. Definitely jealous. History is definitely one of my favourite subjects. We had a chemistry teacher in highschool like this sadly I wasn't one of the lucky ones to get him.
Every time I visit the UK I'm reminded of the civility of your home. I enjoy every moment of every stay. I'm honored to visit your many historic treasures. As a longtime newspaper owner, there's nothing like the English press!
A great advert for the country and for the British Army. It's men like this who possess great character, personality, humour, intellect, recall and sheer presence that characterise all that's best about the British people. If ever history could be made fascinating and memorable here's the man to teach it. My sides are still hurting from laughter - absolutely unspeakably brilliant.
Just saw him last week, he's back from surgery and he must have spent his recovery time brushing up his routine. It kept us all enthralled for over an hour. History presented as entertainment, WOW.
Absolutely brilliant. He's found he perfect way to ensure the group would want to hear what he has to say - executed with military precision, with a perfect understanding of human beings, both historical and living. This is one of the best video series I've ever seen on here. Thank you.
Brilliant, informative, memorable, entertaining, unique! Respect for his handling of the group - they will remember him for years to come and a lot more of his imparted detail as a result of his irreverent humour - always the best way to get history over - but a technique that needs careful professional judgement. This gentleman has that natural gift in abundance combined with a great feeling for timing. I know what I'm talking about - years in the military too and a tour guide today as well!
Any-1 else notice how the kids in the foreground only really took notice when the Yeoman started talking about "sh*t" ?,lol.Especially the kid chomping away on his gum! This man is a real gem & I would pay double the entrance fee to take the tour with him as guide.All four of the clips are pure magic! Thanx to whoever uploaded them.They make me proud to be English,for a change!
He was our guide when we went through in May 2012, and he was great, if you do not have a sense of humor, maybe you would want a different guide, but as a fellow retired military member (US Marines), I thoroughly enjoyed it
I have to confess that at first I though they are just a guard. Later I found out that they are actually highly experience soldier or military man. That's impressive because I can't imagine these people could be generous enough to give tourist a walking tour. They are the best!
I love the way he doesn't put up with any nonsense - we need more of him, in theatres cinemas, restaurants etc. Everywhere where other people who cannot behave, annoy us. Brilliant stand up 'performance'.
I had the good fortune to work with this Gentleman a few years back and it was an absolute pleasure one of the funniest 4 day shifts I have ever done . He is not just a bloody good Beefeater he is respected in other fields as well ,
I went on this guy's tour and he is BRILLIANT! We had a discussion after the tour about richard 2nd - he is possibly the scariest and most charismatic man i have ever met! Superb!!!!
Priceless... In his head he is still in the Army. I came across many characters like this whilst in the Services. Sense of humour second to none. Its a wonder he wasn't telling them to get a haircut and "Stand still you 'orrible little man"
This Yeoman Warder is Bill Callaghan. Bills Style reminds me of my History teacher, Mr Fountain. I've never forgot Mr Fountains lesson on Spanish Conquistadors whilst hunting Inca gold, having to drink their horses blood, then each others piss as they trekked across the peruvian desert after exhausting their water supplies. More Wine Baldrick?
Went to the Tower of London today and took the same tour. You can see in 8 years since this was shot, some of the political incorrectness has been taken out of the warders attitude and some of the more gruesome parts of Henry's activities that are told in this series. Only about 20% though and the tour is a must. And free. Hilarious and engaging even to this day. If you are going to visit London for the history of places like this, ToL is a must.
An absolute distillation of every Sarntmajor I ever met. Bowel laughingly funny, a man`s man, demanding yet totally deserving of respect, which he invariably returns in full measure - unless you fcuk with him. Wrath descends, terrible and painful - but still achingly funny. The best of men, the absolute best of the British Army. Thank you, Sir. Old squaddy.
Love this Yeoman Warder so much ..love his humor and no nonsense straight talking manner. Thanks for putting these videos up ..I love them so much . I've been to The Tower and plan on returning..I so want to go on a tour with Bill Callaghan :))))
Bill makes history fascinating - with a wicked sense of army humour. He is also a volunteer Lifeboatman at Tower Lifeboat Station and so is a part of another great British institution, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
Not a lot of people know this but this Yeoman Warder is Bill Callaghan. He has been told off by the management of the Tower for his non PC manner. If you like Bill's style drop him a line at the Tower and let him know. Guys like him need our support.
@shnuggydunks Very well said,my friend.That man was a consummate professional and would put many a history professor to shame.Hi sense of timing,appropriate content,masterful balance of the farcical and facts and depth of perspective-all are perfect.
I've been to the Tower hundreds of times, and Bill's my personal favorite. I must have gone on about five tours with him and each one was different, all of them memorable. By the way, last week he mentioned that he knew this was up and recommended it to anyone from our group who would miss him :)
Just like my old training Sergeant major, I can remember many of our training sergeants and sergeant majors being like this, but no one dare laugh or we would have been deep in the S--T
A very expensive curio show that Albert and Mountbatten paid dearly for so that those fabulous babes can look like the everlasting light . . . for the dogs.
Absolutely fantastic this gentleman should train school teachers, that way the youth of today might just listen when spoken to and show a little respect for a more knowledgeable older generation. Well entertained . . . . . . thank you..... Spider!
I have viewed this many many times! Absolutely brilliant especially after listening to the rantings of the egomaniac Alex Salmond and that twit Cable and his acolytes. Bill Callaghan for Leader!! Well, he would have a job to do worse than the fawning of Dave. Snag is, the twits are in charge and complacancy rules!
A lot of people think these are just some old guys out of work who get employed as tour guides. They are actually former/retired, long-serving senior non-commisioned officers; which explains why this chap isnt taking any shit from a bunch of Australians Cheesy (If you dont know NCO's are the Corporals and Seargeants, usually having worked up the ranks.)
Totally invective of British humour. This guy is regimented and without saying to much, very much still attached to service. Still a very funny guy. Disappointed that relic to the queen behaves in that manor but all in good fun
This is what I am talking about the world wants to be all PC and turn generations to come into soft bellied, ignorant fools but with people like him still in our midst to slap the silly out of the oversensitive we have hope. Thank you by Bill Callaghan for restoring my faith that good humour is not synonymous with bad language.
Thanks for posting this, Jec0066! ^_^ Much appreciated. I went on a tour of our beautiful tower and grounds about 7 years ago, and the guide we had was just plain miserable, and clearly hated his job. >_< I'm now tempted to go again and see if I can find this guy. Did you get his name?
