The Queens Swan Uppers on the River Thames
The pennant of the Swan Uppers of the Vintners Company on the River Thames Swan Upping dates from medieval times when the Crown claimed ownership of all mute swans at a time when swans were considered an important food source for banquets and feasts Today the Crown retains the right to ownership of all unmarked Mute swans in open water but the Queen only exercises her ownership on certain stretches of the River Thames and its surrounding tributaries This ownership is shared with the Vintners and Dyers Companies who were both granted rights of ownership by the Crown in the fifteenth century Nowadays the swans are counted and marked but rarely eaten except perhaps occasionally at State Banquets The Queen s Swan Marker and Swan Uppers accompanied by the Swan Uppers of the Vinters and Dyers livery companies use six traditional Thames rowing skiffs in their five day journey upstream as far as Abingdon By tradition scarlet uniforms are worn by The Queen s Swan Marker and Swan Uppers and each boat flies their appropriate flags and pennants
Size: 5250px × 3421px
Photo credit: © Gerry Walden / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: banner, bird, boat, colorful, colourful, conservation, countryside, craft, england, english, flag, flags, labor, labour, leisure, marine, oxfordshire, parade, people, queen, red, regatta, royal, summer, swan, thames, tourism, tradition, traditional, transport, uk, water, work
