We are a relatively young Guild, just over 100 years old. Many of our early records and treasures were lost during the blitz in the Second World War.
However the history was researched by Past Master Colin Dyer from numerous sources on the occasion of our 75th Anniversary. This is published in our History of the Guild, and was updated by Past Master Raymond Holl in a secnd volume in 2008 to celebrate our centenary. The two volumes can be purchased here.
Here you will find a summary of notable people and events from our founding in 1908 to the present day.
16 November 1907
First suggestion of the foundation of the Guild published in the City Press.
29 July 1908
A group of Freemen met in the City Arms (a tavern at 2 St Mary Axe) and passed a resolution to form an association to be called the Guild of Freemen of the City of London
13 November 1908
The first Guild event took place and the first Master was elected
28 January 1909
The first Guild dinner took place
7 April 1910
The Guild was granted a licence by the Board of Trade to dispense with the word 'Limited' after its Company name
23 April 1910
The Guild was registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee. (Members would not be shareholders but would undertake, in the event of the Company being wound up, to make a contribution of up to £1 towards any outstanding debts). The Articles of Association set out the internal management of the Guild and, by name as well as office, the new officers who would head it
1 August 1910
The Earl Marshal's warrant granting armorial bearings to the Guild was signed and sealed
1911
The Guild of Freemen's lodge was warranted. Membership was restricted to members of the Guild of Freemen of the City of London
March 1912
The first edition of the Guild of Freemen magazine was published
13 November 1912
The establishment of a Guild club was proposed. Arrangements were put in place for members to have luncheon at Keyzer's Royal Hotel, near Blackfriars. The Court could not agree about setting up a club. Rather than abandon the idea, some members kept it alive and, some two years later, formed the City Livery Club
December 1913
The Guild started a search for premises
1914
Guild Member Sergeant Major George Dorell, "L" Battery RHA, was awarded the Victoria Cross for outstanding gallantry at Nery on 1st September 1914, during the BEF retreat from Mons
14 December 1914
The structure of the Court was agreed as 22 Life Members and 11 Members to be elected triennially (i.e. 1918, 1921, 1924 etc)
18 January 1915
The Guild formed a contingent for the City National Guard - to protect against an invasion of the enemy
November 1915
The Guild established an office and club room at Keyzer's Royal Hotel
May 1916
The Guild's office and club room were requisitioned by the War Office. The Guild moved to the Cannon Street Hotel
1 January 1917
The Benevolent Fund was established; three trustees were appointed
October 1918
On behalf of the Guild, the Court sent a message of congratulation and thanks for their 'glorious victories' to Sir Douglas Haig, Marshal Foch Arthur J Balfour MP and the Ambassadors of our Allies
March 1919
The Guild's office was moved to the Cripplegate Institute
1919
The Guild's members raised funds to buy The Victory Cup - the Guild's first Loving Cup. This led to the introduction of the Joining Ceremony for all new members, and the inclusion of the Loving Cup Ceremony as part of the Joining Ceremony
March 1920
The publication of the Guild's magazine was resumed under the title of The Freeman
1920
The Guild's membership passed 1,000
1920 (approx)
The Guild set up the Christ's Hospital Presentation Fund to support the presentation of pupils by the Guild at Christ's Hospital
11 July 1921
The Guild's office was moved to Bakers' Hall. This remained the home of the Guild until Bakers' Hall was destroyed by enemy action in December 1940. Salters' Hall was used for Court meetings when Bakers' Hall was unavailable
1921
The Master, Francis Sully, laid the foundation of a collection of silver plate for the Guild
1921
The Guild first took part in the Lord Mayor's Procession
1923
The Court decided that gowns and Tudor hats should be provided for the Master, Wardens, Clerk and Beadle
November 1923
The Court decided to defer a decision on the admission of women to formal membership of the Guild
October 1927
Guild Member Louis Campbell Johnston formed a company limited by guarantee called the British Humane Association which operated a clinic in Pimlico. He also donated a significant sum to the BHA in the name of the Guild, thereby making them founders and giving the Guild the right to appoint 3 directors (trustees) of the BHA. The BHA remains active though it has changed significantly over the years. The Court still appoints three trustees
1929
The Guild celebrated its 21st birthday. At the Guildhall banquet the call to order before the toasts was by a roll of drums by the cadets of St Dunstan's College OTC and by the King of Siam's Own Scouts
1930
The Master, Cyril Gernand Harry Wittich, presented the Guild with its banner
