2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
Green and Pleasant Land <small>(21:04–21:09)</small>
### Green and Pleasant Land (21:04–21:09\)

The depiction of rural life already in the arena was billed as "a reminder and a promise of a once and future better life". Youth choirs began [a cappella](/wiki/A_cappella "A cappella") performances of the informal anthems of the four nations of the UK: "[Jerusalem](/wiki/And_did_those_feet_in_ancient_time "And did those feet in ancient time")" (for [England](/wiki/England "England"), sung by a live choir in the stadium), "[Danny Boy](/wiki/Danny_Boy "Danny Boy")" (from the [Giant's Causeway](/wiki/Giant%27s_Causeway "Giant's Causeway") in [Northern Ireland](/wiki/Northern_Ireland "Northern Ireland")), "[Flower of Scotland](/wiki/Flower_of_Scotland "Flower of Scotland")" (from [Edinburgh Castle](/wiki/Edinburgh_Castle "Edinburgh Castle") in [Scotland](/wiki/Scotland "Scotland")), and "[Bread of Heaven](/wiki/Cwm_Rhondda "Cwm Rhondda")" (from [Rhossili Beach](/wiki/Rhossili "Rhossili") in [Wales](/wiki/Wales "Wales")). These were inter\-cut with footage of notable [Rugby Union Home Nations](/wiki/Rugby_Union "Rugby Union")' [tries](/wiki/Try_%28rugby%29 "Try (rugby)"), England's winning [drop goal](/wiki/Drop_goal "Drop goal") from the [2003 Rugby World Cup Final](/wiki/2003_Rugby_World_Cup_Final "2003 Rugby World Cup Final"), and live shots from the stadium.

As the last choir performance concluded, vintage [London General Omnibus Company](/wiki/London_General_Omnibus_Company "London General Omnibus Company") [stagecoaches](/wiki/Stagecoach "Stagecoach") entered, carrying businessmen and early [industrialists](/wiki/Business_magnate "Business magnate") in [Victorian](/wiki/Victorian_era "Victorian era") [dress](/wiki/Morning_dress "Morning dress") and [top hats](/wiki/Top_hat "Top hat"), led by [Kenneth Branagh](/wiki/Kenneth_Branagh "Kenneth Branagh") as [Isambard Kingdom Brunel](/wiki/Isambard_Kingdom_Brunel "Isambard Kingdom Brunel"). The 50 men stepped down from the carriages and [surveyed the land](/wiki/Surveying "Surveying") approvingly. After walking onto the Glastonbury Tor, Brunel delivered [Caliban](/wiki/Caliban "Caliban")'s "Be not afeard" speech, reflecting Boyle's introduction to the ceremony in the programme and signifying an aspiration of new industry or a new era in Britain. This anticipated the next section of the ceremony.


What did the businessmen and industrialists wear?