Origins of the present Guild

 

The picture shows the members of the Freemen's Housing Committee taken in the Mayor's Parlour in 1944.

The photograph was supplied by one of the original members of the committee Les Yates, who is standing fourth from the right on the back row.

The photograph shows:-

Rear left - right W. Underhill, J. Parbury, T. Radburn, L. Greasley,
F. Chatland, L. Yates, G. Mayes, E. Barker and L. Jones.




Front left - right F. Blackford, R. Brindley, A. Riley (Chairman)
E. Seabourne and D. Tipping

Les Yates also submitted extracts from local papers at the time the Coventry Evening Telegraph and the Coventry Standard from which this article was written.

The committee was formed in July 1944 to look after the interests of Freemen who were on war service. Asking the Council for housing priority for Freemen returning after the war was over, at the time there were 6,000 people on the Corporation Housing List, 1,300 of them were Freemen in the services.

Although the committee failed in the endeavour it became the basis of the forming of the City of Coventry Freemen's Guild. Nearly 400 Freemen attended a meeting in the Central Hall Coventry on 3rd March 1945 where the City of Coventry Freemen's Guild was formally inaugurated. At that meeting the general secretary Mr Eric A Seabourne out lined the events that had begun with the forming of the Housing Committee. Mr R A Brindley a local solicitor and Hon Treasurer gave an address on the history of the Freemen, and how they acquired their lands. The Chairman Mr A E Riley submitted the main objects of the Guild, which are those we have today, Alderman Fred Lee Coventry's oldest Freemen seconded the proposal and the Guild was inaugurated. The following year 1946 the Coventry Freemen's Guild was incorporated as a limited company and we are now in our 58th year.

The picture on the left shows the original Court members in 1946.

Back Row:, J Philpott, L Springam, J Wall, K Turner, T Radbourne

Middle Row: P Willis, T. Jackson, N. Underhill, Unknown, S Blastdall
L. Yates




Front Row: T Friswell, W Marples, R Washbourne, A Lord, S Pen,
E May, L Jones, G Mayes, A Cooper

SCROLL IN MEMORY OF FRED LEE ESQ

The original scroll was placed behind the Freemen's Plaque in St Mary's Hall.

The inscription on the Scroll says "We the members of the City of Coventry Freemen's Guild, ask your acceptance of this scroll with a request that you place it behind the Stone Plaque which you are now presenting to the Guild in memory of your father, Alderman Fred Lee, Justice of the Peace, who was Master of our Guild from March 1948 to the time of his passing, and on behalf of the Guild make all arrangements with the City Council for this Plaque to be placed in Saint Mary's Hall in the City of Coventry.

We also record our deep appreciation and gratitude to our late Master, who during his termin office we all grew to love so well. He will long be remembered by us all and his memory will travel far into the future of the Guild.

The following signatories here present at this ceremony also wish to record their names in honour of your father" Joseph Howat, Mayor of Coventry ; Alec Turner, Last Master ; T E Friswell, Master : William Storer G.E. Mayes ; W.R. Marples : W. L.Springham : Roland Sidwell ; Phillip Willis ; T. Radburn ; F. Warner ; G. G. Welton : H. J. Walton ; L Jones ; W.E. Pass ; A. Cooper ; R.W. Dawson ; H Weston, Deputy Mayor : John Parbury (There are to signatures which I cannot decipher)

The Scroll was presented to the Guild by John E. Parbury Esq J.P. a founder member and Past Chairman of the Trustees of the Freemen's Estates. In the top left hand corner of the scroll shows the Masters Jewel presented by Alderman Fred Lee, JP in 1949 and is still worn by the present Master of the Guild. Bottom right hand corner shows the London Loving Cup, this was presented to the Guild by the Guild of Freemen of the City of London in 1946 and is still used many times during the year.