Livery

When planning a crier’s costume, there are almost infinite opportunities for additional embellishments   Doug the wonderful hat maker suggested a new one the other day that I particularly like. He showed me a picure of a cape clasp which was worn as part of police uniforms until as recently as the 1950s. The lion’s heads can…

On Saturday I went to Tom Brown’s in Eton for a fitting. The owner, David has been busy and wanted to check that the first cut of the coat was accurate. At this stage it is a somewhat alarming bright purple robe covered in chalk lines. I tried it on and immediately thought I could…

Drove to Edmonton on Friday to check on the progress of my boots.  The uppers were complete and before attaching the soles the boot maker Keith wanted to double check the fit. I am happy to report they fitted beautifully and so Keith will now attach the soles and post them over to Windsor. The…

I got a nice big parcel this morning from the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. Inside was the Maidenhead Town Crier’s bell, fully refurbished.  A new clapper, and handle and the words ‘refurbished 2013’ on the ferule. It sounds better than ever, looks great and best of all is not going to fly off the handle and…

Went to London to get the town crier’s bell’s wobbly handle fixed. Whitechapel Bell Foundry (established 1440) have the actual wooden former they used to create ‘Big Ben’ 150 years ago, framing the inside of their front door. Also picked up a new shiny bell. Hessian Boots Then it was off to Edmonton to get…

The actual bell I ring is the old Maidenhead Town Crier’s Bell which was last used in 1922.  The present owner kindly donated it back to the new town crier so we are ressurecting a piece of local 19th Century heritage for the 21st Century. It is tuned to ‘D’ (according to my digital guitar…

Well this is turning int a learning experience. The frilly thing worn around the neck is called a Jabot. I only know this because the Mayor told me. They evolved from the frilly lace edging on shirts of the seventeenth century. One story is that they became a political mark of allegiance during the civil…

Last night I dreamt about coats and waistcoats. Woke with my head spinning. Had to get up and put it all down on paper just so I could get back to sleep.

Firstly it became clear yesterday that I have a strange shaped head. I visited Ascot Top Hats where the brilliant and irrepressible Doug Simpson placed this top-hat shaped contraption head to measure its exact shape. The big heavy wood and brass machine, itself a stunning piece of victoriana, punches pinholes in a card which show the hatter…

The first part of my livery arrived in the post today. Looking at other town criers and watching the Remembrance Sunday parades last week I noticed that every dress uniform seems to include white gloves. I looked about online and got a proper pair of cotton gloves as worn by … practically everyone in a…