1931
The Guild formed an association with HMS London (the eighth warship to bear that name) and presented a silver salver and a silver bowl
1933
The Guild's membership passed 1,500
1935
The Guild presented a Loyal Address to His Majesty King George V on the occasion of his Silver Jubilee
29 December 1940
Bakers' Hall was destroyed by enemy action. Most of the Guild's property was destroyed, including its valuable library, some early records of the Guild and some other treasures. The offices of the Guild's accountants were also destroyed, together with the Guild's ledgers. Most of the Guild's silver and plate was in the Bakers' Hall strong room and it survived. It was then moved to the country for safe keeping
January 1941
The Guild moved its office to Cordwainers' Hall in Cannon Street
May 1941
Cordwainers' Hall was destroyed by enemy action and the Guild moved its office to Butchers' Hall
May 1942
The Guild moved office again, this time to Tallow Chandlers' Hall, where the Guild happily remains to this day
1943
Due to the influence of the Guild's Chaplain, The Guild's annual service was held in the crypt of St Paul's cathedral for the first time. Until then the annual service had been held every year since 1909 in St Andrew Undershaft in Leadenhall Street in the Ward of Aldgate (as this was the Ward of Aldgate's church and the Guild had been founded in that Ward).
October 1945
The Guild's silver and plate was brought back from the country and stored in the strong room at Tallow Chandlers' Hall
7 March 1946
The Guild assisted with the formation of the Freemen's Guild in the City of Coventry, and the Guild presented a Loving Cup to mark the very close association has been maintained since then.
19 June 1946
The Guild presented a Loving Cup to the Freemen's Guild of the City of Coventry to mark their inauguration
27 November 1946
The first annual banquet after the war was held in Guildhall. (Annual banquets had been suspended for the duration of the war)
19 December 1949
In memory of Past Master Francis Sully, who had not only been an active member of the Court since 1915 but also had been editor of The Freeman for 25 years, the sum of £5,000 was transferred from the General Fund to set up a new charity in the Guild - the Francis Sully Educational and Charity Fund
February 1954
The first of the Guild's annual dinners at the House of Commons took place
1955
The Master, Henry John Edwin Stinson, composed the Freemen's Prayer for his Guildhall banquet and subsequent use
March 1958
The post of Deputy Master was abolished to bring the Guild in line with the City custom that only a Past Master could deputise for the Master. In place of the Deputy Master a new warden's post was created - the Under Warden
1960
The Guild celebrated the golden jubilee of its incorporation as a Company on 23 April 1910
1961
The Guild's membership passed 2,000
1966
The Guild's membership passed 2,500
1968
The Tallow Chandlers' Company invited all Livery Companies and Guilds that used the hall as their headquarters to contribute to the cost of making a stained glass window to commemorate their association with the Company. The Guild was delighted to contribute, and its Armorial Bearings have been incorporated in the oriel window in the Great Hall
1969
The Guild set up a Sail Training Association award for the City of London Freemen's School. This award is made annually to this day
11 May 1970
The first women were admitted to membership of the Guild
1973
In compliance with European regulations and to continue to avoid having to use Limited after the Guild's name, the Guild started to use 'a company limited by guarantee' in very small print after its name
1974
Past Master Ronald Ward left a bequest to the Guild. This was used to set up a charity in his name, subsidiary to the Benevolent Fund
1976
A committee of 5 Court members, City Corporation representatives and a group of young freemen met several times to see if arrangements could be made within the Guild to meet the requirements of young freemen in their twenties and thirties. Eventually it was decided to form a separate organisation, the Society of Young Freemen
1979
The Guild's Golfing Society was formed
January 1982
Publication of the Guild's history - compiled and written by Past Master Colin Dyer
1982
The 'City of London', a Tyne class lifeboat, was launched as a result of an appeal set up by the Lord Mayor in 1981. It was assigned to the RNLI Station at Selsey
1983
Celebration of the Guild's 75th Anniversary
April 1983
Publication of the updated edition of the Guild's history
29 July 1983
HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, attended the Guild's 75th Anniversary reception at Guildhall
July 1985
The Guild sponsors 10 members of the RNLI Station at Selsey to the Freedom of the City of London
1987
David Reid handed over as Clerk after 35 years in post
1989
Following an initiative by Donald du Parc Braham during his time as Master in 1988, the Guild established an affiliation with 253 Provost Company Royal Military Police (Volunteers).
