Some town criers in Witham
1728 Congregational church
Paid Richard Wright 6d ‘for crying the windows’ and then Samuel Clark 6s 5d ‘for mending the windows’ (M L Smith A Brief History of Witham Congregational C hurch, page 7)
Directories
| Year | Original entry |
| 1874 | Tyler Wm. cowkeeper, crier & bill poster |
| 1878 | Tyler William, cowkeeper, crier & bill poster |
| 1886 | Wood John, town crier |
| 1890 | Wood George, town crier |
| 1895 | Wood George, town crier & bill poster |
| 1899 | Butler John, town crier & bill poster, Bridge street |
| 1902 | Butler John, town crier & bill poster, Bridge street |
| 1906 | Butler John, town crier & bill poster, Bridge street |
William Tylor
1841 census, HO 107/343/17, f.26, Maldon Road
[south of White Hart]
| William Tylor | 30 | Shoe m | born in Essex | ||
| Hannah Tylor | 30 | born in Essex | |||
| Harriett Tylor | 8 | born in Essex | |||
| Maria Tylor | 6 | born in Essex | |||
| James Tylor | 4 | born in Essex | |||
| Henry Tylor | 1 | born in Essex |
1851 census, HO 107/1783, ff.179-180, pp.17-18, schedule 64, Maldon Road
[south of Baptist chapel]
| William Tylor | Head | M | 40 | — | — |
| Hannah Tylor | Wife | M | 43 | — | — |
| Harriett Tylor | Dau | U | 19 | — | — |
| James Tylor | Son | U | 15 | Boot maker | born Essex, Witham |
| Henry Tylor | Son | U | 12 | Errand boy | born Essex, Witham |
| Mary A Tylor | Dau | U | 6 | Scholar | born Essex, Witham |
| Thomas W Tylor | Son | U | 6 | Scholar | born Essex, Witham |
1861 census, RG9/1107, f.80, p.19, schedule 99, Newland Street
[just below Notts Yard]
| William Tylor | Head | M | 52 | Bootmaker and town cryer | born Essex, Kelvedon |
| Charlotte Tylor | Wife | M | 44 | born Essex, Abberton |
1871 census, RG 10/1695, f.21, p.6, schedule 28, King’s yard
[now Kings Chase]
| William Tylor | Head | M | 60 | Cowkeeper, town crier, bill poster | born Essex, Kelvedon |
| Charlotte Tylor | Wife | M | 53 | born Essex, Abberton | |
| Frederick Harper | Servant | 15 | Cow boy | born Essex, Witham |
Directories
| 1874 | Tyler Wm. cowkeeper, crier & bill poster |
| 1878 | Tyler William, cowkeeper, crier & bill poster |
1881 census, RG 11/1809, f.41, p.9, schedule 45, Guithavon Street, private house
| William Tylor | Head | M | 72 | Retired dairyman | born Essex, Kelvedon |
| Charlotte Tylor | Wife | M | 62 | Wife | born Essex, Abberton |
1891 census, RG 12/1425, f.34, p.7, schedule 43, Guithavon Street
(between school and corner of Newland Street)
| Charlot H Tylor | Head | Wid | 69 | Living on own means | born Essex, Abberton |
George Wood
1881 census, RG 11/1809, f.4, p.2, schedule 10, Bridge Street
| James Wood | Head | M | 63 | Superannuated police constable | born Essex, Heybridge |
| Matilda Wood | Wife | M | 66 | born Essex, Witham | |
| George Wood | Son | U | 40 | Cordwainer | born Essex, St Peters, Maldon |
| Emma Wood | Granddau | 15 | Pupil teacher | born Essex, Southminster |
Directories
| 1886 | Wood John, town crier |
| 1890 | Wood George, town crier |
| 1895 | Wood George, town crier & bill poster |
1891 census, RG 12/1425, f.42, p.24, schedule 162
| George Wood | Head | Single | 50 | Shoemaker | born Essex, Maldon |
Fairs, 1891
Re the proposed (and eventually successful) abolition of Witham’s fairs, the following note is included in P.R.O. HO 45/9835/B10169 (Victoria)
‘I Certify that Copies of this Notice have been posted by me at the usual Posting places in the Parish of Witham and have remained so posted during three successive weeks.
[signed] George Wood, Town Crier, Witham, 20 March 1891’.
