Genealogy Chat

Hi.

I came across something in a box where my great great great grandfather I think it was was awarded the freedom of the city of London.

Does anyone know why he would have got this?

http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-the-city/history-and-heritage/Pages/freedom-of-the-city.aspx

not sure if this link will help but might be worth a read.
If you want to post his name date of birth etc we could see if we can find anything about him

Even without following the link, my first presumption would be that he was a member of a Trade Guild.

I am a Freeman of the City of YORK, having claimed my right to be so via birthright through my GRT grandfather who became a Freeman of York following completion of his apprenticeship,his occupation was that of Combmaker & was a member of The COMBMAKERS GUILD.

Joan.

John Gunning it turns out it was, he would have been the father of my great great great grandfathers wife, he was awarded it on the 31st October 1856, I don't know anything else about him

To find this, I Googled (!!) "Freemen of the City of London", and got this reference
on ancestry ................

it is his application to be a freeman of London

ancestry .............


London, England, Freedom of the City Admission Papers, 1681-1925 about John Gunning

Name: John Gunning
Admission Date: 31 Oct 1856
Father's Name: John Gunning


from image:-

I John Gunning (son of John Gunning. Late of Tunbridge, Wiltshire, Clothmaker) occupying premises 5 Cradle Court, Old Cross Street, Cripplegate, in the City of London, and carrying on the business of a clothworker do hereby apply to be admitted to the Freedom of the City of London, by redemption, in pursuance of the Resolution of the Court of Common Council of the 17th March 1835, and 6th October 1856; and I hereby declare that I am not an Alien, nor the son of an Alien, and that I am above the age of Twenty-One


(the mark of John Gunning)




so he could have applied to be admitted as a Freemen either because of his Guild membership in the Clothmakers or Clothworkers Guild, OR because his father had been admitted as a Freeman



There was an earlier Indenture in 1846 for the 7 year apprenticeship of a John Gunning to a Master Taylor


I have no idea whether this is a different John Gunning or not

Think Tunbridge ought to read Trowbridge?

1851

Name: John Gunner
[John Gunning]
Age: 37
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1814
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Jane Gunner
Gender: Male
Where born: Crowbridge, Wiltshire, England
[Trowbridge, Wiltshire]
Civil Parish: St Giles Cripplegate
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England
Street address: 5 Cradle Street
Occupation:Cloth worker
Registration district: East London
Sub-registration district: Cripplegate
ED, institution, or vessel: 1f
Household schedule number: 235
Piece: 1525
Folio: 236
Page Number: 45
Household Members:
Name Age
John Gunner 37
Jane Gunner 36 - wife, washerwoman, b London
James A Gunner 7 b St Lukes, Middx
Mary A Gunner 6 b London
Jane Gunner 3 - b London
Eliza Gunner 1 - b London
James Carksley 38 - Brother in law, Porter, b London

here is your John Gunning in 1851


1851 Census

Name: John Gunner
[John Gunning]
Age: 37
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1814
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Jane Gunner
Gender: Male
Where born: Crowbridge, Wiltshire, England
[Trowbridge, Wiltshire]
Civil Parish: St Giles Cripplegate
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England

Registration district: East London
Sub-registration district: Cripplegate
ED, institution, or vessel: 1f

Household schedule number: 235
Piece: 1525
Folio: 236
Page Number: 45

John Gunner 37 Cloth Worker
Jane Gunner 36 b.ca 1815, London, Washerwoman
James A Gunner 7
Mary A Gunner 6
Jane Gunner 3
Eliza Gunner 1
James Carksley 38 b.ca 1813, London, Brother-in-Law, Porter

Address:- 5 Cradle Court



1861 Census

Name: John Gunning
Age: 46
Estimated Birth Year: 1815
Relation: Head
Gender: Male
Where born: Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England
Civil Parish: St Giles without Cripplegate
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England

Registration district: East London
Sub-registration district: Cripplegate
ED, institution, or vessel: 6

Household schedule number: 209
Piece: 214
Folio: 12
Page Number: 29

John Gunning 46 Widower, Cloth Worker
James Gunning 17
Eliza Gunning 11
James Cooksley 52 b.ca 1809, City, Cripplegate, Boarder, Porter

Re-reading your OP - you actually have the original document? Wow! Look after that!! :-D

John


I assume that, as you know how he is related to you, that you do not need any further census or other information.



DET .....................

it is indeed special is it not?

????

Name: John Gunning
Gender: Male
Christening Date: 29 Dec 1811
Christening Place: Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England
Father's Name: John Gunning
Mother's name: Mary

Re the Freedom of the CoL - Yes Sylvia, a very special piece if memorabilia. :-D

Added - it might be worth following up on the Apprentice papers as the Freedom of CoL would tie in with a 7 year apprenticeship.

it was an apprenticeship with a tailor, so I'm not sure how that fits in with Cloth Worker????


and it also says ...............

John Gunning the younger son of John Gunning of Walworth in the County of Surrey Corn Chandler ......



so I do think it is another John Gunning from the one born in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, son of a Cloth Maker / Cloth Worker



it's amazing what a relatively common name John Gunning is!!

I don't need any further census information but I has filled in some gaps I have, Eliza is my great great great grandmother. I'm sure it's the original I have, either that or its a really old photocopy

It should have printing on both sides :-)

If you aren't sure if its the original, you could ask for advice from your local museum curator or preferably the nearest Archive. They could also suggest how best to store it.

Apparantley its a copy of the thing I have, my grandfather got it, according to my dad it is an extract from the doomsday book (no idea what planet he's on today lol)

The Merchant Taylors ' Company has very little to do with Tailers believe it or not.

Try this link
http://www.merchant-taylors.co.uk/home/about-the-company/

I found several of my Ancesters listed in the files on Ancestry, several of which were appentceships. I have Carpenters, Brushmakers........ and yes, the description fooled me at first as well

You might say that it was really a guild for Businessmen.

:-D