23 July 1991
Guild Member Frank Wells, with his wife Connie, started a new charity under the Guild's purview: the Francon Trust
1993
The Master, Sir Clifford Chetwood, commissioned a special fanfare entitled 'The Guild of Freemen of the City of London' and presented it to the Guild
July 1994
The Guild participated in the Livery Companies' Exhibition at Guildhall
October 1994
The Guild sponsored 10 members of the RNLI Station at Selsey to the Freedom of the City of London
24 February 1996
The Master, Alderman Clive Martin, presented two silver goblets to the City of Coventry's Freemen's Guild to commemorate their golden jubilee
1997
A reciprocal agreement to share selected membership privileges was reached with The Honourable Company of Freemen of the City of London of North America
1999
The Guild joined the Lord Mayor and others in bidding farewell to HMS London when she was decommissioned
May 1999
The Guild sponsored 9 members of the RNLI Station at Selsey and their long-standing supporters to the Freedom of the City of London
June 2000
To celebrate ancient traditions in the Millennium year, many Guild members joined others from the City to herd sheep across London Bridge
1 August 2001
Colonel Derek Ivy handed over as Clerk after 14 years in post
12 April 2003
On behalf of the Guild, The Master, Raymond Holl, presented the Gild of Freemen of the City of York with a silver Loving Cup to commemorate its Golden Jubilee
October 2004 to July 2005
The Guild sponsored 27 members of 253 Provost Company RMP to the Freedom of the City of London
14 February 2006
The Guild sponsored 7 members of the RNLI Station at Selsey to the Freedom of the City of London
19 March 2008
HRH The Princess Royal was installed as the Centenary Master
April 2008
The City of Coventry Freemen's Guild and the Gild of Freemen of the City of York presented gifts to commemorate the Guild's Centenary
29 July 2008
The Guild celebrated its Centenary with a dinner at Gibson Hall, 13 Bishopsgate, in the presence of the Centenary Master
September 2010
Volume II of the Guild's history, written by Past Master Raymond Holl was published. It covers the period 1983 - 2008
16 March 2011
Revised Articles of Association were approved by the Guild's Members at the Annual General Meeting
10 May 2011
HM King Michael I of Romania hosted a Banquet in Bucharest for the Guild at which he was presented with a warrant appointing him an Honorary Royal Member of the Guild
March 2017
Brigadier Michael Keun retires as clerk
2 May 2017
Christine Cook is appointed Clerk
2 May 2017
The Guild office returns to the City of London with a move to 65 London Wall
September 2017
Junior Warden Neil Redcliffe JP and Court Assistant Alderman Timothy Hailes JP are elected Sheriffs of the City of London
15 November 2017
Judith Westall is appointed Assistant Clerk
November 2018
Guild member Alderman Peter Estlin JP is installed as Lord Mayor of the City of London
13 March 2019
Revised Articles of Association, which allows all Court members to be Directors of the Guild, approved at the Annual General Meeting
10 April 2019
The Guild changes its Financial Year to end 31st December instead of 31st January
September 2019
Court Assistant Christopher Hayward CC and Guild Member Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli JP are elected Sheriffs of the City of London
March 2020
Court Assistant Lady Lauriston gifts her personal shepherd's crook to the Chamberlain's Court at Guildhall
March 2020
The Master, Ann-Marie Jefferys, takes office without an Installation Ceremony due to the Covid 19 Pandemic
April 2020
Sheriffs Court Assistant Christopher Hayward CC and Guild Member Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli JP, along with the Lord Mayor Alderman William Russell are given a second term of office due to the Covid 19 Pandemic
April 2020
The Court of Assistants of the Guild of Freemen of the City of London holds its first virtual Court meeting due to the Covid 19 Pandemic
03 June 2020
Captain Sir Tom Moore, who raised £32m for NHS Charities Together, is admitted as an Honorary Freeman of the Guild in a virtual ceremony, which was streamed live on YouTube..