John Butler [didn’t look further back]
1861 census, RG 9/1007, f.4, p.2, folio 4, schedule 9, Bridge Street
| John William Butler | Head | M | 36 | Shoemaker | born Essex, Witham |
| Mary Ann Butler | Wife | M | 39 | Wife of ditto | born Essex, Witham |
| John William Butler | Son | U | 16 | Shoemaker | born Essex, Witham |
| Eliza Butler | Dau | 10 | Scholar | born Essex, Witham | |
| Harry Butler | Son | 8 | Scholar | born Essex, Witham | |
| Frederick Butler | Son | 6 | Scholar | born Essex, Witham | |
| Walter Butler | Son | 3 | Scholar | born Essex, Witham | |
| Elizabeth Jane Butler | Dau | 1 | Infant | born Essex, Witham | |
| Susan Butler | Mother | Wid | 66 | Nurse | born Essex, Terling |
1871 census, RG 10/1695, f.10, p.12, folio 65, Bridge Street
| John Wm Butler | Head | M | 46 | Boot maker | born Essex, Witham |
| Mary Ann Butler | Wife | 49 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| William John Butler | SOn | U | 27 | Boot maker | born Essex, Witham |
| Eliza Butler | Dau | U | 20 | Dress maker | born Essex, Witham |
| Harry Butler | Son | U | 18 | Boot maker | born Essex, Witham |
| Walter Butler | Son | U | 13 | Labourer | born Essex, Witham |
| Elizabeth Butler | Dau | 10 | Scholar | born Essex, Witham | |
| Robert Butler | Son | 8 | Scholar | born Essex, Witham | |
| Susan Butler | Mother | W | 77 | born Essex, Halstead |
1881 census, RG 11/1809, f.4, p.2, schedule 7, Bridge Street
[between river bridge and Morning Star]
| John Wm Butler | Head | M | 56 | Boot maker | born Essex, Witham |
| Mary Ann Butler | Wife | M | 59 | born Essex, Witham | |
| John Wm Butler | S | Widr | 37 | Boot maker | born Essex, Witham |
| Elizabeth J Catler[?] | D | M | 21 | Wife of a gardener [deleted] | born Essex, Witham |
| Robert Butler | S | U | 19 | Boot maker | born Essex, Witham |
1891 census, RG 12/1425, f.6, p.5, schedule 32, Bridge Street
| John W Butler | Head | Widr | 66 | Shoemaker (neither employer nor employee) | born Essex, Witham |
| William J Butler | Son | Widr | 46 | Shoemaker (neither employer nor employee) | born Essex, Witham |
| Rose T Butler | Niece | 7 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Myra Butler | Niece | 6 | born Essex, Witham | ||
| Lydia Ward | Visitor | S | 30 | born Essex, Wethersfield | |
| Ethel Ward | Visitor | 3 | born Essex, Braintree | ||
| Celia Ward | Visitor | 1 | born Essex, Braintree |
1901 census, RG 13/1725, f.5, p.2, schedule 8, Bridge Street
| John Wm Butler | Widr | Widr | 76 | Shoe maker (own account) | born Essex, Witham |
| Wm Jno Butler | Son | M | 56 | Shoe maker (own account) | born Essex, Witham |
| Lydia Butler | Dau in law | M | 41 | born Essex, Wethersfield | |
| Ethel Butler | Gdau | 13 | born Essex, Braintree | ||
| Cecilia Butler | Gdau | 10 | born Essex, Braintree | ||
| Baden[?] Jo Butler | Son | 7 mo | born Essex, Witham |
Directories
| 1899 | Butler John, town crier & bill poster, Bridge street |
| 1902 | Butler John, town crier & bill poster, Bridge street |
| 1906 | Butler John, town crier & bill poster, Bridge street |
Braintree and Witham Times 3 December 1931, page 2
page 7 ‘A Miscellany by Nomad. The trade or practice of Town Crier has passed away in a practical sense, although one or two towns still appoint a “crier” purely for traditional reasons. Town criers … used to “cry” auctioneers’ sales, concerts, or any event which the public were expected to attend. …
Witham’s last town crier was Mr John Butler, or “Lord Paget” as he was familiarly known. He succeeded a crier named George Wood. “Lord Paget” was a shoemaker by trade, and with Mr Joe Pluck was considered the best “snobber” in the town [Pluck was also a shoemaker]. His voice was in keeping with his frame, namely, on the big side. His stentorian preamble of “O yez! O yez! O yez! This is to give notice” etc. quickly drew a crowd. His fee was 1s 6d per announcement, but if Chipping Hill was included he tacked on an extra shilling. “’Butler bore a striking resemblance to Lord Paget, an MP of the day, and in conversation always upheld the views of this peer. By virtue of his shoe-mending trade he was often dubbed “Lord Patchit” while children would call after him “Patchit, cut it, cart it, stack it and thatch it”. He was usually addressed as “My lord” instead of “Mr Butler”. “Lord Paget” passed away about 25 years ago at a ripe old age, and the office of Witham town crier died with him.’