Forthcoming Events
Saturday April 17th 2010 : Welcome to the Lady Freemen
A social event to welcome the new Lady Freemen of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne will be held on Saturday April 17th 2010. Please check back in a little while when more details will be made available.
Sunday May 16th 2010 : Annual Church Parade
The annual Church Parade will be held on Sunday May 16th 2010 at St. Nicholas Cathedral, Newcastle upon Tyne, starting at 10 am. All Freemen and their families are invited to attend.
A bus will be made available from Moor Bank Lodge, Claremont Road to the Cathedral, so that visitors can park for free and avoid driving into the City Centre.
Refreshments will be available at the Cathedral after the service.
Recent news
Friday 18th February 2010 : Site Update / Facelift
Regular visitors will have noticed that we've had something of a spring-clean in recent weeks. The old black and boxy styling has given way to the new Freemen's Blue look, which should be a lot easier on the eye. We're also running off a brand new, high-speed Linux-server so most, if not all, of the pages will load a lot faster than they did before.
We've also greatly improved the content on the site. All of the incorporated companies now have their own micro-site, available from the companies page in the menu bar above. Each of these micro-sites provides a general description of the company plus information on a Guild's role within the City of Newcastle upon Tyne.
As with all major upgrades, we're still snagging out some problems so if you find something that isn't quite right then please let us know via the Contact form on the About page.
Friday 5th February 2010 : Update
The Holy Jesus & Mary Magdalene Trust is a charitable body which exists mainly to provide sheltered housing to those with limited means. All applicants have to meet certain financial criteria though each application is considered on its own merit.
There is an allocation of accommodation afforded to the Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne over the age of 50 years, or a widow/widower of a Freemen living within a prescribed area.
The bungalows in Spital Tongues provide a safe and friendly atmosphere, with home help and personal assistance available to all those who may require these services.
For economic reasons bungalows allocated to Freemen use cannot remain empty and could be reallocated.
Should you, or anyone you know who meets the qualifications and who may be interested in this accommodation, then please contact:
- Miss Sharon Hepple, General Manager
- St. Mary Magalene and Holy Jesus Trust
- Claremont Road
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- NE2 4NN
Alternatively, why not visit the Trust's new web site at http://www.mmhjtrust.com.
Wednesday 3rd February 2010 : New Server
We have just migrated this site to a new server and so some of the links may not be fully functional. We're currently chasing down a small number of issues but if you discover a problem then please get in touch with us and we'll do whatever we can to rectify the fault. Thanks, Admin.
Saturday 23rd January 2010 : Social Gathering at The Guildhall
The Second Social function organised by the Senior Stewards Committee of the Freemen of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne was held at 1:30 pm on Saturday, 23rd January 2010 in the Guildhall on Newcastle's Historic Quayside. Around 100 people were in attendance, entertained by Singer Malcolm Bennett and Comedian Bob Bolam.
Members of the Senior Stewards Committee (Alan Bainbridge, Keith Hall, Ian Miller, Jim Johnson, Chris Atkinson, Paul Anderson and Michael Gray) then answered questions from the floor. The principle matter raised was the imminent arrival of Lady Freemen. The Senior Stewards Committee outlined the initial selection criteria and said that the first Lady Freemen would almost certainly be sworn in at the forthcoming Easter Guild.
Click here for a selection of stills from the social gathering, held Saturday 23rd January 2010 at 1:20 pm in the The Guildhall, Newcastle Quayside.
Monday 18th January 2010 : Close Guild at The Guildhall
Richard Mark Moat, Bricklayer.
Richard Mark Moat, son of Michael Rowland Moat, Bricklayer was sworn in by Cllr. Michael Cookson, Lord Mayor.
Picture by Steve Brock Photography
Thusday 17th December 2009 : Lady Freemen III
As a result of the successful efforts of the Newcastle Freemen, in co-operation with Newcastle City Council and local MPs, legislation has now been enacted which makes it an entitlement for women to enter the Freelage in Newcastle upon Tyne. Work is now taking place, in partnership with Newcastle City Council, to prepare for implementation of the admission of Lady Freemen.
To support the implementation, in co-operation with the Lord Mayor's Office, a data collection form has been produced for potential Freemen to complete.
The form may be completed online or downloaded for returning to our office at Moor Bank Lodge after completion. Forms are also available directly from Moor Bank Lodge, and the Lord Mayors Office at Newcastle City Council.
To fill in the on-line version of the application form, click here.
(PDF document, requires Acrobat Reader)Contact details for return of printed forms are as follows:
Post :
Admissions Group
Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne
Moor Bank Lodge
Claremont Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 4NLFax : Email :
0191 2324677 admin@freemenofnewcasatle.org
Saturday 14th November 2009 : Lady Freemen II
The Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne are delighted to report that the campaign for equal rights for daughters of Freemen to join the Freelage has been successful. The Economic Development and Construction Bill has successfully passed through Parliament and has now received the Royal Assent.
