Kenny Poodmore has been Sidney’s official town crier for more than 21 years and although he’s now 81 years old, his voice is still as clear and imposing as the peel of the large hand bell he sounds to draw attention to his announcements. Not that Poodmore has any problem in commanding a crowd’s attention. His colorful period outfit, complete with top hat, white gloves, tricorn hat, and buckled shoes, grabs the attention of townsfolk with his every appearance.
“I always get a reaction,” Poodmore said. “I write my own proclamations and I try to inject some humour when it’s appropriate, or sometimes I’ll even write it as poetry.” For those who aren’t familiar with the tradition of a town crier (more’s the pity) here’s a bit of background information.
Town criers were the way folks used to get their important information, back in the days before 24-hour news networks, social media, and other more familiar media. They would venture into the public square (or other gathering places) with shouts of “oyez, oyez, oyez!” (that’s French for “hear ye”) and make their announcements. They would then nail their proclamation to a post so that the handful of literate townsfolk could read the message again.
That’s where the term “posting a message” comes from. And although some may claim much earlier beginnings, town criers are generally considered to have begun in Britain after the Norman invasion of 1066. “Queen Victoria decreed that the town crier w.
