A town crier has made a formal complaint after a rival town crier encroached onto his territory.
Mike Kean-Price, town crier of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, has complained to the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers about the actions of Peder Nielsen, the town crier of Bromyard, Herefordshire.
A new Holland & Barrett shop was being opened in the ancient Gloucestershire town.
But Bromwayd's crier - who has a contract with the health food chain to attend all shop openings and events - turned up at the event in full regalia to announce in a booming voice that it was open to the public.
But Mr Price said he should not have "invaded" his turf.
"It's a moral thing. I've never gone into another town and taken the job of another town crier," he said. "Each town has their own crier and I've always kept to that."
Town criers at war over territory
By Richard Savill
11 Aug 2010
The Telegraph
A town crier has accused a rival of breaching the ancient moral code of his profession by encroaching into his patch.
Mike Kean-Price, town crier of Tewkesbury, said Mr Neilsen should not have 'invaded' his turf Photo: Thousand Word Media
Mike Kean-Price (L), town crier of Tewkesbury, Glos, has complained to the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers about the actions of Peder Nielsen (R), the town crier of Bromyard, Herefordshire Photo: SWNS
Mike Kean-Price, town crier of Tewkesbury, Glos, has complained to the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers about the actions of Peder Nielsen, the town crier of Bromyard, Herefordshire.
Mr Nielsen attended the launch of the Holland & Barrett shop in Tewkesbury in his full town crier regalia to announce in a booming voice that it was open to the public.
He has a contract with the health food chain to attend all shop openings and events.
To this day, any town crier in the Britain is protected under old English law that they are not to be hindered or heckled while performing their duties. To injure or harm a town crier was seen as an act of treason against the ruling monarchy.
But Mr Kean-Price, 67, the town crier for Tewkesbury since 1998, said he should not have “invaded” his turf and should have passed the assignment to him.
"It's a moral thing. I've never gone into another town and taken the job of another town crier," he said. "Each town has their own crier and I've always kept to that."
Mr Kean-Price, a retired civil servant, said even though Mr Nielsen rang to tell him about the visit beforehand, he was still “out of order.”
Both men are members of the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers and Mr Kean-Price said he had protested to the organisation that his rival had broken its moral code.
However, Mr Nielsen, 65, said he had been given no indication by Mr Kean-Price before the event that he was not welcome.
"If Mike had raised an objection of any description, I would not have done it," he said.
Mr Kean-Price said he was paid a retaining fee by the town council to make appearances at various public events in Tewkesbury. He did not take on many commercial jobs, other than promoting a butcher's shop in the town.
He said he charged far less for such jobs than other town criers.
"I love the job. It's the best in the world. I want to be Tewkesbury's town crier more than I want to be a rich bloke," he said.
Mr Kean-Price said he had not revealed his true feelings to Mr Nielsen when they spoke ahead of last Friday's shop opening.
"It was too late then," he said. "It was already booked. I wouldn't have complained as it would have been a restriction of trade."
Mr Nielsen said he felt he had done nothing wrong.
Town criers becoming involved in feuds or violence is nothing new. At Chester in 1620, there was a fight at the cross between the butchers and the bakers where the 'Cryer brake his Mace in peeces Amonge them'.
He said that as well as speaking to Mr Kean-Price, he left a message for the town clerk Pauline Clarke before visiting Tewkesbury.
He said: "I contacted them and let them know what was happening. I spoke to Mike and we were very affable. He gave no indication to me whatsoever that he was disgruntled at all."
telegraph.co.uk
Mike Kean-Price, town crier of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, has complained to the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers about the actions of Peder Nielsen, the town crier of Bromyard, Herefordshire.
A new Holland & Barrett shop was being opened in the ancient Gloucestershire town.
But Bromwayd's crier - who has a contract with the health food chain to attend all shop openings and events - turned up at the event in full regalia to announce in a booming voice that it was open to the public.
But Mr Price said he should not have "invaded" his turf.
"It's a moral thing. I've never gone into another town and taken the job of another town crier," he said. "Each town has their own crier and I've always kept to that."
Town criers at war over territory
By Richard Savill
11 Aug 2010
The Telegraph
A town crier has accused a rival of breaching the ancient moral code of his profession by encroaching into his patch.
Mike Kean-Price, town crier of Tewkesbury, said Mr Neilsen should not have 'invaded' his turf Photo: Thousand Word Media
Mike Kean-Price (L), town crier of Tewkesbury, Glos, has complained to the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers about the actions of Peder Nielsen (R), the town crier of Bromyard, Herefordshire Photo: SWNS
Mike Kean-Price, town crier of Tewkesbury, Glos, has complained to the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers about the actions of Peder Nielsen, the town crier of Bromyard, Herefordshire.
Mr Nielsen attended the launch of the Holland & Barrett shop in Tewkesbury in his full town crier regalia to announce in a booming voice that it was open to the public.
He has a contract with the health food chain to attend all shop openings and events.
To this day, any town crier in the Britain is protected under old English law that they are not to be hindered or heckled while performing their duties. To injure or harm a town crier was seen as an act of treason against the ruling monarchy.
But Mr Kean-Price, 67, the town crier for Tewkesbury since 1998, said he should not have “invaded” his turf and should have passed the assignment to him.
"It's a moral thing. I've never gone into another town and taken the job of another town crier," he said. "Each town has their own crier and I've always kept to that."
Mr Kean-Price, a retired civil servant, said even though Mr Nielsen rang to tell him about the visit beforehand, he was still “out of order.”
Both men are members of the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers and Mr Kean-Price said he had protested to the organisation that his rival had broken its moral code.
However, Mr Nielsen, 65, said he had been given no indication by Mr Kean-Price before the event that he was not welcome.
"If Mike had raised an objection of any description, I would not have done it," he said.
Mr Kean-Price said he was paid a retaining fee by the town council to make appearances at various public events in Tewkesbury. He did not take on many commercial jobs, other than promoting a butcher's shop in the town.
He said he charged far less for such jobs than other town criers.
"I love the job. It's the best in the world. I want to be Tewkesbury's town crier more than I want to be a rich bloke," he said.
Mr Kean-Price said he had not revealed his true feelings to Mr Nielsen when they spoke ahead of last Friday's shop opening.
"It was too late then," he said. "It was already booked. I wouldn't have complained as it would have been a restriction of trade."
Mr Nielsen said he felt he had done nothing wrong.
Town criers becoming involved in feuds or violence is nothing new. At Chester in 1620, there was a fight at the cross between the butchers and the bakers where the 'Cryer brake his Mace in peeces Amonge them'.
He said that as well as speaking to Mr Kean-Price, he left a message for the town clerk Pauline Clarke before visiting Tewkesbury.
He said: "I contacted them and let them know what was happening. I spoke to Mike and we were very affable. He gave no indication to me whatsoever that he was disgruntled at all."
telegraph.co.uk