The Bill now gives daughters the same rights as the sons of a Freeman.
Quoting from the November 10th edition of the Newcastle Evening Chronicle :
"A centuries-old law preventing women from becoming Freemen of Newcastle has been overturned. Until now, only the sons of Freemen could take on the title from their fathers when they reached the age of 20.
"But the organisation has long campaigned for equality on behalf of the daughters of their members. And, backed by two Tyneside MPs, they have got their wish - thanks to a unique amendment passed by Parliament."
"Now, the first wave of women are looking forward to joining the Freelage at the first available opportunity. Newcastle Central MP Jim Cousins proposed an amendment to Economic Development and Construction Bill which was debated in Parliament, accepted and added to the Bill for approval at the House of Lords. It was supported by Newcastle East and Wallsend MP Nick Brown.
He said: "This decision means that we can have Freewomen of Newcastle, as well as Freemen. The reform is long overdue."
Sir Len Fenwick, chairman of the Freemen of Newcastle, said: "Both Jim Cousins and Nick Brown have been hugely supportive of our campaign for equality on this issue and we thank them for everything they have done."
Wednesday 21st October 2009 : Lady Freemen
We are pleased to report that in support of the campaign by the Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne for equal rights for daughters of Freemen to join the Freelage, Jim Cousins M.P. proposed an amendment to the Economic Development and Construction Bill which was debated in Parliament, accepted and has been added to the Bill.
The Bill if successful will give daughters the same rights as the sons of a Freemen.
We will continue to work behind the scenes to ensure we do all that we can to secure gender equality within the Freelage.
A copy of the amendment :
New Clause 4, LOCAL FREEDOMS
(1) The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is amended as follows.
(2) In section 248 (freemen and inhabitants of existing boroughs), after subsection (1) there is inserted -
"(1A) Where the son of a freeman of a city or town may claim to be admitted as a freeman of that place, the daughter of a freeman may likewise claim to be so admitted.
(1B) The son or daughter of a freeman of a city or town shall be admitted as a freeman whether born before or after the admission, as a freeman, of his or her freeman parent and wherever he or she was born.
(1C) In subsections (1A) and (1B) 'freeman' excludes a freeman of the City of London."'
(Jim Cousins)
Monday 12th October 2009 : Michaelmas Guild
The Michaelmas Guild was held at 10 am on Monday 12th October 2009 in the Guildhall on Newcastle's historic Quayside.
Thomas Ralph Carr-Ellison of the Merchant Adventurers company was sworn in as a Freemen of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne in front of Sherrif and Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Brenda Hindmarsh.
Also present was retiring Head of Legal Services for The City of Newcastle upon Tyne, Mrs. Val Dodds who has been a tremendous asset to the Freemen for many, many years.
The Chairmen of the Senior Stewards Committee, Sir Leonard Fenwick presented Mrs. Dodds with a fountain pen as an appreciation of her valued help and support.
Two new stewards, Sherod Walker, Plumbers Company and Alex Wright, Scriveners Company were in attendance at the Closed Guild.
July 10th 2009 : The Hoppings (update)
The slideshow of photographs from the Hoppings 2009 Opening Ceremony has been updated and now runs correctly on Internet Explorer.
To view the slide show, click here .
June 20th 2009 : The Hoppings
Europe's largest travelling Fun Fair, The Hoppings, was opened yesterday, Friday 19th June 2009, at 0130 pm by The Lord Mayor of The City of Newcastle upon Tyne, Councillor Mike Cookson.
The Hoppings began as a temperance festival back in 1882, although its history has been traced back to 1721, when horse racing took place on the Moor. The word Hoppings is Anglo-Saxon in origin and means Fair so the event could be over a thousand years old.
Click here to see a slide show of images from the opening ceremony.
June 10th 2009 : Visit from Durham Freemen
A small collection of unofficial photographs taken at the visit of the Durham Freemen are available on the Freemen of Newcastle's Forum under the General section.
June 9th 2009 : Freemen's Magazine Issue 6
Issue 6 of the Freemen's Magazine is available for download from the Magazines page.
The edition includes articles by the outgoing Lord Mayor, Mr. David Wood, a review of the Freemen's Social event held at the Guildhall in April and a historical look at 900 years of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne, from Norman Times to the present day.
