Plymouth, Freemen of the Borough of Plymouth, 1817

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The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History

FREEMEN OF THE BOROUGH OF PLYMOUTH, 1817

Updated: 14 January 2011

Until the passing of the Municipal Reform Act of 1835 a Freeman of the Borough of Plymouth was a privileged person who performed important functions in the Local Government of the Town.

Only a Freeman could trade within the Borough without the payment of tolls and dues and only a Freeman could vote for the Councillors, Aldermen, Mayor and Members of Parliament. The first man to be elected as a Freeman was Mr William Kethriche, the Town's first Mayor in 1439.

Nobody could be elected as a Freeman if they were not born in the Town. According to an Order of the Corporation made in 1474/75, the person was also required to be a member of the Borough Guild of Our Lady and St George. The eldest son of an existing Freeman or somebody who had served a seven year apprenticeship with a Freeman could be elected to join the ranks. Subject to the earlier conditions, it was possible to purchase a Freedom but it was also possible for the Corporation to award honorary Freedoms as well.

There follows a list transcribed from "An Alphabetical List of Freemen of the Borough of Plymouth", published in August 1817, a copy of which is held in the Plymouth Local Studies Library. The names are given in the order of the original document but they are not in alphabetical order, as claimed in the title. The details of Profession and Address are as stated in the book, including the spelling. Unlike in the original, the names have been listed with the Christian names first so as facilitate searching on the Internet.

