6th December, 2011

PETER WOODING

Assist News Service

David Mitchell has plenty to shout about the varied opportunities his role as Town Crier of Chester, in the north-west of England, provides, as he continues this centuries old tradition of proclamation.

In the days before you bought a newspaper on the way to work, or read the news on your phone, you might have heard about the latest financial crisis from your local town crier.

DAVID MITCHELL "Exploring Jesus' teaching on Lake Galilee from a crier's perspective we discover that the greatest distance over which the human voice is audible, is not on land but across calm water. Jesus was evidently a very proficient proclaimer, technically as well as in every other way. In proclaiming, therefore, as in everything else, He is our perfect example." - Chester Town Crier David Mitchell

Mitchell's his insights into the spiritual and historical roots of the art of public proclamation have been heard by over 400 audiences in his after dinner speeches and one man shows.

"People book me to do a whole gamut of things which is why the job is endlessly varied. But by far my favourite booking is to make my costumed presentation entitled 'For Crying out Loud!'

"I make this presentation in an after dinner context, or as my one-man show. My material is mostly humorous, but from a faith perspective we learn about the earliest origins of public proclamation in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. We note that Jesus' first words in his public ministry are to declare himself to be a proclaimer.

"Exploring Jesus' teaching on Lake Galilee from a crier's perspective we discover that the greatest distance over which the human voice is audible, is not on land but across calm water. Jesus was evidently a very proficient proclaimer, technically as well as in every other way. In proclaiming, therefore, as in everything else, He is our perfect example."

"I also tell the story of how the very handbell that announced salvation "from sulphurous flames" to prisoners, was also miraculously saved from the flames that destroyed the building in which it was kept during the Great Fire of London."

So how does Mitchell's Christian faith affect his role as Town Crier?

"Being a Christian affects every part of my life, but the relationship between faith and crying doesn't happen in the way you might imagine. When I am working as a town crier I am usually being paid to promote the message of whichever organisation has employed me on that particular occasion, so that is not the time to be proclaiming the Gospel.

"But it does effect my witnessing in a more indirect way. Surprisingly for someone who became a town crier, I am shy and introverted by nature. But as Shakespeare observed, "habit can almost change the stamp of nature". In my role as a crier I have become so used to striking up conversations with complete strangers that witnessing has become immeasurably easier than it was before I first clad myself in a proclaimer's robes."

I asked Mitchell why he enjoys this unique role so much: "The outstanding attraction of the role for me is its sheer variety. No two days are ever the same. In a typical month my assignments might include: promoting a new store, delivering a 'criergram' (the good taste alternative to the stripagram), opening a show home, officiating at a golden wedding celebration, leading a parade, making a public marriage proposal, acting as master of ceremonies at a dinner, filming for television, and waking a bride on the morning of her wedding. There is also seasonal variety. In summer I open fetes and launch helium-filled balloons; in winter I switch on Christmas lights, lead Santa parades and make after dinner speeches."

"Some of the rarer assignments include leaping off the tower of a Chester city centre church on a zip wire alongside a radio presenter, walking the high wire with the Moscow State Circus, and making a wedding proclamation on horseback. What other job could offer such variety?

"In the midst of all this modern-day variety, there is also, in Chester, the continuation of a long tradition. Other places have town criers, but only Chester retains the tradition of regular proclamations at a fixed time and place. Proclamations have been made at the High Cross since the Middle Ages."

Mitchell says another highlight is the unusual questions he gets asked by tourists, particularly those from America.

"Visitors from the United States of America are a particularly rich source of entertaining enquiries. In fact when they first see someone like me, dressed in tricorne hat, greatcoat, breeches and buckled shoes, they often seem unsure whether I am a re-enactor, or someone who has lived for a particularly long time.

"It is, of course, well known that our colonial cousins are fascinated by our history, but sometimes their understanding lags behind their enthusiasm. This comes out in their questions. For example, an American visitor asked, 'Say, you look like the kinda guy who would know pretty much everything around here - can you tell my wife and I where we can get a video of the Great Fire of London?' Now as a town crier I am paid to be polite to the tourists so I must answer helpfully, but deep down I would love to reply, 'Oh, you must mean the one directed by Samuel Pepys'."

Mitchell's wife and son Spencer are all also continuing in the tradition of proclamation.

"We are a whole family of town criers. My wife, Julie, is jointly Town Crier of Chester with me, and she makes our costumes. In fact she has made costumes (or 'liveries' as they are more correctly known) for town criers in Britain and overseas, and those liveries have won many awards.

"Our son, Spencer, now 11, was appointed the official apprentice Town Crier of Chester by the Lord Mayor of Chester in 2008. My understanding of 'apprentice' is that this is someone who is learning the trade, but in practice Spencer seems to think he should be instructing me! He often comes with me to make the midday proclamation at the High Cross in Chester during the summer months.

"The tourists are invariably charmed by his cute appearance and afterwards they fill his upturned bell to overflowing with tips. Despite this sudden wealth, Spencer refuses to buy his own Coca Cola afterwards. That's when the apprentice suddenly adopts the humble role."

Mitchell has also written the first ever history of the role of the town crier and bellman. For Crying Out Loud is available from Avenue Books.

~ www.chestertowncriers.com

FOR MORE OF LIFESTORY...  | more... |