Alistair Chisholm to step down after 27 years of town crier

However, one voice booms over the rest at times of celebration and significance - that of its mayor and long-time town crier, Councillor Alistair Chisholm.

The award-winning town crier is set to step down from his role after more than a quarter of a century.

Alistair announced his decision to the town at the recent Dorchester Christmas Cracker.

It was confirmed at the festive event that Alistair will step down from his role after New Year’s Eve.

Speaking about the decision to the Echo, Alistair said: “Well, it’s partly because I’m 78 and also because I still consider myself a good crier and I’d like to pass it on to someone younger to promote the town, raising its profile.”

It’s not been an easy decision for Alistair to make, as he says it has come with a ‘certain sadness.’

“I’m still connected to it. So, I’m very sad to give it all up, but I will keep in touch with everyone and who knows, maybe I’ll end up judging crying events in the future.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the last 27 years with the Town Council, and I don’t want to go on to the point where I’m struggling to do the job anymore.

“I won’t break links with crying or the council. I’ll still be mayor, but it’s been difficult to do both which is part of the decision to pass the role onto somebody else,” he added.  

So just how did London suburbs-born Alistair end up becoming the voice of Dorchester?

Born in what is now Kingston-Upon-Thames in 1945, Alistair said that he inherited his booming voice from his mother, who was a singer.

He went to Belfast University in the 1960s to study geography, and after that he then went on to become a tour guide, which is where his love for history blossomed.

“I was neither born in countryside nor city, I worked for a while as a tour guide in London before moving to Dorset,” he said.

Moving from London to a small village in the countryside, Alistair was watching a maypole celebration at a local school when he noticed the teacher ‘didn’t have the voice for the announcements.’

“I interrupted and said, do you mind if I broadcast this?” he enquired, and that’s where the story started.

After visiting Dorchester it was love at first sight for Alistair, as he describes what it was like being there for the first time:

“I got to see the blue skies, the stars, and after that, I had no reason to leave.

“When I discovered Dorchester, I realised that nobody knew where Thomas Hardy’s house was,” and this is where Alistair wanted to do more raise the profile of the historic town.

Town criers are a position that go back centuries, where a trusted member of society with an engaging voice would speak to the town.

Alistair was inspired to go for the role in the town after he saw English Heritage staff dressed as historic figures such as Henry VIII at Hampton Court Palace.

“The costume definitely increased the interest for me. It’s a great bit of fun - imagine on a grey February day you look up to see me in a tri-corn hat and red clothing.”

Despite now acting as custodians of the sacred role, Alistair strongly believes in the principles that crying historically represents - as town criers were the original bearers of news.

“We are the first broadcasters, and despite our chances of being first to tell the news now diminished after the newspapers, radio, TV and social media, back in the day we’d be giving the news of who won the battle, the new monarch and so forth,” he said.

Alistair made history in the role and has inspired a generation for 27 years with his antics, starting in 1996. 

In that time, he was nominated for international awards for crying and was named the best crier in the nation on 11 separate occasions - the joint highest in history.

“I’ve had a modicum of success in this ‘extreme’ sport and I thoroughly enjoyed the 11 wins,” the modest Alistair said reminiscing about past events and best moments.

“A highlight for me was the 1999 Town Crier World Championships at Sydney-by-the-Sea in Vancouver, Canada.

“It was three days of camping and cries. Every day really was beautiful, crying from a bandstand in a lovely park that overlooked the Pacific Ocean,” he added.

Alistair came runner-up in the competition out of 100 criers, which he described as ‘satisfying.’

He noted that this is where he realised he had a good voice that could carry his cries.

Looking back locally, Alistair said that some locations are more acoustically suited than others, which has made crying so enjoyable for him all this time.

He said: “I found out in the last few years that Brewery Square has extraordinary acoustics.

“The town square of our twinned town of Bayeux in France also has very good acoustics. It’s fun to hear yourself echoing around the place,” he added.

Alistair recalled one of his cries written when for the opening of the relief road, where people came down from Birmingham to hear his cries.

“It took almost as long for them to get down as it takes to get from Dorchester to Weymouth before it was built,” he joked.

