Our newest member, W Bro John Leggett PSGD, PAsstProvGM, who will shortly be formally joining the Lodge, attended a memorable ceremony at Guildhall, London, on 10th June 2025, where he was admitted to the Freedom of the City of London.

During the ceremony, John was invited by the Clerk of the Court to read aloud the Declaration of a Freeman, sign the Register of Freemen, and was then proudly presented with his official certificate of freedom.

He was accompanied on this special occasion by his wife, Fatima, and by W Bro Keith Gregory SLGR, PPrJGW, as captured in the photograph.

The Freedom of the City of London is one of the oldest surviving civic traditions, dating back as far as 1237. In medieval times, a freeman was someone not bound to a feudal lord, enjoying privileges such as the right to trade, earn money, and own property. Town dwellers protected by their city’s charter were often granted this status, giving rise to the enduring expression “Freedom of the City.”