Town crier celebrates 40 years in the job
Posted by Polly Manser on Apr 17 in 'People'
Oyez! Oyez! Oyez!
Dick Smith, a carpenter and life long inhabitant of Beaconsfield, is celebrating his fortieth year as town crier.
Mr Smith decided to stand for election as town crier, at the age of 22, after being approached while having a pint in the then Beech Tree pub in Maxwell Road (now Revolution.)
He said: "My family on my mother's side has been in Beaconsfield since the 1600s and I thought that for my family, and for the old people in the town, I ought to do it."
Fortunately, he found it very easy to shout. So easy that the following year he became the national winner of a town crier's competition organised by the News of the World.
He said: "The judges sat in a caravan 100 yards away, and we had to take it in turns to shout, I can still remember what we had to shout. They judged us on volume, diction and mistakes."
Mr Smith gave a demonstration of 'Oyez' - old French for listen - and it is indeed incredibly loud.
His official duties include clearing the Old Town of parked cars before the Charter Fair, and leading the procession at the Festival of Lights.
He is a member of the Manorial Court in Beaconsfield which used to be large but now has just four members including the Lord of the Manor, Jennefer Farncombe, the owner of the Hall Barn estate.
He said: "The town crier was brought over by William the Conqueror. At first they had heralds to issue the King's decree, but they had to gallop all over the place so they appointed a town crier for each town. Up until WW2 the town crier was essential. There was no television and many people couldn't read newspapers."
One of his best memories is taking part in a parade through Windsor to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee.
He said: "The Queen and Prince Philip were sitting watching and when we got to them I congratulated her majesty on her Golden Julbilee by crying God Save the Queen and nearly blew her hat off. I found out afterwards that she turned to Philip and said 'Where does one find a man with a voice that loud?'"
He may yet get a chance to speak to her himself - as in July, in recognition of his long service, he's been invited to the Buckingham Palace Garden Party.
He will continue as town crier until he dies, as is the tradition.
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