Simply close this window when you are done.

Compliments of Hilary Godber

Freeman of Grimsby

1) Who are the Freemen of Grimsby?  They are about 1300 in number,
 descended from, or whose wives are descended from, freemen of the
 old borough and who continue to reside within and pay rates (or 
 the equivalent) to the Borough.

2) Can women be Freemen of the borough?  No, they cannot be Freemen
 but, if they are widows of Freemen, their names can be entered on
 the Pastures Roll and they can participate in the financial benefit.

3) What is the Pastures Roll?  It is a list of the names and addresses
 of the Freemen of the borough and the widows of Freemen who are all
 entitled to benefit financially from the Freemen's Estate.

4) What is the Freemen's Estate?  It is land within the Borough vested
 in the Freemen by Letters Patent granted by Edward III in 1341.

5) How did the Freemen obtain their Estate?  In 1341 Edward III
 granted, by Letters Patent to the Mayor and Burgesses, certain waste
 and marsh land, which were then outside the Borough boundary, giving
 them the sole right to pasture their sheep, cattle, horses, and the
 like, on this land.

6) Where was this land?  Originally it was in the East Marsh but, as
 a result of the Enclosure Acts, it now includes some land in the
 Littlefield and Haycroft area of Grimsby.

7) How did the land become so valuable?  As a result of the building
 of a new dock at Grimsby after 1796, and with the advent of the
 Manchester Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway Company line to Grimsby
 in 1848, land which had formerly been salt marsh became valuable
 building land - thus increasing the value of the Freemen's Estate.

8) How did a man become "free"?  There were originally only two ways
 of obtaining the freedom (1-2 below) but this was increased to five
 (3-5 below).

 (1) By being born the son of a Freeman.  It was necessary for the
 father to be a resident freeman at the time, and for the birth to
 have taken place within the borough.  Residents of Wellow did not
 become eligible until the nineteenth century and those in Scartho
 not until 1928.
 (2) By serving a seven year indenture to a Freeman of the borough.
 (3) By marrying the daughter or widow of a Freeman.
 (4) By purchase.  In Grimsby it was necessary to be a Freeman of
 the borough in order to trade within the borough.  Therefore those
 who wished to trade within the borough bought their freedom.  This
 became illegal in 1835.
 (5) By gift.  The recipient was expected to pay for the privilege. 
 It was usually "given" to potential Members of Parliament, the High
 Steward, the Recorder, and the like.  This also was abolished by
 the Municipal Corporations Act of 1835.

9) What were the benefits of freedom of the borough?  Originally
 the benefits were:

 (1) the right to trade within the borough
 (2) the right to vote at municipal and parliamentary elections
     (for only freemen could vote) 
 (3) the right to pasture sheep, cattle, horses, and the like on
     the common pasture
 (4) the freedom from payment of tolls within and outside the borough 
 (5) the right of education for their children at the Corporation
     Grammar Schools.  The schools (for boys and girls) were closed
     in 1949.

10) Were there any responsibilities?  Yes.  Until the reforms of the
 1830s, all municipal duties were carried out by Freemen (e.g. Mayor,
 Common Councillors, Alderman, Pinders, Constable, Bailiff, etc)

11) How can a man become a Freeman now?  By one of two ways:

 (1) By being born the son of a Freeman who was resident within the
     borough at the time of the birth and was paying rates.  The son
     must also reside within and pay rates to the borough.
 (2) By marrying the daughter or the widow of a Freeman.  The same
     conditions apply to the applicant as in (1)

12) Can anyone lose their freedom?  Yes.  Originally the freedom
 could be lost by:

 (1) the receipt of parish poor relief in Grimsby or elsewhere 
 (2) by committing a felony
 (3) by residing outside the borough boundary or by ceasing to pay
     rates within the borough.  In this third case the Freeman could
     be readmitted upon returning to live within the borough for
     twelve months and paying rates.  This is the only method which
     still applies.

13) Who administers the Freemen's Estate?  It is administered by
 the Pastures Committee (fourteen annually elected Enrolled Freemen)
 who employ their own Clerk and Treasurer.  It is administered in
 accordance with the Grimsby Pastures Act 1849 and the Grimsby
 Corporation Act 1949, and comes under the control of the Charity
 Commissioners.

14) What is the advantage now of being a Freeman?  Since the 1849 Act,
 all Enrolled Freemen (viz. those on the Pastures Roll) receive a
 half-yearly dividend based on the annual income received by the
 Freemen's Estate (less expenses and after payment of one-twentieth
 to the Borough)

15) Who are Honorary Freemen on the Borough?  The Borough Council may
 still admit as Honorary Freemen persons of distinction and those who
 have rendered eminent service to the borough, but they are not
 Enrolled Freemen.

There is a book with all past eligible Freeman listed in it. It may
be available at the NE Lincolnshire Archives in Grimsby or at the
Grimsby Library. 

Last updated:  *** 29 May 2002 ***