A few blogs ago I mentioned that my granddaughter Emily and I were in Chester as part of her birthday treat. We popped into ‘St Peter’s Church of the Cross’ for a little quiet time and a snack lunch. On our way out we stood on the church steps to watch, or rather listen to one of Chester’s Town Criers David Mitchell, pictured above. David and his wife Julie are the world’s first husband and wife town crier team!
Standing on the step of the medieval Chester High Cross, David was regaling us with the latest local news, announcing events and chatting to his listeners. He proceeded to hold a mini-quiz about Chester’s history. To Emily’s delight I won a prize. Answering correctly a question about the difference between ‘the stocks’ and ‘the pillory’ as a method of punishment, I was ceremonially given a lovely picture postcard!
‘How did you know that, Nana?’ Emily asked. Then I had to confess that in my previous home town of Nantwich there is a street, named Pillory Street, where to this day there stands a pillory where children occasionally delight in throwing cabbage leaves at a willing ‘felon’.
It all goes to show that we constantly absorb little gems of information and every now and again, when the moment is right, we can share them.
Watching the town crier brought to mind a few words from the book of Proverbs, Solomon’s words about ‘Wisdom’s Call’
‘Does not wisdom call out and understanding raise her voice? On the heights along the way, where the paths meet she takes her stand;’ Proverbs 8:1,2
There are times too when we are called to raise our voices, to stand up for what is right in a world where so many have no voice in society.
Every blessing Sandra
