CITY FREEDOM ARCHIVES
INTRODUCTION
The CLRO holds the City of London Freedom archives from 1681, and the series of City
Freedom admission papers record personal details of most City Freemen since then. Because of
the biographical information they usually contain, they are of particular interest to family
historians, but they can also be of use to other researchers.
PEOPLE WHO HAD TO BE FREE
Many people assume that the Freedom of the City of London is purely an honorary award,
presented only to the great and the good, or for particular bravery, for example. However, this
is true of only a very small number of City Freemen. The Honorary Freedom of the City of
London is indeed the highest honour the Corporation of London can bestow, but it is granted
very rarely. The vast majority of City Freemen were, and are, admitted by other means, and
represent a very broad cross-section of the population. Over the last 300 years, about 300,000
ordinary people have been made Free of the City of London. Even today, many men and
women continue to be admitted to the City Freedom, although most of the privileges and
practical reasons for doing so have now disappeared.
Before the mid-19th century, the Freedom of the City of London was a practical necessity for
those who plied a trade or made their living in the City of London. Indeed, certain groups of
people were compelled, on pain of prosecution, to be Free of the City, including:
Common Councilmen, Aldermen (including the Lord Mayor) and Sheriffs of the City (all
still have to be Free of the City today);
Liverymen of the City Livery Companies (all still have to be Free of the City today);
most Corporation of London employees (this lasted until well into the 20th century,
particularly for higher grades of staff);
retail traders within the City (until the 1850s);
City "sworn" or licensed brokers (until 1853):
licensed victuallers in the City of London (until 1853);
journeymen employees of City Freemen within the City of London, although, under an Act
of Common Council of 1750, n