The Honourable Company of Freemen of the City of London of North America
The Honourable Company of Freemen of
the City of London of North America
Freedom of The City
Freedom of The City
No merchant might trade in the City of London unless he had the Freedom of the City, and only those approved by the relevant guild were granted that freedom. Since none but freemen could be elected aldermen, they controlled the city council which regulated all municipal affairs. Since the capital was also the centre of commerce, they dominated trade and industry throughout England.
Although few of the privileges remain, all Liverymen are still granted the Freedom of the City of London, which is obtained in one of three ways: by right of servitude (apprenticeship to a freemen), by right of patrimony (son or daughter of a freemen), or by redemption (purchase with the approval of the corporation).
In the earliest times a freemen was one who was "freeborn" -- i.e. no bondsman's son or foreigner. Traditionally, Freemen of the City of London were exempt from tolls at markets and fairs, had immunity from impressment into the armed services, and had the right to vote at ward and parliamentary elections.
Without exaggeration it could be said that being a Freemen of the City of London represents a standard of excellence. As such, it implicitly requires its members to strive to live up to its ideals, just as once the Livery Companies used to control the quality of work produced by its members.
The Lord Mayor herds his sheep across London Bridge
If you were passing London Bridge recently and saw some sheep being herded by people dressed in red gowns, don’t worry you weren’t imagining things.
The spectacle was put on by The Lord Mayor of the City of London, who exercised the Lord Mayor's ancient right to walk the animals across the bridge. He was accompanied by Liverymen and Freemen of the City who also took part in the ceremony, which brought traffic to a standstill.
The event was organised by The Worshipful Company of Woolmen to raise cash for charity and The Lord Mayor’s Appeal.
The master of the livery company, Master Bill Clark, said: ‘We want people not only to witness but also to take part in a uniquely British tradition. This is something that dates back to the 1100s. ‘The point of this event is to raise awareness of the London Liveries and the important work that they do with charities.’
In 2009, when the last sheep drive took place, organisers managed to raise £50,000.