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The Town Crier - Letting the Town Know

The Town Crier is the most colourful official associated with the Town Council - rivaling the Mayor of the day in instant recognisability.  The position is a lifelong one and only when the elected crier wishes to relinquish the position does it become vacant.  It is a recognised civic position and is therefore representative of the Queen and the Town Council.  The post is an ancient one with the early "bell man" being a cross between a "crier" of goods for sale etc and a town watchman.  In 1677, for example, Bideford archives record "The common Cryer or Bell man of this Towne had a pension of eight pound a yeare allowed him for his nightly walks to see that the houses of this Towne and the shipping at the Key might be better preserved from the dangers which might happened from fire."

Our present Crier, Jim Weeks started in 1984 and now, having served for a quarter of a century is a very well-known representative at council events - at not all of which does he have to deploy in stentorian voice.