Town crier proclaims Queen’s Jubilee

Niagara-on-the Lake’s Tom Pekar was one of thousands of town criers around the commonwealth invited to announce a proclamation to the Queen on her Platinum Jubilee Thursday.

With Lord Mayor Betty Disero counting down the seconds, at exactly 2 p.m., June 2, he began the announcement from the Court House steps with a shortened version of his humorous call to attention, following it by the proclamation that was announced around the world:

“Today in our nation, and throughout the Commonwealth, we are celebrating our glorious Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Elizabeth, the second of that name, our most beloved sovereign and head of the Commonwealth for 70 years.

“How apt that this should be the platinum anniversary of her accession, platinum that most noble of metals, more precious even than gold.

“And so it is in honour of this unique occasion that beacons will be lit this evening throughout the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the UK overseas territories and in all the capital cities of the Commonwealth.

“Let it be known, in proclaiming this tribute to Her Majesty the Queen, on her Platinum Jubilee, that we are one nation and one Commonwealth.”

“God Save the Queen.”

Queen Elizabeth was at Windsor Castle Thursday to lead a ceremony that included more than 3,000 beacons being lit around the U.K. and the commonwealth, including in Ottawa, symbolizing unity and celebrating her 70 years on the throne.

In Canada, town criers in cities across the country were asked to announce the specially-scripted proclamation in honour of the Queen’s historic reign, at 2 p.m. their time June 2.

Disero also congratulated Queen Elizabeth and offered best wishes from NOTL on the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee.

Pekar told The Local after the proclamation that one of the things he has learned from the pandemic is the importance of having attachments — whether it’s a bubble, family, tribe, community or wider connections, “without attachments we do not thrive.”

His attachment to the community of criers is worldwide, not just the Commonwealth, and is about 3,000 members strong.

He believes about half of them in Canada are in communities that celebrated the Jubilee — the others did not because of their diverse populations.

“I celebrate that by chance of fate I was born in Canada, and without the Indigenous support in 1812 we would have a different flag flying over us today,” he says. “For me the Jubilee is a rite of passage, like all birthdays, and deserves to be celebrated — the Queen just has a bigger party.”