Embracing the community with historical cheer
Lunenburg town crier has plenty of messages to share with young and old
Sometimes, Stephen Findlay is heard before he’s seen. Findlay is the Town of Lunenburg’s town crier, having taken over the position in February 2021 after longtime crier John Mcphee retired. He heard about the position from Mayor Matt Risser.
“I like to try different things, so I thought, I’ll do that and see what becomes of it,” says Findlay, who had previously worked as an actor and dancer.
“I’ve been on stage since I was a kid, so it felt like a natural fit for me.”
As town crier, Findlay’s usually decked out in a tricorn hat, coat, frilled shirt and buckled shoes, ringing a bell as he recites speeches from a scroll. Findlay doesn’t use a microphone, but instead relies on his theatre background him help him project his message to residents.
After an application process, which included a letter about his qualifications and background, Findlay was chosen. As someone newer to the area, having moved to the community in 2018 from Toronto, the position also helps him meet his neighbours — even if initially all his cries were recorded and posted online due to COVID.
“You really feel a part of the community and you’re representing the community which I really like,” he says. “Also, because I was new here it was a way to kind of ensconce myself into the community.”
One of his most recent in-person cries was at the Fishermen’s Memorial in September. Other events include
Pride, Light up Lunenburg and Canada Day.
“It was only really last summer where things started to open up and I started to do everything live,” he says. “The live ones are a lot more fun and I’ve gotten to do a lot of really great events.”
He also writes all the cries himself.
“I’m given parameters of what needs to be said for each cry and what points need to be touched upon, but I get to put them in my own voice, my own wording,” says Findlay. “Usually, I send them back to the person I’m working with at the town and say, ‘is this all right?’ and everything like that but I like that creative aspect.”
As for where he sees his town crier career going, he’s not sure. He said there are town crier competitions, but his main focus at the moment is to bring a bit of historical cheer to the community.
“Maybe a year or two from now, I might look into that, into competitions,” he says. “It wouldn’t be so much for computing for me before wanting to represent the town.”
While Findlay can now be found at community events within the Lunenburg area, some of his past cries are on his Youtube channel: Stephenfindlaythedancingbakercanada.
“I’ve been on stage since I was a kid, so it felt like a natural fit for me.”
Stephen Findlay