This is the ancient traditional starting shout of the Pocklington Town Crier better known as the 'Bellman'. Some record it as "Oyez" and probably derives from the French ouïr (‘to listen’) and means “Hear ye”. The job of the Bellman is to tell the townsfolk latest news, proclamations, bylaws and any other important information when at the time most people could not read. It aways ends ‘God save the King’ or ‘God save the Queen’. Geoff Sheasby is the current town crier and announces in the town centre news of worthy events such as the arrival of a new town sundial (see picture above).

The earliest documented record for Pocklington is in 1793 (but the town crier role is likely to have been much older) :-

(Beverley Treasure House Record - QSF/339/B/4) “Indictment of Hannah wife of John Skelton, labourer; Ann wife of Joseph Bradley, carpenter; and Thomas Young junior labourer and assistant town crier, all poor inhabitants of Pocklington :- conspiring that T.Y. should publicly proclaim that unless the poor of Pocklington were allowed some "fire elding" they would break up the hedges in Pocklington.”

Bellmen and Criers can be traced back to early times. On the Bayeux Tapestry is depicted Bellmen following the funeral procession of Edward the Confessor.

Even further back Demosthenes (384 – 322 BC) was a Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens. He suffered a speech impediment but worked very hard to improve his delivery, including diction, voice and gestures. According to one story, when he was asked to name the three most important elements in oratory, he replied "Delivery, delivery and delivery!" If you have heard Geoff proclaim, his booming voice matches perfectly Demosthenes requirements.

From The Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser dated Sat. 20 Nov 1841

"Pocklington. - On Thursday, Nov. 11th, 1841 the bellman was sent round to announce that Mr. Stallwood from London, would address the inhabitants on the principles of the People's Charter. At the time announced, seven o'clock, nearly nine hundred persons had assembled. Mr. Stallwood addressed them for about an hour and a half ; they listened with breathless attention, occssionally applauding the sentiments of the speaker. A half-drunken fellow caused some little interuption, which highly offended the Chartists and teetotal morality of the good denizens of Pocklington. They very peaceably and speedily took him up and conveyed him out of the meeting. At the conclusion, a person from a amongst the people proposed three cheers for the Charter, three for Feargus O'Connor, and three for the lecturer, which were heartily responded to. "

William Watson the mapmaker of Seaton Ross was in Market Weighton in 1848 and drew a map of the town whilst there. In his scrap book which survives in Beverley Treasure House (DDX1445/3), are some original cries of the town crier which are most interesting. It is possible that Watson was crier in Market Weighton at that time. The cries that survive seem to be written by different hands so this shows the crier was handed cries to read out by the population of the town. About 1848.

"This is to giv notis that any banker found drinking in the bay hoes market weeton on conviction will pay one pound once"

"This is to give notice any Navey or Navies wifes buying anything of the Irish tradesmen of this town will be shoed £1 pound - Cried in Weighton"

"This is to give notice there is a woman wanted at a house in this town to go to take sum butter out of a churn that as been in 2 or 3 days it is between half moon and market hall. - Please cry it immediately"

"This is to give notice if the wife of an old pensioner a joiner working at the station who mad Lord Nelson's coffin at the Battle of Trafalgar be found listening again at a certain public house will be given into the custody of the police and be dealt with as the law directs."

The 1855 William Watson map of Pocklington shows where the town crier used to live in a house in Tute Hill, George Street. His name was George Nelson who was crier from approximately 1838 – 1858.

There survives a 'Pocklington Town Address' written in his hand which says:

The Pocklington Crier’s Address to his generous friends in town who so recently contributed to his Memorial

"While seated at home in my humble retreat, contriving, like Crispin, to make both ends meet, says my head to my heart, a good job you have done in getting well-clothed by your friends in the town; says my heart to my head, you ungenerous man you should thank them sincerely, and do what you can to be grateful to those who have proved so steadfast to family, awl, hammer, lapstone and last. To till laugh whilst I cry in my noisy capacity, make my bow, thank my friends; for to shew my veracity. For my bell I may praise, so now take it for granted that in gratitude, never will Nelson be wanted. " - (ref. DDX1445/3)

In the 1871 Census William Henry Hotham was Bellman aged 26 living in Union street with his mother Sarah a widow of 56 and Christopher Thompson, a Tailor (widower) and in the 1881 Census, William Henry Hotham was a bellman in the lodging house of William and Margaret Shaw in Chapmangate along with 16 other people. in the 1901 Census William Henry is still the local Bellman but described as "Blind & Lame" living in Waterloo Terrace as head of household on his own. Age 58.

Following William Henry Hotham was Peter Harrison who was Pocklington Bellman for many years. He was well known in the town as having one leg. Peter was born in 1869 in Co. Mayo, Ireland. From a family story, he lost his leg when he was fourteen. Whilst working at the Star Supply Shop in Pocklington he fell down the shop cellar door but never told anyone about it for 2-3 weeks, frightened he would lose his job. By the time he went to the doctor the wound had gone septic and it was too late to save his leg. He was married 11th November 1893 to Elizabeth Farmery, she was born in Newark, Notts. She had a son called Robert. Peter and Elizabeth had two children of their own George P. born 1892 and John J. born 1900. in 1901 they were living in Stathers yard, Chapmangate. As well as being town crier, Peter Harrison was also the doorman for the Central Cinema and his shown here in his consierge uniform.

The 14th August 1915 edition of the Howdenshire Chronicle and Pocklington Weekly News tells us how it was the Bellman's job to announce when the gas supplies to the town would be cut off.

To the Editor of the "Pocklington News.

Dear Sir,— Kindly allow me a little space to ventilate a grievance which gas consumers of Pocklington suffered by being deprived of the use of gas on Tuesday, until ten, o'clock in the forenoon on that particular day. Whilst admitting that it is a proper course to turn the gas off during a threatened air-raid, I am quite at a loss to see why we should be deprived of the use of gas until ten o'clock in the forenoon. What was there to prevent the Bellman being sent out at seven o'clock, instead of nearly ten, to notify the public that the gas would be turned on at 7-30 or 8 a.m.? Of late, stick and coal fires have not been in use, in many homes, and much inconvenience and annoyance was occasioned by cutting off the gas supply to such a late hour. My old man played steam with me because his breakfast was not ready for him at the usual hour—8 a.m.,—but I put all the blame on the Gas Manager. Yours truly, A GAS CONSUMER

Peter died at the age of 84 in the Poplars (previously the workhouse) and buried 27th March 1954.

It is not known who followed Peter as town crier but the next known crier was Tony Gilbert who was crier in the 1980's

Tony Gilbert opening Pocklington Market in the late 1980's
Dennis Durkin
Dennis Durkin Pocklington Town Crier in the 1990's
Geoff Sheasby retired in June 2022	See Geoff in Full Cry on Yorkshire Day
Tony Cuffling - Current Pocklington Town Crier Tony can be contacted through Facebook for bookings