Hamish Ogston, entrepreneur and philanthropist, has recently been bestowed the Freedom of the City of London in a ceremony in the Chamberlain’s Court at Guildhall.
The Freedom of the City of London is one of the oldest surviving traditional ceremonies still in existence today, with the first award dating back to the 13th century. Awardees are awarded ‘the Freedom’, a title which originally ascribed to them the protection of the Charter of the city of London. From the Middle Ages through to the Victorian era, the Freedom came to mean the right to trade, enabling members to carry out their trade or craft in the Square Mile.
Nowadays, many of the practical reasons for obtaining the Freedom of the City have disappeared, however the award remains a unique part of London’s history, to which selected people who have lived or worked in the City have been proud to be admitted.
In a ceremony in the Chamberlain’s Court at Guildhall on January 10th, 2023, Hamish Ogston was awarded the Freedom. And, by uttering a declaration and in receiving the right hand of fellowship from the Chamberlain of the Court, Hamish joins the list of freemen of the City of London, which includes several well-known historical figures such as William Pitt, Florence Nightingale, George Peabody, Winston Churchill and Clement Atlee.
To learn more about the ancient tradition of the Freedom of the City of London, visit: https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-us/law-historic-governance/freedom-of-the-city