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

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

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

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