THAME is to have its own, honoury Town Crier. The town council’s Culture, Leisure and Recreation committee have voted to appoint Anthony Church, who has ‘cried’ many times at local events in Thame in the past.
Town Criers date back to the Middle Ages when civil authorities appointed them to keep citizens informed on matters of national and local importance. These days they attend civic ceremonies, charity functions, tourism and commercial events where their colourful costumes and historic importance add interest to the occasion.
The council says that it feels that officially adopting Anthony Church as Thame’s Honorary Town Crier would be very beneficial to Thame in that he would actively promote the town in other areas, spreading the word about how delightful and picturesque it is and with news about forthcoming events. This, it says, could help encourage visitors and at the same time recreate an old tradition.
Anthony, who has also been adopted by Daventry, Banbury, Chipping Norton and recently Wallingford, would receive a small fee for each occasion which the council says would be absorbed within the budge of each event or promotion.
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