Will Pavia reports in The Times of London that Norwich is looking for an apprentice crier to bellow its news across the city.
The enormous Mr. David Bullock (in the picture) with his tricorn hat, white beard, medals and fancy red suit is the most well known person in Norwich.
The position was advertised this week: the successful applicant will become Mr. Bullock’s apprentice and will take over as town crier when he finally stops shouting. “I’d like to think I will go on until I curl my toes up,” he said. “But I’m 75 and the council wants to get a replacement sorted out in case I pop off suddenly.”
What a great story!
I remember the Spanish “pregoneros” of my teenager summers in Molinos and Alcañiz (Teruel, Spain).
They were the best 24/7 breaking news system of these small towns.
The Times tells us today that:
Town criers were particularly important when most of the population was illiterate. Though their origin is much older, the position was formalised after the Norman Conquest of 1066.
— So important was their work that assaulting or interfering with a town crier in his duties was once a treasonable offence.
— About 200 town criers are active in Britain, which leads the world in the revival of crying. Criers also work across Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia.
— The Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year, was founded after the 1978 British Championships, with the stated aims of “promoting prestigious public pronouncements” and defining the rules of crying.
— Britain did well at the European criers’ competition with a clean sweep in the Best Crier, Best Dressed Crier and Best Dressed Crier’s Escort categories.