Alistair has three children, and three grandchildren, who is he hoping to see over Christmas,

He said: “They’ve been very understanding. I know it must have been embarrassing for them as children watching their father dress up, but I put myself in their shoes, I guess it’s probably part of the reason they’re in London,” he jested.  

One of the harder parts of being a crier is the conciseness needed in the cries, according to Alistair.

“You must write the cries too - and something that encapsulates what you need to say in around 125 words which isn’t easy. Putting humour in that makes it easier,” he said.  

After asking him what his secret was, Alistair replied: “The secret is not what you know, but the presentation. If it’s enjoyable and entertaining people will tend to remember it,”

It is unclear at this stage who will become the next crier of the town; however, the decision will be made by a sub-group in Dorchester Town Council and is open to anyone, ideally locally based with a passion for the town and aware of what the town council does.

“I’ll be doing my last cry, but another cry will be going up on social media to encourage candidates. I don’t think we’ll get 5,000 applicants but a few in the community with panache will certainly add vibrancy to the town,” he said.

Alistair went on to give his tips on what makes someone a good fit for the role.

He said: “I’m sure that we can find someone who would fit the role perfectly.

“You need to be enthusiastic about the town, you need to be slightly outgoing and just enjoy people and people’s company - that’s what it’s all about.”

“They must not be too concerned about dressing up,” he joked.

He went on to say that the crier’s first responsibility is to Dorchester Town Council, and their focus on Dorchester’s story.

“We’d like the candidate to know that more people are coming to Dorset, as the county town has plenty to absorb. Dorset Museum is a treasure trove, as well as the history within the Shire Hall, the Celtic hill forts and the Roman remains.

Alistair also said that he would be happy to help and assist the next person to take up the role.

One of the events Alistair is best known for around the town is hosting historical walks. He said this is common for criers around the country, but admitted it was more of ‘another string to the bow’ than a requirement.

Alistair said his interest in politics came about more recently, when he was campaigning against the building of South Walks House, former offices for West Dorset District Council, now Dorset Council.

“It didn’t seem to me to be the right thing to do at the time. I’m long aware of the need for affordable housing, but few are built with Dorset people’s wages and salaries in mind.

“It seemed to me there were better ways to get truly affordable housing rather than a £10m vanity project, and it angered me at the time,” he added.

Alistair went on to say that the balance in power is still wrong, and believes the town council should have more of a say in Dorchester’s matters than Dorset Council.  

He also confirmed that he was also going to step down as town councillor in the next local elections.

Giving nothing away about his final cry, Alistair looked ahead to next year.

He said: “I’m looking forward to 2024, the possibility of a general and local election. I won’t be standing again for town council.

“It’s been an interesting year and I can’t wait to put together a cry to dish out on the stroke of midnight.

"I would like to have handed over the reins by then but it looks like it will be early 2024,” he added.

*You can hear Cllr Chisholm's last cry on New Year's Eve 2023 at the stroke of midnight by the Town Pump, Cornhill, Dorchester. 

Some of Alistair's finest crys 

Here is his cry to Dorchester, Massachusetts from more than 10 years ago. The town in Boston was named after the county town of Dorset.

“OYEZ OYEZ OYEZ

“In seventeen hundred and seventy three,

“Overboard you poured your tea.

“This act of defiance, so bold and brash,

“Soon led to a skirmish, and then to a clash.

“Our chaps wore red and were easily seen,

“Your guys, more crafty, often wore green.

“At the end of the day we were wopped fair and square,

“Independence you won, for which you still care.

“But all this took place a long time ago,

“Now all is forgiven- you can come home now you know!

Alistair waxes lyrical about Dorchester in this cry

“GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!”

"Dorchester, an ancient place with Stone Age wooden henge, 

"Stands beside the river Frome- a hundred miles from Penge. 

"A Roman town, the county town with administrators plenty,

"And, at it's heart, o'er baths and henge a car park nightly empty!

"'What shall we put there?' Pondered planners,

"They asked the people, they showed some manners. 

"But four great schemes have fallen through, 

"Three councils say, 'What shall we do?'

"The crier's answer to this riddle, 

"Dig a ditch, divert the Piddle. 

"Let's a great lagoon create, 

"And, like Romans, bathe in state!

"GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!"