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History
Historically town criers -
or Bellmen as they were sometimes called - were the original newsmen.
The first town criers were the Spartan
Runners in the early Greek Empire and as the Roman Conquest spread
through Europe the position increased in importance until it became a
position of the court.
As England colonized the world, the
position of the town
crier spread with it. Before people could
read, town criers brought the news to the people, and served as
spokesmen for the King.
Town criers were protected by law. "Don't
shoot the messenger" was a very real command; anything that was done
to a town crier was deemed to be done to the King and was therefore a
treasonable offence.
 Usually people of standing in the community were chosen as criers, for they had to be able to write and read the official proclamations. Often they were a husband and wife team with the wife ringing the large hand bell and the husband doing the shouting.
Each town crier is officially appointed by
the Mayor. The style of uniforms is authentic and date back to the
17th Century. The Town crier's robes are similar to those of the
mayor, and uniforms are usually designed, incorporating the colours of
the
Crier's town. The ceremonial tricorne is
adorned with curling feathers, a traditional representation of the
quills used by earlier town criers to write their proclamations.
Announcements are always preceded by the
traditional "Oyez Oyez Oyez" (which is "listen" in French) and
conclude with "God save the Queen" .
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