The Freemen of Berwick-upon-Tweed (Twixt Thistle and Rose)

The Freemen of Berwick- upon -Tweed

The Freedom Ceremony

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend a Freedom Admissions ceremony at the Town Hall. Three members of the Reay family were admitted to the Guild of Freemen of Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Admissions of Berwick Freemen are recorded in the borough records from the early 16th century but the tradition dates back to the Middle Ages. Today, the ceremony is presided over by the Mayor and Sheriff of Berwick-upon-Tweed and the Freedom is conferred by the Chairman of the Guild of Freemen after oaths have been read aloud. Freemen-to-be must attend the ceremony in person. At the end of the ceremony the Guild Book – that I brought to the ceremony from the Archives – was signed by the newly admitted Freemen. It had been inscribed with their names by calligrapher Barbara Herdman.

Becoming a Freeman

All claims to become a Freeman must be researched thoroughly and the Berwick Archivist, Linda Bankier, provides this service to the Guild. She produces a descent (a proof of claim) by checking that details the applicant has provided match the Guild Minute Books and Apprenticeship records relating to their forebears.

The new freemen were admitted by birthright. Eligibility to become a Freeman has changed over the years. Originally only the eldest son, on reaching the age of 21, could become a Freeman this way. Younger sons would be apprenticed for seven years to a Freeman to gain their freedom but from 1782 all sons could be admitted by birthright. Now all children of a Freeman – including daughters – can apply to be admitted. However, succession must pass directly from one generation to the next or right is lost. A small number of Honorary Freemen may also be admitted by the Guild “by ticket” but their children have no right of admission.

Freeman ancestry and history

If your ancestors came from Berwick, and you suspect they might have been Freemen, have a look at the searchable database of Berwick Families (1800-1940) published by the Guild. A history of the Berwick-upon-Tweed Guild of Freemen can be read on their website in the Green Book.

The historical records of the Guild form a significant part of the Borough of Berwick-upon Tweed collection that the Twixt Thistle and Rose Project team will re-catalogue. The Guild were responsible for the civic government of the town from 1604 to 1835 so their records contain a wealth of unique information.

From the earliest records , applications to be admitted Freemen (or apprenticed to a Freeman) are recorded as well as lists of guild members. It was important to be able to show who had a right to trade in the town or attend the Guild courts. There are references to the rules of the Guild in managing their estate. Freemen enjoy a number of privileges and rights that were keenly monitored and robustly defended. For example, the Riding of the Bounds, that has been an annual event almost without a break from 1609 to the present day, was a way of checking for encroachments on their lands and ejecting interlopers.

Bringing the world to Berwick

Berwick-upon Tweed has been, throughout it’s history, an outward looking town and part of a huge trading community linked by the sea. It shares it’s Guild history with that of Scottish, English and European confraternities that from mediaeval times sought to protect their commercial interests whilst maintaining amicable relations with other trading communities. There was no profit in creating blocks to trade – instead guilds promoted a common understanding of how to regulate the landing, storing and trading of goods without inhibiting commerce. The records are full of curious details about how the Guild managed these relationships – more of which we will, no doubt, uncover in the process of re-cataloguing .