NAME	PROFESSION & ADDRESS
Richard Anthony	Ironmonger Old Town Street, Plymouth
John Arthur	Norley House, Plymouth
Addis Archer, Esquire	Leigham, near Plymouth
Richard Arthur	Captain, Royal Navy Gascoyne Place, Plymouth
Richard Boger	Admiral Frankfort Place, Plymouth
Thomas Bass	Purser, Royal Navy
James Barton	Purser, Royal Navy Hampton Buildings, Plymouth
Robert Bayly	Barrister Bernard Street, Brunswick Square, London; and 9 King's Bench Walks, Temple, London.
George Bayly	Merchant Brunswick Terrace, Plymouth
John Bray	Brazier Exeter
Joseph Burdwood	Foreman, Joiner's Shop, Plymouth Yard; Clowance Street, Plymouth Dock
Thomas Batho	Whitesmith Stokes's Lane, Plymouth
Rowley Bulteel	Admiral Plymstock
Charles Boyles	Hewer's Row, Plymouth
Peter Birdwood	Mercer Market Street, Plymouth
Reverend Christopher Birdwood	Clerk Portland Square, Plymouth
Reverend W Ilbert Birdwood	Clerk Slapton, near Kingsbridge
Thomas Bewes, Esquire	Friery (sic), Plymouth
John Baskerville	Clerk in Customs Custom House, Plymouth
Thomas Briggs	Clerk, Commissioner's Office, Plymouth Yard; Chapel Street, Plymouth Dock
John Bingham	Sailmaker Plymouth
David Bingham	Cooper, Victualling Office Hampton Buildings, Plymouth
George Bellamy	Doctor of Medicine George Street, Plymouth
William Bridgman	Merchant's Clerk Cat Street, Plymouth
John Bittle	Attorney's Clerk Old Town Street, Plymouth
Henry Butteris	Searcher, Customs Friery Street (sic), Plymouth
Sir Benjamin Bloomfield	Carlton House, London
John Boswarva	Clerk to Mr Collier Plymouth
Richard Bunce	Major, Royal Marines Plymouth
John Baker	Plymouth
James Brooks	Solicitor Foxhole Street, Plymouth
John Barrett, junior	Auctioneer's Clerk 40 James Street, Plymouth Dock
HRH the Duke of Clarence	London
Earl Chatham
Sir John Colpoys GCB	Admiral Greenwich
Jacob Chaille	Merchant India House. London
George Churchwood	Cooper London
George Kimber Cromwell	Carpenter, Royal Navy
Caius Caine	Tide Waiter, Customs Fownes's Lane, Plymouth
John Clements	Admiral Exmouth
George Cooban	Surgeon Tavistock Street, Plymouth
Thomas Cleather	Solicitor Colmer's Lane, Plymouth
Samuel Champion	Purser, Royal Navy
John Cleverton	Merchant Frankfort Place, Plymouth
John Kemp Chandler	Schoolmaster Plymstock near Plymouth
John Crispin	Whitesmith Stokes's Lane, Plymouth
John Cole	Cooper, Victualling Office Lammy Hill, Plymouth
William John Clark, Esquire	Buckland House, near Kingsbridge
George Collins	Taylor (sic) Tavistock Street, Plymouth
William Henry Clatworthy	Clerk to Mr Soltau Plymouth
William Dart	Plumber, Royal Naval Hospital Plymouth
Bartholomew Dunsterville	Mill Street, Plymouth
Reverend John Dunsterville	Clerk East Indies
Daniel Dawson	Sail-maker Lammy Hill, Plymouth
Sir J T Duckworth GCB	Admiral Wear near Exeter
John Derby	Lieutenant, Royal Navy Barnstaple
Viscount Exmouth	Admiral
James Elliot	Barley House, Plymouth
James Elliot, junior
George Eastlake	Solicitor Frankfort Street, Plymouth
William Eastlake	Solicitor Frankfort Street, Plymouth
George Eastlake, junior	Solicitor Westwell Street, Plymouth
Sir William Elford	Bickham near Plymouth
Jonathan Elford, Esquire	Upland near Plymouth
Thomas Eveleigh	Spirit Merchant Pike Street, Plymouth
Richard Elliot	Victualler East Street, Old Town, Plymouth
Peter Ellery	Purser, Royal Navy
The Honourable and Right Reverend George, Lord Bishop of Exeter	Exeter
Robert Fanshawe	Stonehall, Stonehouse
James Fox	Grocer Tavistock Street, Plymouth
James Fox, junior	Spirit Merchant Portland Square, Plymouth
Richard Freeman	Landing Waiter, Customs Ladywell Place, Plymouth
Samuel Foster	Schoolmaster Orchard Place, Plymouth
Robert Fuge	Merchant Whitecross Street, Plymouth
Robert Fuge, junior	Merchant Bristol
Samuel Fuge	Surgeon Frankfort Street, Plymouth
John Hele Fuge	Surgeon George Street, Plymouth
Benjamin Fuge	Frankfort Street, Plymouth
Sir Digory Forrest	Purser, Royal Navy Near Exeter
Samuel Featherstone	Captain, Royal Navy Horrabridge, near Tavistock
