ST. George's Town Crier E. Michael Jones left for the United Kingdom this week to defend his current town crying title in the Dartford Competition and to pay a debt to Sir George Somers.

He is Dartford champion from last year, and said he hoped to bring back some other titles as well.

"The Commonwealth Championship, the Armada Cup, the Kingsbridge Cry . . . I've won them all at some time or another. I've won everything but the Olympics!" he joked.

Mr. Jones' competitive winning spree takes place every summer, when he goes over to Lyme Regis in Dorset for the Lyme Regis parade. Lyme's Bermuda connection goes back to Sir George Somers, who was Mayor of Lyme and, today, the town is twinned with St. George's.

While he is there, he takes the opportunity to go to other competitions held in the United Kingdom at the same time.

"There are up to 35 or 40 people competing, and many have spouses who come along, also in period costume," he said. "There are also lady town criers."

Near Lyme is Berne Manor, the home of Sir George Somers, another object of his trip this summer.

"Two years ago, I brought a flagstone back from Berne Manor. It's now in the entrance to the Town Hall in St George's," he said. This year, he is taking a return offering: a Bermuda stone roofing slate.

With such a serious approach to the dress, technique and standards of quality of his profession, Mr. Jones is staying in his career for a while, and is a hot defender of standards for the post.

"You have to have a mayor or a lord of the manor to have a town crier," he explained.

"The diction and elocution are important. It's not about being loud; it's about being understood."

As an appointee of the Mayor of St. George's, Mr. Jones respects the responsibilities of his traditional role.

Although he has some young helpers at the moment, he said he was not looking for a successor, "not for a few years yet. But if anyone, man or woman, is interested, they can come down to help me on Saturdays," he said.

Those interested should probably use e-mail (towncrieribl.bm.) rather than shouting their interest!