I was asked by Cllr Kellaway the Mayor to help out with a visit by a cub pack to the Town Hall in Maidenhead. When I arrived this evening it turned out it was the same cub pack from Windsor I had visited a few weeks ago. As i walked into the Town Hall I…
Maidenhead Zombie Walk
Being town crier means being open to new ideas and joining in for the benefit of the community. Sometimes this leads me in strange new directions. None more so than last weekend when I was asked to deliver a proclamation for the start of the Maidenhead Zombie Walk. This is the second year of the…
Windsor cubs in loud welcome
I was asked to visit the 6th Windsor cub pack this week and received a very warm and very loud welcome. The boys and girls listened attentively to my potted history of town crying and then joined in enthusiastically as we ran a competition to see if any of them would make a good town…
Second Trophy at Hastings
At Hastings National Town Crier Championships there are two trophies presented each year. Twelve months ago I was thrilled to win the Champion trophy, and this year I returned it, only to win the other one. On 18th October I was delighted to win the silver bowl for being the ‘best dressed’ crier. Of course…
Shouting about Magna Carta
We are heading toward a big anniversary next year. it will be 800 years since King John was forced to put his seal on Magna Carta at Runnymede. As part of the build up I was asked to help at Windsor’s Guildhall on Saturday, telling people about the history of the document and its continuing…
Town Crier Talks
I usually shout at earache inducing volumes but that wouldn’t have been appropriate at the weekend when I visited the residents of a care home near Marlow. I had been asked to come and give a talk on being the town crier and was slightly apprehensive because this would be my first time delivering a…
Queues and Artichokes
This morning I spent a couple of hours in the town centre with the large crowds of visitors. The queue for the castle was as long as ever so I gave an impromptu history talk to the back of the queue to take their minds off the wait. Then we let some kids ring the…
Commemorating the First World War Centenary
The Mayor kindly gave me permission for a very different kind of town crier duty on the 4th August. from 10.00pm I stood watch at the Corn Exchange beneath the Guildhall, Windsor tending a single candle, lit in remembrance of all those who suffered in the Great War of 1914-1918. For an hour I waited,…
Second Place…again
I went to Warwick at the weekend to represent the Royal Borough in a Town Crier Competition. Despite the rain 20 or so criers processed through the streets of the the town ringing our bells and then got down to the serious business of competing to find out which of us could perform the loudest,…
Irish State Visit
An historic day as President Michael D Higgins become the first head of state of the Republic of Ireland to make a full state ceremonial visit to the UK. Her majesty Queen Elizabeth II welcomed the President at Windsor on Datchet Road and a full cavalcade drove up to the castle. I was out from…