Oyez, oyez! Town criers double up in Darwen (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Oyez, oyez! Town criers double up in Darwen
4:00pm Wednesday 20th March 2013 in News
SHOUT OUT: Darryl Counsell, Darwen Research Group's town crier
A ROW between the council and a history group has resulted in the creation of a second town crier for Darwen.
The town crier was created by Darwen Research Group, which made a suit and commissioned a bell to go with it. An agreement was reached with Darwen Town Council to use the council as a point of contact for town crier bookings.
But after an argument, councillors have voted to set up their own town crier for official town council events.
Deputy chairman Trevor Maxfield said: “We have decided to set up our own town crier and we are looking for someone to fill the position. There have been a couple of applications, but anyone who fancies being the town crier should get in touch.”
The town council crier will be used at all town council-organised events, starting with the St George’s Day celebrations in the town centre on April 20.
Meanwhile, Jayne Waring, of Darwen Research Group, said her group would continue as normal. And on Friday, the town crier walked from Darwen Cemetery to Blackburn for Comic Relief, raising more than £100.
Miss Waring said: “If they want a battle of the town criers, they can have one.”
Sudell councillor Roy Davies said: “I think we should only have one town crier. Surely we can spend our money on other things.
People are going to be totally confused.”
David Peters, secretary of The Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers, said: “There is nothing to stop someone being appointed as a town crier, but to become an official registered town crier you have to be appointed by an official body, such as a council. It does seem strange for Darwen to have two town criers.”
Anyone wishing to apply for the new role should email Coun Maxfield at tmaxfield@ darwentowncouncil.org.uk.
Comments(10)
penninelad
says...
5:07pm Wed 20 Mar 13
the town crier certainly isn't the most important issue of the day, - the LT & Research Group have made it an important issue not members of the Town Council !
louderfasterlonger
says...
5:56pm Wed 20 Mar 13
Slightly confused as to the stance of the Research Group.
2 for 5p
says...
6:55pm Wed 20 Mar 13
I'm going to Darwen town hall tomorrow it must be raining tenners in there.
Waste of money
Winnie6
says...
7:10pm Wed 20 Mar 13
If the Town council have £1000+ to waste on another outfit for a Town Crier, we must be better off than they are saying. Spend it on repairing the roads or clearing up the litter.
happycyclist
says...
1:02am Thu 21 Mar 13
Harrold Monk
says...
8:39am Thu 21 Mar 13
Harrold Monk
says...
8:47am Thu 21 Mar 13
district01
says...
11:11am Thu 21 Mar 13
happycyclist wrote:Yes, who are 'Darwen Research Group'?
Who the hell are 'Darwen Research Group'?
Stereo sound criers. That must be a first!
louderfasterlonger
says...
9:14am Fri 22 Mar 13
The Town Council has rightly distanced itself from this group of self-styled guardians of the history of Darwen.
s_smith says...
4:09pm Wed 20 Mar 13
What an absolute joke these people are and it makes a mockery of the whole organisation.