Richard Fillis	Wine Merchant Regent Place, Plymouth
James Field	Now in France
Ralph Gore	Colonel Barrewmont, Gore's Bridge, Ireland
John Gandy	Solicitor Plymouth
Viscount Hood
Lord Hill
John Harrison	Schoolmaster St Aubyn Street, Dock
Stephen Hammick	Dispenser Royal Naval Hospital, Plymouth
S L Hammick, junior	Surgeon Royal Naval Hospital, Plymouth
Charles Hayne	Colonel, North Devon Militia Fuge, Dartmouth
John Harris, Esquire	Radford, near Plymouth
John Harris, junior	Banker Radford, near Plymouth
William Henry Harcombe	Barbican, Plymouth
John Hele	Ironmonger Market Place, Plymouth
John Hawker	Merchant Ham Street, Plymouth
Nehemiah Augustas Hunt	Captain, Royal Marines Ridgeway, near Plymouth
George Hunt	Solicitor George Street, Plymouth
Reverend Warwick Y C Hunt	Clerk Bickleigh, near Plymouth
B R Haydon	Artist 41 Great Marlborough Street, London
Richard Heans	Superannuated Ropemaker, Plymouth Yard; 7 King's Street, Dock
Henry Hawkins	Dissenting Minister Devizes, Wiltshire
William Hargood	Admiral
George Herbert	Frankfort Street, Plymouth
John Holliday	Taylor (sic) Oreston
Reverend Richard Hennah	Clergyman Citadel, Plymouth
William Harris	Schoolmaster Near the Old Church Twelves, Plymouth
Richard Julian	Estover House, Buckland, near Plymouth
Thomas Fort Jenking
John Julian	Landing Waiter, Customs Frankfort Street, Plymouth
William Jacobson	Solicitor Frankfort Street, Plymouth
Reverend John Collier Jones	Clerk Oxford
Edward Jago	Solicitor Plymouth
Viscount Keith GCB	Admiral Upper Harley-street, London
Edward Kingdom	Solicitor London
Lord Lynedock
John Ley	Cooper, Victualling Office Whitecross Street, Plymouth
Nicholas Lampen	Shipwright, Dock Yard 5 Gloucester Street, Dock
Edmund Lockyer	George Street, Plymouth
Thomas Lockyer	Wembury House, near Plymouth
William Lockyer
Nicholas Lockyer	Captain, Royal Navy
William Langmead	Elford Leigh, near Plymouth
John Wrigley Lewes
John Luscombe	Broker Briton Side, Plymouth
John Lillicrap	Superannuated Clerk, Victualling Office; Frankfort Street, Plymouth
James Lillicrap	Captain, Royal Navy Bideford
Sir M M Lopes, Bart	Maristowe, near Plymouth
Reverend Samuel Lane	Clerk Berry, near Totnes
John Luscombe Luscombe	Gascoyne Street, Plymouth
Charles Christopher Lockyer	Solicitor 11 Harcourt Buildings, Temple, London
Earl Morley	Saltram, near Plymouth
Viscount Melville	Admiralty, London
James Macdonald	Baker Millbrook, near Plymouth
Phillip Moysey	Ship Broker Foxhole Street, Plymouth
Richard May	Warder, Plymouth Yard
John Morgan	Baker 18 King Street, Dock
Thomas Miller	Agent Victualler Victualling Office, Plymouth
Sir T B Martin KCB	Admiral Somerset House, London
William Moore	Purser, Royal Navy Emma Place, Stonehouse
Henry McKeever	Sailmaker Southside Street, Plymouth
Jonas Morgan	Woodovis, Tavistock
James Cleve Madge	Clerk in Distillery Scammel's Row, Plymouth
H Alworth Mereweather	Barrister 51 Chancery Lane. London
John Mark	Tinman Stonehouse Lane, Plymouth
Allan Macdonald
William Needham	Lieutenant, Royal Navy Tamerton, near Plymouth
George Noel	Merchant Durnford Street, Stonehouse
William Northmore	Sailmaker
John Neel	Cooper
George Northmore	Sailmaker
John Northmore, junior	Little Moon's Lane, Plymouth
Edward Oliver Osborne	Admiral Hewer's Row, Plymouth
HRH the Prince Regent	Carlton House, London
Montagu Edmund Parker	Whiteway, near Chudleigh
John Pollard	Superannuated Clerk, Victualling Office Norley's Lane, Plymouth
Sir C M Pole KCB	Admiral
Joseph Rowse Pitts	Master Carpenter, Plymouth Yard Chapel Street, Dock
Charles Potbury	Customs Scammel's Row, Plymouth
John Pridham	Broker George Street, Plymouth
Joseph Pridham	Solicitor Frankfort Place, Plymouth
John Drake Pridham	Banker, Naval Bank Frankfort Street, Plymouth
Richard Pridham	Captain, Royal Navy Plymouth
William Pridham	Brewer Dock
Francis Philp	Sailmaker Stonehouse Lane
William Pick	Sailmaker Chatham
Thomas Page	Clerk, Customs Mill Bay
John Spurrel Pode	Slade, Cornwood, near Plymouth
