Swan Upping Is an Ancient British Tradition
The Swan Marker Leads the Annual Count of the Queen's Swans
Jun 23, 2009 Mary Ann Hemphill
“Mr. David, could we make one up?” inquires one of the Queen’s Uppers. David Barber, in a gold-trimmed scarlet blazer with a swan feather on his cap, nods his assent. Rum and milk then concocted and drunk by the Uppers, those robust rowers on two traditional wooden Thames skiffs, the annual Swan Upping begins in Sunbury-on-Thames.
Swan Upping Is an Ancient English Ritual
By prerogative, all the mute swans on the Thames belong to the Queen– with the exception of those belonging to two ancient livery companies, the Worshipful Company of Vintners and the Worshipful Company of Dyers. Barber explains that Swan Upping started in the 12th century when the crown claimed rights to all the mute (white) swans, then a status-laden delicacy served at feasts and banquets.
In the 15th century, the crown ran a bit low on funds, so granted (i.e., sold) charters to the landed gentry and to the livery companies allowing them to own swans. As swans went out of favor, replaced by the less glamorous turkey, only the Vintners and the Dyers maintained their royal rights to the swans. Two boats from each livery company follow the Queen’s two skiffs.
Examining and Counting the Swans
“All up!” The Bowman on one of the boats has spotted a brood of fluffy gray cygnets and their parents. The boats gradually encircle the swans and swift hands lift the feathered family into the boats where the swans' wings and feet are tied together. The swans are then taken up onto the riverbank, thus the origin of the word “upping.”
On shore, The Queen's Swan Warden, Professor Christopher Perrins from Oxford University, weighs each cygnet, measures its beak and checks for any entangled fishing lines or hooks, the major dangers to young cygnets.
The cygnets are then differentiated, following their father's mark, as belonging to the Crown or to one of the livery companies.
Owners used to identify their swans with intricate nicked patterns on their beaks, but Barber altered tradition. "I was very concerned," Barber said, "because the livery companies put nicks in the cygnets beaks: two for the Vintners; one for the Dyers. Although it had been this way for 500 years, I saw this as rather unnecessary. It gave young cygnets a lot of unnecessary stress." Since 1998 numbered stainless steel rings have marked the livery companies' cygnets. Her Majesty's swans are unmarked.
David Barber Added Education and Conservation to the Swan Marker's Position
The Swan Marker’s duty is to annually count the young cygnets and to ensure that the swan population is maintained. But, Barber declares, “There's no manual on how to be a Swan Marker. I knew when I took over in 1994 that I wanted to bring this position to a different level, giving the public more insight on how to protect the swans.” Barber's educational and conservation programs include preserving the swans' habitat, and he initiated a ban on lead fishing weights, which were causing the deaths of a great number of swans.
Barber says, "Keeping tradition so important to Royalty. It's part of our heritage. But Swan Upping is now is a tradition altered a bit to be appropriate to modern days." He continues, "On personal basis, I think this is the way it should be--wonderful pageantry, yet modern concerns such as education and conservation. We are fighting for the swans' habitat as well." He notes that concrete riverbanks and waterfront development leave less room for reeds, thus depriving swans of their nesting places.
During the Swan Upping, Barber stops along the river to talk to groups of children, also giving them the opportunity to view swans and cygnets at close quarters. “We try to educate the kids on how to look after the birds.” Barber says, “This part of the ceremony is always extremely rewarding and the children benefit enormously from their involvement.”
He adds, “It is absolutely wonderful to have the young kids and their questions, such as 'How does the Queen manage to feed all the swans in the morning?'”
Circling the Family
|
Swan Marker David Barber with School Children
|
What do you think about this article?
More in Travel
Latest Articles