A Mother's Voice Heard 2.4 km Away... Daughter's Tip Leads to Guinness World Record

Town crier for 39 years
Made her debut after her daughter secretly sent a recommendation letter
Also took part in British royal events

A woman who has served as a town crier in the UK for 39 years has entered Guinness World Records as the "woman with the loudest voice in the world" after recording a shout of 105.9 dB. On November 5, UPI and Guinness World Records reported that Brenda Willison, a town crier in Newmarket, Suffolk, England, recorded a shout of 105.9 dB in an official measurement conducted in Fordham, England, on September 9.

Brenda Willison, who was listed in Guinness World Records as the “Woman with the Loudest Voice in the World.” Guinness World Records

Willison shouted "Oyez." Derived from Anglo-Norman or Old French, the expression means "hear ye" and was used by town criers in the past to get residents' attention. Remarkably, she said she had a cold at the time of the measurement and was confident that her voice could be even louder.

Guinness World Records introduced Willison's record on its official website, explaining that her voice is as loud as standing right next to a snowblower or car horn. Even more remarkably, Willison was not in the best of health. She told Guinness, "I don't think I was at my best today because I have a cold," adding, "I'm sure I could shout even louder." Willison's exceptionally powerful voice has been famous since she was a child. Her school report even noted that she had a loud voice in class. There is also a special story behind how she became a town crier.

Guinness World Records featured Willison's record on its official website, explaining that his voice was as loud as standing right next to a snowblower or a car horn. Guinness World Records

In 1987, Willison was working as a food and beverage manager at a park in Peterborough, England, and overseeing two cafes about 2.4 kilometers apart within the park. One day, an advertisement seeking a town crier appeared in a local newspaper. After seeing it, her daughter secretly sent a letter recommending her mother, marking the start of Willison's career as a town crier. In the letter, her daughter wrote that when her mother shouted "Chips" outside one cafe, people could hear her at the other cafe.

After becoming a town crier, Willison also took part in major events involving the British royal family. She participated in the 100th birthday celebrations of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, the 90th birthday celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II, and the Platinum Jubilee marking the 70th anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne.

In 1995, to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, she also delivered a peace call at the Bridge over the River Kwai in Thailand. With this record, Willison became the holder of two Guinness World Records: "loudest female town crier" and "loudest shout by a woman." After receiving her certificates from official Guinness adjudicator Emma Salt, she said, "It's amazing and wonderful to have achieved two records," adding, "I'll proudly display the certificates at home."

Willison emphasized that having a loud voice is not the only important skill for a town crier. "Anyone can be a town crier if they have a loud, clear voice and good diction," she said. "Some men have very loud voices, but they're low and rough, so sometimes it's difficult to understand what they're saying." She added that women's voices can be relatively musical and clear, which she considers an advantage for a town crier.

Meanwhile, the men's record for the loudest individual shout is held by Australian town crier Joseph McGrail-Bateup. He set the world record by shouting the word "Now" at 122.4 dB in Canberra, Australia, on May 2. The record was measured using the C-weighted scale used by Guinness. However, McGrail-Bateup died on July 31, about three months after setting the record. Guinness said his record would remain as a legacy of his years of effort and dedication.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.