'The Cries of London' is a compilation of depictions and explanations of town criers, or bellmen, in London, created by John Thomas Smith. Town criers were officials of the royal court or public authority who made public announcements as necessary, and were crucial in communicating news to illiterate townspeople in medieval England before the invention of movable type. They proclaimed everything from royal proclamations and local bylaws to market days, advertisements, and even the sale of sugar loaves. The book provides an insight into the role of town criers in the dissemination of news and information throughout history.