THE SOUND OF BELLS.
THE ONGOING CELEBRATIONS OF THE PORT'S 300TH BIRTHDAY BROUGHT A COLOURFUL COLLECTION OF PEOPLE TO WHITEHAVEN TODAY. ASSEMBLED AROUND ST NICHOLAS CHURCH AT 10.AM IN ALL THEIR BRIGHTLY COLOURED UNIFORMS THEY SOON ATTRACTED THE ATTENTION OF PASSERS BY. IT WAS ANOTHER FIRST FOR THE TOWN AS WE PLAYED HOST TO A TOWN CRIERS COMPETITION.
CAMERAS CLICKED & RECORDS WERE MADE FOR POSTERITY .A GROUP PHOTO WAS
A MUST.HAVE THE GROUNDS OF ST NICHOLAS EVER SEEN SUCH
AN ARRAY OF UNIFORMS?????
ONCE ASSEMBLED IT WAS VITAL TO MAKE SURE THE STRANGERS KNEW
THE ROUTE SO OUR OWN CRIER PUT THE PIPER IN THE PICTURE.
THE RECENTLY ELECTED MAYOR, COUNCILLOR KEITH HITCHEN & HIS WIFE ,
LED THE WAY AND WERE CLOSELY PURSUED BY A WONDERFUL ARRAY OF
UNIFORMED TOWN CRIERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THEY WERE A
HAPPY , FRIENDLY COLLECTION OF BOTH MEN AND WOMEN WAVING TO ALL
AND SUNDRY AS THEY WALKED ALONG LOWTHER , DOWN KING , ACROSS STRAND
STREETS TO THE HUB RINGING THEIR BELLS AS THEY WENT. EVEN THE LATTER
WERE AN INTERESTING ASSORTMENT.!!!!
THEY REAPPEARED IN THE MARKET PLACE HAVING NO DOUBT ATTRACTED
MANY ADMIRING GLAZES AS THEY PROCESSED DOWN KING STREET.
THEN IT WAS ON THE HUB IN THE MIDST OF A VERY BUSY CONTINENTAL MARKET.
ONCE ASSEMBLED UNDER THE HUB OUR CRIER INTRODUCED THE MAYOR
WHO WELCOMED THE GUESTS TO WHITEHAVEN AND INVITED THEM TO
PARTAKE OF A BREATHER AND A CUPPA IN THE AGE CONCERN BUILDING.
THE CHILDREN WERE IN AWE OF THE SPECTACLE AND MANY OF THE GUESTS
WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO SPEND TIME ANSWERING THEIR QUESTIONS .
I SAW AT LEAST TWO BEING REWARDED WITH CHOCOLATES AS A RESULT!!
THE BREATHER OVER ,THEY GOT DOWN TO THE BUSINESS OF THE DAY....THE COMPETITION.
WHAT WAS EXPECTED OF THE GUESTS WAS EXPLAINED TO THE ONLOOKERS AND
THE JUDGES TOOK UP THEIR PLACES.
IN THE WINGS THE OTHER CONTESTANTS WAITED PATIENTLY WITH AN
AIR OF PROFESSIONALISM. THE HUB ECHOED TO THE SOUNDS OF THE
VARIOUS RENDITIONS OF OYEZ!!!!
A FEW OF THE CONTESTANTS WERE ACCOMPANIED BY THE PARTNERS ALSO
ATTIRED APPROPRIATELY DRESSED . THE VOLUME THAT SOME OF THE
FEMALE CONTESTANTS PRODUCED WAS IMPRESSIVE AND AT LEAST ONE
BYSTANDER WHISPERED " PLEASED I'M NOT MARRIED TO HER"
THIS LADY HAD A RESOUNDING VOICE AND WAS
NOT SURPRISINGLY HOARSE WHEN SHE CAME TO SPEAK
TO US IN THE AFTERNOON. SHE HAD CLEARLY GIVEN
HER BEST THROUGHOUT AND I PROMISED TO INSERT HER
POSTCARD ON THE SITE SO HERE'S BARNOLDSWICK.
THIS LADY WAS ARMED WITH WHAT LOOKED LIKE A STAVE ...
.PERHAPS TO PROTECT HER MAN. I NEVER GOT CHANCE TO ASK.
HOWEVER, THEY MARCHED OFF WITH OBVIOUS PRIDE ..A JOB WELL DONE!!
IT WAS A WONDERFUL ,FRIENDLY,COLOURFUL EVENT..
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ORGANISERS!!!!
BUT I HAD TO GO OR RISK A £40 FINE AT MORRISONS.
SO I LEFT THIS CONTESTANT PONDERING OR LOOKING FOR THE PENNY
THAT "BUTTONSTICKS" IS REPUTED TO HAVE LOST!!
SEE YOU IN PART TWO!!!!