Oyez, Oyez – announcing the Royal Hospital’s new Herald
17th April 2023
Chelsea Pensioner Roy Palmer has become the Royal Hospital’s first Herald. Roy, who was town crier for Mablethorpe in Lincolnshire before he became a Chelsea Pensioner, says he was keen to fulfil a similar role for his new home:
“I thought, ‘What can I call myself?’ We couldn’t call it a town crier, because this isn’t a town. But we are Royal and Royals have heralds, so that’s what I chose.”
Roy says he first became a town crier following a party he organised to celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in the rest home where he and his wife were living. He applied for a council grant to cover the cost of entertainment and sent a video of the party, instead of receipts when he applied for the funding.
When they saw Roy in the Lord Mayor’s costume he wore for the occasion it inspired them. The council decided that Mablethorpe should have its own town crier:
“I said, ‘Well if you need one, give me a shout’ and about six months later they invited me to be town crier for the carnival. Then they asked me to do it permanently.”
A proud history
Roy says the history of town criers in England goes back to the time of William the Conqueror, when many people were illiterate and printing was yet to be invented:
“He sent people out all over the country announcing that he was now King”, Roy explains.
“In the old days they’d take night criers out of the local jail – if someone could read, they’d give them the job.”
Today town criers still dress in old-fashioned costumes, complete with tricorne and bell. Roy’s bell has an interesting history:
“It was used in London in 1942, just after the Blitz, by a fire warden. Then after the war it was used in a school. It ended up belonging to the oldest lady in the rest home where I held the party and she gave it to me when I said I needed one as town crier.”
Competing for the community
As Mablethorpe’s town crier, Roy announced weddings and other celebrations and here at the Royal Hospital he’s attended events from birthday parties to Christmas fairs. There are also town crier competitions up and down the country which provide opportunities to promote the local town – or in Roy’s case, the Royal Hospital.
“In the morning you do a cry – or proclamation – about where you come from and in the afternoon you do one from a written script on a theme they set. It could be anything from the planet, to what the Romans did for us.
Cries always start with ‘Oyez, oyez’ [this derives from the French ouïr– to listen and means ‘hear ye’] and finish with ‘God Save the King’. There are four judges in different places and you’re judged on projection, clarity, content, dress – I’ve won twice on dress.”
In his new role, Roy will wear his Scarlet and tricorne and will hold a scroll made from matching scarlet fabric, made by the Royal Hospital’s tailor. His girlfriend Sandra – who will accompany him as his ‘consort’, also in costume, has decorated it with a cross stitch badge. They hope they may win a ‘best dressed’ prize.
Spreading the news
Roy says the competitions always draw a crowd and are a great way to learn about different communities. Although there’s a prize for the winner, Roy is motivated by something bigger – promoting the Royal Hospital. His cries will spread the word about becoming a Chelsea Pensioner and about the Royal Hospital’s fascinating history, attracting potential visitors.
Roy shared a cry he has prepared for his first event, in Yeovil, later this month – written in rhyme, his personal trademark.
Oyez, oyez, oyez,
The Royal Hospital Chelsea
A place to be seen,
Sitting in 66 acres on lawns so green.
1681 Charles the Second employed Christopher Wren
To build our Hospital, for ex-Army men
Completed it once in 1692,
For infirm soldiers before saying adieu.
330 years it has here stood
Surrounded by London with its own wood,
A Chelsea Pensioner – a title well known –
If 65 or over, you could call it home
Ladies may come, having done their time,
First made welcome in 2009
So visit me in London, I can show you round,
It’s time well spent and will you astound!
God save the King.