May 17th 2009 : Freemen Church Service, St. Nicholas' Cathedral
The annual Freemen's Church Service took place on Sunday May 17th 2009 at 0930 hours in St. Nicholas' Cathedral, Mosely Street, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Freemen in procession with David Wood, Lord Mayor to the annual Freemen's Church Parade at the mother church of St Nicholas.May 8th 2009 : Company of Shipwrights' page added
The information page for the Company of Shipwrights' has been added to the Companies page. You can also jump directly to the page by clicking here.
April 23rd 2009 : New Freemen
Seven new Freemen of the City were sworn in at a ceremony in the Guild Hall on the morning of 20th October 2008 by the Lord Mayor, Mr. David. L. Wood.
The new Freemen are:
- Kenneth, son of Stanley Brown, Smith
- Thomas Stewart, son of Thomas Stewart, House Carpenter
- Andrew John, son of Stephen Foggin, Taylor
- Anthony Stephen, son of Stephen Foggin, Taylor
- Paul John, son of John Charles Foggin, Taylor
- Jonathan David, son of Malcolm George McGill, Cooper
- William Robert, son of Robert Row, Bricklayer
April 18th 2009 : Freemen Social
All Freemen and their families were invited to attend a social at The Guild Hall, Newcastle Quayside on Saturday, April 18th 2009 at 1:30pm.
Refreshments, entertainment and speakers from both the Freemen and the City, gave a rare opportunity to answer questions regarding the charities supported by the Freemen.
Entertainment was provided by the well known Newcastle duo Best of Fettle.
The attendance at this event was astonishing with over 200 Freemen and their families present.
Sir Leonard Fenwick and Alan Bainbridge introduce the proceedings
Sir Leonard Fenwick
Val Dodds talks about the history of the Freemen and Newcastle upon Tyne
Best of Fettle entertain
Attendance was high - over 200 Freemen and their families!
David Faulkner, Deputy Leader of the Council
Sir Leonard Fenwick
Jim Johnson makes a sale!
Tuesday 3rd March 2009 : Coopers and Tanners Information pages now live
As part of a scheme to improve and enhance this site, we're now adding individual pages for each of the incorporated companies.
The first two pages have now been uploaded, the first for the Tanners company and the second for the Coopers company.
To see these pages, click on the Companies page in the menu bar above and then on the relevant Coat of Arms. If a link exists then you'll be taken to the company's page.
Additional company pages will be uploaded over the next couple of months.
Friday 6th February 2009 : New forum
A new forum has been set up to enable greater communication amongst the Freemen of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne.
The forum is free to join though you will need to be a Freemen of the City to access the Private areas. Non-freemen and those seeking further information with respect to the Freelage are also welcome to explore the public areas, as are Freemen from other towns and cities.
Security has the highest priority and the forum is fully moderated at all times. Unlike other websites, no information (including email addresses) are ever sold or supplied to 3rd parties and we are working hard to ensure that the integrity of the system is upheld at all times.
The forum is a pilot project and is therefore very much in its infancy at the moment. To ensure its continued survival, it needs contributions from its members. So, if you have something to say then join the forum and let us know what you think.
To join the forum, click on the image on the left and set up an account which includes your full name and the name of the company through which you hail i.e. JohnSmithCoopers, FredBlogsBarberSurgeons, JoePublicTanners. Once accepted, you will then be given access to the full site.
Wednesday 19th January 2009 : Swearing in of a new Freeman
At the Christmas Guild held on Monday 19th January 2009 at the Guildhall, Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne, Thomas James son of James Curry Green (Cordwainer) was sworn in as a Freeman of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Wednesday 17th December 2008 : Updates
Two minor updates
- 1. Issue 5 of the Freemen's magazine is available for download from the magazine area.
- 2. The Ferguson's Santa Run has been cancelled and will be rescheduled for the new year.
Monday 6th October 2008 : Michelmas Guild, Swearing in of New Freemen
Four new Freemen of the City were sworn in at a ceremony in the Guild Hall on the morning of 6th October 2008 in front of the Lord Mayor, Mr. D. L. Wood.
The new Freemen are:
- Robert, son of Barry Graham, Plumber
- Harry Edward Taylor, son of Richard Michael Gray, Scrivener
- Jonathan Peter Lawrence, son of Peter Lionel Kent, Master Mariner
- James William, son of David James Brown, Butcher
Monday 6th October 2008 : Senior Steward's Committee 2008-2009
The Stewards Committee for 2008-2009 was also appointed at the Close Guild.
The Stewards Committee (2008-2009)
F.H. Alder, C.G. Atkinson, K. Hall, M. Grey, J. Johnson, Sir Leonard Fenwick (Chairman)
A. Bainbridge, D. Wilson (Vice Chairman), P. Anderson, I.F. Miller, H. Alder, W.G. Frizzle
(All Guild photographs courtesy of Steve Brock Photography)