Samuel Pym CB	Captain, Royal Navy Looseleigh, near Plymouth
Thomas Pollard	Sailmaker Jubilee Street, Plymouth
William Pridham	Schoolmaster Lower Street, Plymouth
William Rowe
William Ragland	Surveyor Pavements French Lane, Plymouth
R B Remmett	Doctor of Medicine Westwell Street, Plymouth
Robert Remmett	Solicitor Custom House, London
Robert Rodd	Whitesmith Plymouth
Richard Rosdew	Beechwood, near Plymouth
John Robins	Silk-dyer Duck's Lane, Plymouth
Sir John Lemon Rogers	Blatchford, near Ivybridge
Thomas Richardson	Surgeon Pike Street, Plymouth
Henry Rivers, junior	Ivybridge, near Plymouth
George Repath	Cooper, Victualling Office Plymouth
Earl St Vincent
George Slee
James Smith	Whitesmith Tin Street, Plymouth
Peter Symons	Merchant Plymouth
Christopher Savery	Solicitor South Elford, near Modbury
John Smith	Sailmaker Southside Street, Plymouth
William Tillie Smith	Jerquer Customs Norley's Lane, Plymouth
Thomas Squire	Friery (sic) Court, Plymouth
Thomas George Shortland	Captain, Royal Navy Lipson, near Plymouth
William Hales Symons	Chaddlewood, near Plymouth
Thomas Steele	Confectioner Chapel Street, Stonehouse
John Skinner	Tidewaiter, Customs Southside Street, Plymouth
John Slight	Clerk of Cheque, Victualling Office Portsmouth
Sir M Seymour, Bart, KCB	Captain, Royal Navy Andover
William Stephens, junior	Schoolmaster Holy Cross Lane, Plymouth
William Isaac Scott	Captain, Royal Navy Lostwithiel, Cornwall
William Swan	Surgeon, Montgomeryshire Militia Welch Poole (sic), North Wales
The Right Reverend John, Lord Bishop of Salisbury
Sir J R Strachan GCB	Admiral London
Sir W Sydney Smith KCB	Admiral London
Edward Smith
John Saunders	Clerk to Mr Bayly Frankfort Street, Plymouth
Richard Jago Squire	Solicitor George Street, Plymouth
Viscount Torrignton	Admiral London
Henry Tolcher	Collector, Customs Finewell Street, Plymouth
John Tolcher	Solicitor Parade, Plymouth
Peter Tonkin	Solicitor Old Penny Lane, Plymouth
John Tonkin	Emma Place, Stonehouse
Warwick Hele Tonkin	Barrister Northernhay, Exeter
Warwick Hele Tonkin, junior	Northernhay, Exeter
Erasmus Joy Thorn	Tidewaiter, Customs Clowance Street, Dock
William Taylor	Warden, Plymouth Yard At the Dock Yard Gate
H Lyne Templer, Esquire	Teignmouth, Devon
Thomas Towton	Plymouth
Samuel Triscott	Foreman Coopers, Victualling Office; Nut Street, Plymouth
Aaron Tozer	Merchant Totnes, Devon
William Tucker	Grocer Market Street, Dock
John Treleaven	Attorney's Clerk George Steet, Plymouth
Sir T Tyrwhitt, Knight	House of Lords, London
John Tingcombe	Banker George Steet, Plymouth
Joseph Tucker	Commissioner, Navy Board Navy Office, London
John Viel	Collector, Excise Ipswich
Duke of Wellington
Samuel White	Gasking Street, Plymouth
John Warden	Armourer, Gunwharf Dock
James White	Scammel's Row, Plymouth
John Edward White	Carpenter, Plymouth Yard
Andrew Williams	Cooper, Victualling Office Nut Street, Plymouth
John Winne	Captain, Royal Navy Exeter
Thomas Woollcombe	Frankfort Place, Plymouth
Henry Woollcombe	Solicitor Frankfort Street, Plymouth
Thomas Wyer	Grocer Tavistock
Giles Welsford	Wine Merchant French Lane, Plymouth
Henry Wills	Merchant Plymouth
Joseph Whiteford	Solicitor George Street, Plymouth
Henry Wills
William Wills	Whitesmith St Andrew's Street, Plymouth
William Wilberforce	London
Joseph Whidbey	Plymouth
HRH the Duke of York
Sir George Yonge
Sir J S Yorke KCB	Admiral Admiralty, London
The Right Honourable C P Yorke

The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 removed the privileges held by Freemen and the process passed in to history until 1885 when the Honorary Freedom of the Boroughs Act permitted Boroughs to confer that title on 'persons of distinction and any persons who have rendered eminent services to the Borough'.

List of Honorary Freemen of the City of Plymouth since 1914 .....

Sources:

[1] "An Alphabetical List of Freemen of the Borough of Plymouth", August 1817, held in the Plymouth Central Library, History Room.