Melksham town crier’s global online competition

MELKSHAM’S town crier, Peter Dauncey, hosted an online competition during the lockdown period – attracting competitors from across the globe.

The virtual town crier competition had 22 entries, including two from Australia, two from Canada and two from the USA – and instead of performing their cry, criers entered by submitting a written cry, based on the theme of lockdown.

Melksham’s town crier, Peter Dauncey said, “During lockdown I started to get bored and decided to hold a virtual town crier competition. It was judged on content of cry and the subject was lockdown.

“The winner was Jim Stewart from Glasgow, Nova Scotia in Canada, second was Carole Williams from Bishops Stortford and third place was Roy Goodwin from Ilfracombe. The first prize was a two-pound jar of maple syrup kindly donated by another Canadian town crier!”

Jim Stewart’s winning cry said,

“Oyez, Oyez Oyez

In Canada we have to hunker down

  When old man winter rolls around

But to do this in the early spring

  Isn’t quite the normal thing

The virus has us on the run

  Which certainly isn’t any fun

In these trying times of self isolation

 One looks for ways besides inebriation

To make each day healthy for my head

 I now work on the art of making bread

The only time I’m out the door

 Is for food and spirits at the store

Before I leave the final task

 Is to quickly don a mask

I never thought I would see the day

 I would walk into a bank that way

Stay safe

God Save the Queen.”