County Council proposals for a new multi-million pound headquarters in the centre of Durham have been met with a formal objection from the city’s freemen. The authority plans to leave its present home at Aykley Heads and build replacement offices and associated parking on riverside land next to the Sands. The freemen, whose trade guilds […]
The Annual Dinner of the Durham City Freemen was held in the Town Hall on Saturday 6 October 2018, where 63 Freemen, friends and guests enjoyed an evening in the magnificent setting of the Main Hall. The Mayor and Mayoress of Durham, Councillor John Lethridge and Sandra Lethridge were in attendance, together with Jim Evans […]
The Freemen have been publicly thanked for helping support the creation of a fantastic sporting asset at a primary school on the outskirts of the city. Over two years ago the Parent Teachers’ Association at Neville’s Cross School appealed for help in raising £60,000 to cover costs of developing an all-weather multi-use games area within […]
Beloved son of Jen and Thomas. Devoted husband and best friend of Anne. Loving dad to Ian and Paul. Doting grandad to Dylan, Emily and Alice. Harry Robson24 November 1937 – 27 July 2018 Proud member of the Durham City Freemen and dedicated Warden of the Plumbers Guild. Harry always had time and always had […]
Following our visit to Berwick last year, the Durham City Freemen hosted a visit of the Berwick Guild. It proved to be very enjoyable day which also benefited from wonderful sunny weather. The programme for the visit of members and guests of the Berwick Guild included; The visit concluded with refreshments in the Town Hall […]
I represented the Freemen at a dinner of the Clothworkers Guild Trustees held in the Clothworkers Hall in the City of London. It provided me with the opportunity to inform other guests of the history and heritage of the Durham City Freemen together with the current developments taking place. Following the dinner I was given […]
A woman, whose extended family links with the city’s freemen stretch back more than a century, has been sworn in as a new member – the result of a chance conversation with her cousin. Forty-two-year-old Sue Staveley lives in a village on the outskirts of Scarborough with her husband Jamie, 13-year-old daughter Emily and son […]
Three freemen, all members of the same family, put their best feet forward over the Easter holiday to climb to the top one of England’s highest mountains – a trek organised to give a cash boost to cancer research. The trio, Geoff Kitson, son Leighton and daughter Alison, were part of a seven-strong group who […]
A donation from the Freemen has topped off a public appeal to meet the cost of roof repairs at a divisional Girl Guides’ centre in the city. The £1,000 gift lifted the fund to the £8,100 target needed to get the building work under way at Redwood Lodge in Durham City. “The freemen’s contribution was […]
John Atkinson was known to all as a welcoming spirit at Freemen Meetings, Guild Days and the Annual Dinner. Although John had originally been admitted to the Company of Drapers, he agreed to become Warden of the Masons’ Company in 1999 in succession to Donald Young. He retired as Warden of the ‘Masons’ in 2013. […]