PHF for Town Crier

Knaresborough town crier Roger Hewitt was the guest speaker at Knaresborough Rotary’s meeting this week.

Roger is to retire as Town Crier at the end of May after eight years of service to the town. Roger, who has lived in Knaresborough for 46 years, is part of a lineage dating back to 1680. He will be involved in the selection for his replacement, and with any induction required. Business group Knaresborough & District Chamber will be running a contest to find a successor at Knaresborough Community Festival on April 22 at Meadowside Academy primary school.

Chamber member Charlotte Gale said:

“Roger has been an exemplary town crier and is a hugely popular and recognisable figure in the town.  For the past eight years his regular and often witty cries have kept townsfolk informed about all the latest Knaresborough news and he has also opened countless town events and welcomed many new businesses to the town. Everyone at chamber would like to extend a huge thank you to Roger for eight years of dedication to the role and wish him well in his retirement.”

Roger said, “You have to shout but a big voice is not enough. You have to be able to write your own stuff, it has to be engaging. It’s all about intonation, accuracy, engaging your audience and doing your best. It’s a good thing that volume isn’t the main thing!

Born Bradford in1948, Roger lived there until moving to Knaresborough in 1976, at 21 he started to train as a teacher, but changed his mind and instead joined the Scientific Civil Service. In 1988 he thought he might have been acted in haste because, as he says, teaching offers good holidays, so after a PGCE at York, he taught in Bradford for a couple of years before spending 23 happy years at Harrogate Grammar School. Appointed as a Chemistry teacher he taught Physics and Biology at Key Stage 3

In retirement from teaching, in 2015 he was appointed as Town Crier by the Chamber of Trade and the Town Council. Roger’s main task is to open the Market at 11:00am each Wednesday wearing the splendid regalia made in Knaresborough by Gill Ford. In Town Crier competitions he has twice won the Trophy for Best Dressed Crier. In the 80’s Roger was a regular member of Knaresborough Players and also Father Christmas at school events and at the town Christmas Market. For one very challenging Christmas Market he was both Father Christmas and Town Crier doing quick changes in the stock room of the Old Chemist Shop.

After giving an entertaining and amusing talk to Knaresborough Rotarians they surprised him with a Paul Harris Fellowship. Rotarian Bob Weddall said, “Roger is, as Town Crier, the personification of Knaresborough. A brilliant ambassador for the town he enjoys chatting to visitors and has played a major role in recent events celebrating the Platinum Jubilee and proclaiming the Queen’s passing and the accession of the new King. His unfailing good humour and willingness to serve the community make him a worthy recipient of a Paul Harris Fellowship”.

·         Paul Harris was the Founder of Rotary and the award is the highest which can be given by Rotarians.

·         Photograph shows, l to r, Knaresborough Rotary President David Kaye, Roger Hewitt and Rotarian Bob Weddall.