Stirling Criers, Bellman versus Drummer.

For a long time in Stirling and in some other places in Scotland there seemed to have been a
preference for public announcements to be made by “tuck o’ drum” rather than by a town crier
ringing a bell. There also seems to have been a history of rivalry between both Danny McVean and
his successor “Tammy” Chalmers, public bellmen in Stirling and Isaac Spyron town drummer during
the 1850's.

On the 8th May 1856, page 2, the Stirling Observer reports a humorous incident which occurred in the town in
which relates to the unresolved rivalry between the Town Drummer and the Public Crier,-
“On Thursday forenoon, Thomas Chalmers , the public crier, commenced at the head of Friars Wynd
an oration about a sale of furniture. Spyron the old town drummer, happened to come up and with
“roll of the drum”, effectively drowned the stentorian lungs of the crier. Such public opposition,
“elicited” the hearty laughter of both spectators and nearby shopkeepers. After looking daggers at
each other with compressed lips,-
“Each took off his several way,
Resolved to meet some ither day”

In October 1914 the Town Council made an attempt to dispense with the post of Stirling Bellman
and requested that Mr Kidd the current bellman, return his bell to the Town Council. Mr Kidd
received a sum of £5 per year as public bellman and it was felt that as his services were very
infrequently required the post should be done away with. However after this motion was passed one
of the council members who had returned after an absence during the meeting, raised his concern
that the decision taken was “shabby” and “unfair. He felt the post of town bellman was an ancient
tradition of the Royal burgh and should be retained. Others then agreed with him and the outcome
was that the post of Town bellman would be retained, but the council would only pay for Mr Kidd’s
services when they were required and Mr Kidd would retain his bell. (Stirling Observer 24 Oct. 1914,p2)

“A group of Stirling worthies at the foot of King Street with the town crier, Tammy Chalmers from left Humphrey Geordie, a weaver who sold pigs trotters and sheep heads, Bummin’ Jamie, the delivery man, Blind Tom, a flute player, Stulty Pete and Wee Towan -artist Ramsay Russell, c Smith Museum collection”

Article researched by Dorothy Wilson, Stirling Local History Society, 2018.
​References from the newspaper, The Stirling Observer.