HEPBURN town crier Philip Greenbank is ready to become a part of history in a tradition dating back almost 1000 years to William the Conqueror.
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Mr Greenbank will step outside Daylesford Town Hall on Thursday at 2pm and sound his bell before making a special proclamation for Queen Elizabeth II's platinum jubilee, marking 70 years to the day of the queen's coronation.
He will be part of special global movement of 196 town criers, including in each capital city of all Commonwealth nations to proclaim the lighting of beacons in Her Majesty's honour that evening.
New Zealand will start the chain of criers who will follow suit in their own time zones. Australia's beacon will be lit in Canberra at 9.45pm with a choir sounding out A Song for the Commonwealth. This will follow specially composed songs for bagpipes and bugles.
Listen to Song for the Commonwealth: A life lived with grace below
Mr Greenbank said it was a huge honour to play a role in the celebrations and to share a little royalty with the region.
"The queen is now Britain's longest surviving monarch and that's unlikely to ever be succeeded," Mr Greenbank said. "I think it's great. I'm a royalist and love being a part of this.
"Anytime I finish a proclamation I will say God save the Queen and God bless Australia. Some town criers in Australia do not recognise this but regardless, I'm a traditionalist and like keeping old traditions alive."
William the Conqueror introduced town criers to Britain when he became king in 1066. The role was popular in his home country France as an effective method to spread important news.
Largely a ceremonial role today, Mr Greenbank said town criers got to meet interesting people both in solemn occasions, such as war commemorations, to celebrations.
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Mr Greenbank's jubilee call-up came from The Queen's Jubilee Platinum Beacons pageantmaster Bruno Peek. The principal beacon lighting will take place in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Thursday evening, London time.
He will start in the same way as early town criers: three calls of "oyez", the French imperative of "hear" that Mr Greenbank said had been adapted in Hollywood to "hear ye".
All are welcome to the public proclamation outside Daylesford Town Hall on Thursday at 2pm.
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