In 1289 Hugh de London was fined 12d ‘because he buys and sells in the city and is not of the freedom’

Anybody who wished to trade freely in medieval Norwich had to become a freeman.

From the early 15th century, the freemen governed Norwich in relative harmony for 250 years – in marked contrast to other large rival towns in England such as Bristol, York and Newcastle.

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