THE GUILD OF FREEMEN OF THE CITY OF LONDON

The Freedom of the City of London was, in earliest times, an essential prerequisite for all who wished to carry on business and prosper in trade within the Square Mile. The privileges attaching to the Freedom were therefore eagerly sought, while the duties and obligations of Freemen were faithfully observed.

Not only did citizens practising specific crafts and trades tend to gather together in their own areas of the City, but they developed their own Guilds and Livery Companies, founded on the triple bases of commerce, benevolence and religion. They provided mutual aid and protection for their members. They ensured qualitative standards that enhanced their own reputations and protected the interests of their customers.

The involvement of Freemen in the development of London’s government can be traced back to the Saxon folkmoot and to the ‘great concourse’ of the early Norman kings. As London grew, its population, trade and craft industries expanded to such an extent that it was no longer possible for all Freemen to be directly involved in determining the evolving structure of local government.

The direct involvement of Freemen in the government of London thus gave way to indirect involvement through the Masters and Wardens of their Guilds and Livery Companies. It remains necessary to this day for Liverymen to be Freemen of the City and it is the Liverymen who contribute annually to the election of the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs.

The proud history of the City of London is such that many men and women rightly continue to regard it as a privilege to be admitted to the Freedom; further, the charitable activities of Freemen have been maintained in many different ways by a great variety of City institutions.

Amid all the processes of change during the 19th Century, it became possible for persons to apply for the Freedom of the City without having to be Liverymen. This development led, in 1908, to the formation of the Guild of Freemen. Over the years since then, a large number of Liverymen have also chosen to join the Guild, so that today it is uniquely representative of all who enjoy the Freedom of the City and wish to come together for the purpose of Charity, Benevolence, Education and Social Activities.

The Freedom has never been the prerogative of men alone. A Royal Commission was set up in 1880, known as the London Livery Companies Commission. Its Report referred to the fact that nearly all the ancient returns of the Livery Companies bore references to Sisters, from which it inferred that women were as eligible for membership as men. Men and women alike are eligible to apply for membership of the Guild of Freemen.

True to the earliest traditions associated with the Freedom, the Guild maintains a strong commitment to benevolence and charitable activities. The Guild’s Trustees provide support to members in distressed circumstances, as well as to the widows and children of deceased members; they make awards to other charities, particularly those operating in the London area; and they provide awards or bursaries to help children in difficult circumstances receive a sound education in schools supported by the Corporation of London.

It has become a happy tradition that The Lord Mayor honours the Guild by becoming its Patron during his year of office, and that the Dean of St Paul’s serves as its Honorary Chaplain. One of the major events of the Guild’s social year is this Banquet, which the Guild is privileged to hold at Guildhall annually, just before Christmas.