Freemen Of Preston
With the Mayor of Preston suggesting that Preston born cricketer Andrew Flintoff should be made an Honorary Freeman of Preston it is a good time to reflect on the other holders of the distinguished honour.
The title of Honorary Freeman of Preston is not one given freely by the City of Preston but is an honour bestowed upon the citizens or institutions deemed most worthy.
It should of course not be confused with the title freeman that the Guild Burgesses lay claim to every twenty years and is generally a hereditary title, although each Preston Guild sees the addition of a few more names. In fact at the Guild of 1992 the total number of Burgesses was over 800, including for the first time on an equal footing some 274 females.
According to the Charter of Henry II these Freeman of the Borough have the right to buy or sell goods without the payment of tolls, buy goods before those who are not Freemen, to graze cattle and geese free of charge on the Marsh, cross old Penwortham Bridge without the payment of a toll and to send their sons to the Grammar School for payment of two guineas per year.
The Honorary Freeman however gets no such material advantages but has the pride and satisfaction that goes with the knowledge that he has the respect of the community. In line with the old Local Government Act passed in the late nineteenth century an Honorary Freeman is chosen after the passing of a Resolution put before the City Council of whom two thirds must be in favour.
The first Honorary Freeman elected thus was the Rt. Hon Frederick Arthur Stanley, Earl of Derby who was Guild Mayor in 1902 and was made an Honorary Freeman in November of that year in recognition of his contribution to the town.
Five years later solicitor Alderman John Forshaw, son of an innkeeper, was given the honour in recognition of the fact he had served on the Town Council for 34 years during which time he had been Mayor of the Borough and given loyal service to the town of his birth.
In 1910 the honour was given to Doctor Robert Charles Brown, a fitting accolade for a man who would later receive a knighthood for his medical work. Born in Winckley Square, Preston in 1836 he was to spend 64 years as a doctor in the town working firstly as a house surgeon at the Preston Dispensary and later on the staff of the Preston Royal Infirmary. A lifelong bachelor he became known as Preston’s ‘Grand Old Man’, he died in Guild Year 1922 at the age of 86 being remembered as a benevolent gentleman.
At the start of the First World War the Mayor of Preston was Harry Cartmell and along with his wife served the people of the town throughout the war years enabling the borough to enjoy the benefits of civic continuity through the trying times. In October 1919 with peace restored the Manchester born Alderman and his wife were rewarded for their efforts by being added to the list of Freemen of the Borough, a knighthood followed later for Sir Harry and a delighted Lady Cartmell.
Two years later in 1921 the Liberal politician Alderman Crook Hamilton was added to the roll of honour in recognition of his service since 1891 on the Preston Town Council. Born in Stanley Terrace, Preston he was the son of a silk merchant and draper who had a business in the Market Place. A member of Fishergate Baptist church he had twice declined the mayoralty of the town on religious grounds, so his elevation to the position of Freeman was seen as a fitting tribute.
The next recipient of the honour was Preston born Alfred Howarth who at the age of 12 had gone to work in the Town Clerk’s department at Preston Town Hall. In 1907 he was elected Town Clerk after 27 years service in the department and in 1926 after almost twenty years in that role a resolution was passed to confer the Honorary Freedom of the Borough on a man who would be later knighted for his service carried out with great dignity and responsibility.
The Guild Mayor of Preston in 1922 was Henry Astley Bell an Accrington born man who was a power in the cotton industry of Preston. He was a deeply respected figure on the Town Council, becoming an Alderman and having the Freedom of the Borough bestowed upon him in 1935.
Three years later in April 1938 the town added two more names to the distinguished list when Alderman Frederick Matthews and the then Earl of Derby the Rt. Hon Edward George Villiers were awarded the honour at a ceremony in the Guild Hall. Lord Derby was rewarded for his great service to Lancashire and followed in the footsteps of his father who had been honoured in 1902. Alderman Matthews being rewarded for his dedicated service to the town and in particular his contribution to the Parks Department.
Not until April 1949 with the wars behind them did the Town Council turn once more to the matter of honouring its distinguished servants. On this occasion three of the town’s Aldermen were honoured with the Freedom of the Borough. Doctor’s wife Avice Pimblett was thought worthy after 28 years as a Town Councillor during which time she had become the first woman to don the Mayoral robes. The other recipients were Richard Durham and Richard Crane Pye, the former having served his native town for 34 years and the latter having been a councillor since 1928.
In 1952 the Guild Mayor was Preston born John James Ward who had been on the Town Council from 1928 until 1945 from which time he concentrated on his role as a magistrate. However is distinguished service to the town and his prominent role in the Guild celebrations earned him a place on the roll of honour later in the year.
It was another twelve years before Preston deemed another person suitable for the honour when Alderman William Beckett and former Alderman Frank Jamieson were made Honorary Freemen of the Borough. Preston born William Beckett a former railway worker and military medal holder for gallantry had given 35 years service to the Town Council and been an active trade unionist. Frank Jamieson being rewarded for his contribution to the transport system of Preston having spent almost 30 years as Transport Chairman.
In 1979 the Town Council broke with tradition when they recognised the achievements of one of the towns favourite son’s and bestowed the honour upon Tom Finney almost two decades after his distinguished football career ended. With his knighthood still some years away the Town Council were keen to acknowledge his contribution to the town during his international football career and in his charitable and civic contribution after his retirement.
In June 1984 former cotton mill worker Catherine Sharples, aged 74, became the first woman for 35 years to receive the honour. The docker’s daughter had been on the Town Council for almost 30 years and had been a key figure in the founding of the St. Catherine’s hospice. 
In Guild Year 1992 thoughts once more turned to civic honour and by resolution of the Council the honour was given to three prominent local leaders. The Guild Mayor elect Harold Parker, who had been leader of the Labour group for a decade, was deemed worthy along with fellow Socialist and former Mayor Ian Whyte Hall. Also chosen was long serving Conservative party leader Joseph Hood who had been on the Town Council from 1969 and Mayor of the town in 1977.
Five years on and the town honoured another of its favourite son’s when Nicholas Park the world famous animator was made an Honorary Freeman of the Borough in October 1997 to mark his achievements with the comic creations Wallace and Gromit. With three Academy Awards to his name the former Preston schoolboy had brought fame to his hometown.
Besides honouring individuals the City of Preston have also in recent times granted three organisations the honour. In November 1992 the honour went to the 14th/20th Hussars Regiment, a year later the Parish Church of St. John was similarly honoured and in March 2000 the University of Central Lancashire was added to the distinguished list.
Whether a distinguished cricketer of local birth is the next name on the list is a matter that the City Council will be debating in the not too distant future.
Keith Johnson 2005