Freemen of Gloucester

[KeithS]

My late uncle, Ernest George Sproston NOKES was born in Gloucester in 1894. It was always reputed that he was, along with others born at that time (possibly the same day), made a Freeman of the City to celebrate presumably some event. Can anyone enlighten me as to whether such ceremonial happened and what event could be commemorated. Incidentally, my uncles family were relatively transient, having 13 children, all but two born in widely different locations

[GRACELAND]

 

I can't find much that happend in 1894. Now if it were 1895 then that was the year the Library building in Brunswick Rd was started.

1896 The new water supply from Newent via a new pumping station at Oxenhall and laying a main to Gloucester.

I'll keep looking.
 

[Arranroots]

Did you know that a Noke is a third of a Virgate??

How did I get by without that information until now?

I'm looking too!

Arranroots 

[KeithS]

Thanks to both respondents, especially about the third of a virgate. Now I'll be up all night wondering what a virgate is

Keith

[Arranroots]

Hee hee!

I think I would be inclined to give the council a bell (or an e-mail)

http://www.gloucester.gov.uk/libraries/templates/page.asp

I'm sure somebody there must keep a record of such things.

Or maybe the gloucester Record Office would be a better starting point.

http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1348

BTW

Latin, virgata.

The virgate was a unit in the assessment system in most of the counties of Wessex and western Mercia, one quarter of a hide or 30 fiscal acres. J.H. Round long ago provided illustrations of the relationship of hides, virgates and acres, mainly from circuit 3 and especially from Cambridgeshire, where the Cambridge Inquisition provides totals for the hidage of each vill as well as each manor, giving greater confidence in the arithmetic involved.              [ Domesdaybook.net ]

Fancy not knowing that   

[KeithS]

Thanks Arranroots - now I can rest easy in my bed!

I have had correspondence with the library service in the city but they could not help. Perhaps they were busy anyway. I'll follow your suggestion of the CRO though.

regards

[corinne]

From memory you could become a freeman in one of at least three different ways: 1.  be the son of a freeman
2.  complete your apprenticeship
3.  pay enough money
I think that whichever way you probably needed to have someone sponsor or otherwise nominate you (ie your father for No. 1, or the person you were apprenticed to for No. 2)
Bristol has a whole heap of indexes of freemen and it gives dates etc.  I'm not sure now where I came across them, but think it might have been at the Bristol records office. 
As for "freeman of Gloucester" I think the status freeman applied to freedom of a city rather than a county.

[KeithS]

Thanks for that Corinne - Yes those would be the usual reasons + I think modern day Freedoms are often given for some meritorious or lengthy service to the community. You're right also in that it is 'of the city or borough' rather than the county. Usually signified by a scroll and a massive symbolic key to the 'gates'.

In the case of my uncle however it was allegedly awarded when he was born (along with other infants) because of some special event at the time (1894). Certainly his parents would be in virtual poverty. In fact they were transient in Gloucester, having 13 children in 12 different counties!

We've made many enquiries over the years. His mother (my gmr) was definite about the award but had no recollection of the reason (if she ever knew it). There are lists of Freemen and there was a Freeman's association. The lists only go up to, I think, 1838 and the association is defunct. We'll keep trying. Thanks!

[Tralee]

Just a thought Edward V111 (later Duke of Windsor ) was born on the 23rd June 1894.Tralee