17 June 2020
The Master's year is extended to December 2021 due to the Covid 19 Pandemic
29 June 2020
Another "first" for the Guild - our first virtual event! The Master welcomed Guild members from all over the world who joined her for a virtual afternoon tea with the Lord Mayor, Alderman William Russell.
4 January 2021
Christine Cook Retires as Clerk
4 January 2021
Jeremy Cross Appointed as Clerk
30 October 2021
Jeremy Cross leaves the Guild
1 November 2021
Christine Cook returns as Interim Clerk
31 December 2021
Judith Westall leaves the Guild after 19 years service as Assistant Clerk
17 January 2022
Martin Budds Appointed as Assistant Clerk
21 March 2022
Kate Pink starts as Clerk
22 April 2024
Abbie Jones appointed as Assistant Clerk
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Annual Banquet at Guildhall"A veritable tour de force; stunning atmosphere, seriously impressive food and a funny judge..what’s not to like!
Well done everyone" - Mrs J.D.
"A triumph" - Mr A.W."
"..a brilliant evening at Guildhall last night. The event was spectacular and we, our guests and everyone around us enjoyed it tremendously. A great highlight of a fantastic year" - Mr J.H.
"A magnificent evening was had by all" - Mr K.B.
"It really was the most wonderful and unforgettable evening " - Mrs K.J.
"It was a great privilege to be present of Friday evening on such a splendid occasion. What a truly stunning and memorable evening. The organisation, the pageantry and the attention to detail was remarkable. A and I enjoyed it all enormously" - C H.C.
Master's Final Dinner at Fishmongers' Hall
"Just a line to say how much we enjoyed the dinner last night, super seat thank you! Please convey our thanks to the Master for a wonderful evening, superb food and company and thank him for all his events over the past year, we have had great times.We now look forward to the next year, different venues and events." - Mr P.B.
Reception and Supper at Grocers' Hall
"My guests and I really really enjoyed the Ceremony and the dinner at Grocers’ Hall last evening, I am still on a high with sheer pleasure, you, everyone there so kind and welcoming". Mrs A R
"It was good to meet you at last and on such an excellent evening in one of the nicest Livery Halls in the City. Thank you for making it such a special evening for M and me. It was so well organised and enjoyable. The food was first class and the company good as well". Mr D B
RNLI Demonstration and Supper at the Little Ship Club
"Thank you SO much for arranging a most enjoyable evening. Once again, I was able to catch up on friends and make new acquantainces - all thanks to you for the excellent place settings. The weather was kind to us, the food was amazing and everybody around our table was very happy with the service and the meal." Ms V H
"Following the interesting demonstration Guild Members and their guests retired back inside the Little Ship Club for a stunning two-course supper with some excellent wine and tremendous companionship discussing the RNLI’s great work being achieved on the tidal Thames." Mr D K
Published - Monday 29th July 2024
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