FREEDOM OF CITY

Waikato Independent, Volume XLIII, Issue 4044, 22 September 1944, Page 3

FREEDOM OF CITY

HISTORIC RELIC PARCHMENT" OF 1820. It has been our privilege to see the parchment and its container that is the tangible evidence that the Freedom of the City of London was, in 1820, given to the person named in the parchment. It is, indeed, a relic of the past. The parchment is contained in a round wooden container and it bears a small label on which is printed: '‘Copy of Freedom. Citv of London.”

The parchment scroll is 15 inches long and three incehs in depth. At one end is the city’s coat of arms and the wording is as follows: After mentioning the person’s name who received the honour and his father’s name—was admitted into the freedom aforesaid and sworn in the Mayoralty of George Bridges Esq., Mayor and Richard Clark Escp, Chamberlain and is entered in the book signed with the letter “E” relating to the purchasing of freedom and the admifsions of Freemen (to wit) the 11th. day of April, in the Ist. year of the reign of King George the fourth and in the year of our Lord 1820. In witnefs whereof the seal of the Office of Chamberlain of the said City is hereunto affixed dated in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the same City the day and year abovesaid. The necessary signatures were attached in the flowing handwriting of the earlier centuries. Readers will, no doubt, observe the old style phraseology and spelling.