The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-06-27
OWN CR|ERS USED' N ENGLISH TOWNS IN. LIEU OF NEWSPAPERS.
Local News Shy, But Crier Busy With Sales and Proc lamatiOns-Wear Off,
 cial Regalia

Rye, England. June 1S.-(special) Here and in the neighboring little ancient towns of Winehelsea, New Romney. Hythe and others, they have only the London newspapers There's are no local papers for any of these small Sussex coastal communities though they are more than seven cen turies old Only the high lights of news come to them via London and such facts as Sam Wilkins painting his barn, or Ted Whale and family Sundaying in Rye are either lost to chroniclers or have only brief circu- lation orally.
 But i,'s different for mayoral proc lamations, for announcements of new taxes, for merchants advertising and for such nearnews as the offer of q, reward for the return of black cat. The town crier publishes these facts, in loud voice, up and down, in and around every street and lane in his Jurisdiction.
 TOWN CRIER'S REGALIA
 These are official criers, and their Jurisdiction extends to the corporate boundaries of the towns. They have official regalia, an official bell, and a fee fixed by law The regalia in Rye is a three pointed admiraFs bon net, a 1776 model coat, and knee brooches. all with plenty of red, green i and yellow crying loudly, probably to help the bell attract attention. Two shllings is the statutory fee. i For this sum a stranger seeking local fame might have himself paged all over Rye Hill and out to Rye harbor. Or the crier will ball out a reward Of five shillings for the return of yell low flea trap, one ear missing, tail 1S inches long. answering to the name of Dorothy. Only last week visitor recovered wallet through the good offices of the town crier. But the chief service of the town crier is to be the advertising medium of the local merchants. He heard him this morning. first close at hand, and later the distant reverberations of the same chant:
 This is Fri-i-day. and Ashboe's got some lovely -bloaters."
 I had thought all the "H' misplacing was done by London cockneys, but 1 find it just as common an affliction in l Sussex. This was tho Rye town criers l afternoon song:
 ] Grand hauction of hart work at i Hagricultura1 'All'
 1 He doesn't really sing, like an old l clothes man, for example. He calls I out in a monotone. Nor did I hear him 1 begin with "Oyez, oyoz." according to | ancient form.
 | obeyed tradition. he most amiably put aside his bell and pulled me against | the wall for a long explanation.
 That's a usual question. sor," he 1 began And Hi puts it to you, sor,
 would hit sound proper hif Hi was to cry 'Oyez, oyez. some lovely bloater at Ashbee's? God save the King When
 l cry 'Oyez, oyez, hit as to lave God
 save the King at the hend Ain't i right to do that sor. for a bloater | sale or for a lost cat. No no. That g 1 what the criers have decided.'
 Do you see the others occa-
 .donally?"
 "Oh, Hi see the crier at Winchelsea regularly. sor. Before the war there used to be a town criers contest. The last one was held at Wiltshire Heach
 of us officials made up little poem
 about our town and we cried that
 But about the 'oyez,' and God save
 the King Hi do use that form, sor
 with official proclamations. and hany
 thing pertaining to the King"
 He had a great deal to say abou
 the "hoffce" which he has held fo 20 years. In addition to being towl
 crier he is custodian of the ancien
 city hall. chief mace bearer to thu
 mayor. Ga great distinction he in. | formed me, as the mace of the mayo
 of Rye is the finest in England). an.
 general ceremonial functionary of Ry
 town corporation.
 I saw him later out of his red, greer and yellow regalia. He was on lad
 fer, washing the town hall windows