It’s an old tradition that freemen had the right to be hanged with a silk noose!

During Queen Elizabeth I reign, Norwich Freemen devised one of the earliest schemes of poor relief in the country. It later served as a model for national schemes.

Until 1835 only freemen could vote in the Norwich local elections. This created problems as rate payers did not have the right to vote.

Under the freemen’s governance, Norwich grew to become England’s second city after London for 200 years – 1525 to 1725.