The first female beefeater at the Tower of London has opened her heart about her bullying hell and called on Scots to vote against independence.
Moira Cameron, of Lochgilphead, Argyll, rarely talks publicly but at an event to mark Parliament Week in Westminster she took the opportunity to speak out against SNP plans for separation.
She said: “First and foremost I am British. I’m a British Scot.
“I was proud to spend 22 years serving in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces and I’m very much a Royalist. My feeling is that if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. You are always stronger in a union.”
Moira is currently featured in her distinctive beefeater’s uniform on a massive billboard at Heathrow airport welcoming visitors to the UK.
Because she lives on site in the Tower of London she will not have a vote at next year’s independence referendum.
Moira took up the job as a Yeoman Warder the official name for a beefeater at the Tower in 2007 after 22 years in the Army.
She endured a torrid time at the hands of bullying male beefeaters which she claims “broke” her. However she fought back and saw her tormentors sacked.
Speaking on the record for the first time about that experience she said: “It lasted two years. I’m a strong woman but it broke me, nearly to destruction.
“It’s four years ago now but if I had my time again I wouldn’t apply to be a beefeater knowing what I would go through. However, I wouldn’t want anyone else to go through it either so in that sense I’m glad it was me who did.”
And she added: “It still affects me. I’m a very positive person but it’s not until you’re put in a position of high stress that you find out how strong you really are.”
Moira had been warned there could be problems before she was appointed.
She revealed that on a tour of the Tower before she got the job she was introduced to one of the serving beefeaters but when told she was applying for the post he withdrew his hand just as he was about to shake hers.
She said: “The chap showing me round told me to expect more and a lot worse.”
And even at her job interview she claims the then Governor of the Tower warned that if she was successful there may be opposition from the incumbent beefeaters.
She explained: “I told him I’d been bullied by bigger and better men so bring it on. How those words came to haunt me.”
Moira blames the bullying on jealousy at the amount of media attention she garnered when unveiled as the first female beefeater.
Three Yeoman Warders were suspended, two of them sacked from the Tower for a campaign of bullying that included defacing Moira’s red and blue uniform and putting nasty notes in her locker.
No other women have applied to be beefeaters since Moira was appointed.
To qualify for the job applicants must have served 22 years in the Armed Forces, achieved senior non-commissioned officer status and hold the Long Service and Good Conduct medal.
Moira claims that if the beefeaters reflected the gender balance in the Armed Forces there would be another four women working at the Tower.
Their official function is protecting the Crown Jewels.
Moira also admitted that though she’s not intending to quit soon she does not plan to stay in the post for the long term.
She laughed: “Standing outside in the cold weather all day just absolutely kills me.”
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