PEARLY KINGS & QUEENS.
Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2017 10:59 pm
The very first Pearly King is accepted to have been Henry Croft, an orphan and street sweeper. In the mid- to late 1870s Croft completely covered his suit in mother-of-pearl buttons, creating the first pearly ‘smother’ suit. He did this to draw attention to himself when collecting money for orphanages and hospitals and so the pearly mission to support charitable organisations was born.
But being a pearly is not just about wearing the costume, it is about a lifelong commitment to work tirelessly to raise money for charity. These days the Pearlies have divided into several organisations, however, all still have charity work at their heart.
But being a pearly is not just about wearing the costume, it is about a lifelong commitment to work tirelessly to raise money for charity. These days the Pearlies have divided into several organisations, however, all still have charity work at their heart.