My First Proclamation

I am guessing that my first proclamation will have been in very similar circumstances to that of many Town Criers before me and that was in the form of an audition after an interview.

I had been encouraged to apply for the position after a meeting of the town Platinum Jubilee Committee where the Jubilee Proclamation written by Jane Smith was mentioned. It was noted that Billingham had no Town Crier and furthermore, there had never been one.

I duly set about applying after the advert was published and was horrified to see that as part of the application, you had to write a proclamation of 200 words, and the subject was Billingham, and of course be prepared to use it.

As I read the Job Description, I noted that one of the requirements was to have a working knowledge of the history of Billingham, or be prepared to learn it. I duly set about researching the history and somewhere along the line decided that this would form the base of my cry.

On the day I arrived for the interview and faced lots of interesting questions and hopefully provided lots of interesting answers. I was then invited to go outside, to the rear of the Town Library, and perform my proclamation.

I was nervous, but surprisingly, only until I rang the bell and let rip with my "Oyez, Oyez, Oyeeeeeez". By this time a small crowd had gathered and there was someone videoing me. I can't help thinking now of the words that Bob Smytherman had said in his introductory letter when I joined the Guild.. "Be prepared to have your photograph taken - a lot!" Finishing with the customary "God save the Queen", I was treated to a round of applause from the small, but appreciative crowd, and told that the job was mine.

Here are the words of my very first proclamation:

OYEZ! OYEZ! OYEZ!

I wish to talk about the wondrous town of Billingham.

A modern town, a 20th century town - a town that arrived in the 70s.

When I hear this it makes me sigh, listen to me and I shall tell you why.

Ham is the Anglo Saxon word for village and Billing the shape of the hill on which it stood.

Since the 7th century Billingham has stood on this hill.

Looking serenely around at the sights to be seen,

From the marshes of Cowpen, to the great River Tees

The hills of Eston to Roseberry Topping - and into Yorkshire beyond

To the North the County of Durham, the Land of the Prince Bishops

All once visible from where the mighty Horse Chestnut on the old Village Green now stands.

It’s not just industry and chemicals to be seen, it’s a town so fertile, so lush, so green,

A town once visited by no less than our Queen!

A town of nurture and a town of nature,

A town of growth, a town strong for the future,

A town which gives me the desire.

To be its very first Town Crier!

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN