Freemen of the City of Coventry

Having just read through all the comments on the Freeman's oath has made me think. I was halfway through my apprenticeship and my family upped sticks and moved from Tile Hill to Warwick, my dad then got me a job at a firm in Leamington where I finished my time but I continued my day and evening classes in Coventry. I wonder if there would be any chance of me taking the oath?????

Most interesting Morgana, thank you. My Tony took his on 10th Oct. 1961, I don't suppose there are any members out there who attended on that date. No photos I am afraid, wish I had.

Again I`m in your debt, morgana - I followed your link and "bingo" photographs of my great uncle Alec I had never seen before and what`s more learned of his involvement in the Guild. Oh well! I never made the Guild, although I did play for Trinity Guild rugby team for a while!

Roger, there is a nice picture of the members of the Freeman's Guild 1946 posed for a picture in "Coventry a Century of News" by Alton Douglas. As it is a 1991 book I won't post it on here as I am still not sure about copyright laws but there are several cheap copies of the book on www.Abebooks.co.uk. I am pretty sure my stepgrandad is on the picture but when I wrote to the Guild they could not find his name on the list!

Might be of interest to others

By jingo. Grandpa used to dole out his Seniority money to his grandchildren in florins (2/-) at £6.20 a throw - we didn`t do too badly. Only thing is I cannot remember how I spent it!

Hi The qualification requires that the apprenticeship must have been performed at an address either within 4.5 miles of St Mary's Guildhall or within the city boundary - please see this link

Please correct me if you know better, but I believe exceptions were made such as for AWA at Baginton.

Hi bohica I'm unable to comment with regards to possible exceptions - but I would recommend that matchle55 present their documentation to the city as the staff are extremely helpful and keen that anyone who qualifies should receive the honour.

I received my entrance to the Freemans Guild in November 1975 after serving my time at C&E Motors Limited in Canley as a truck mechanic, one of the proudest days of my life and what an honour. My son is to begin his training to become a blacksmith in September but unfortunately, he will do his time in Hereford, not many blacksmithing opportunities in Coventry anymore so the chance to follow on from the old man is lost. He will, however, become inducted into the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths so at least the tradition of trades guilds isn't entirely lost on today's youth.

Potters Green Lad, I wish your lad the very best with his blacksmith training. I am sure he will still be needed whilst we still have the beloved horses. Who knows in the distant future we have have to resort to using them again. What a great use for transport. Now some members here will knock that on the head, but what beautiful animals they are.

Is it true, when you are a Freeman of the City, you can still 'park' your livestock on any common land? This has been on my mind since my hubby gained his freemanship in the 60's but I have never known if it was fact or fiction. A good poser for you, Helen.

Hi Dreamtime There's nothing on the Freemen of Coventry's website about livestock and the perks seem to be about pensions and loans. It's possible that the enclosure acts had to strip away those rights away in order to build on the land - either that or you could randomly graze your cow on someone's flowerbed. There seems to have been an act about Freemanship in 1984 but I don't know what it says, however if there ever was any residual rights pertaining to four legged beasties, I imagine they were repealed then.