The Guild of Young Freemen

PATRON The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor  –  HON PRESIDENT Alderman Dr Andrew Parmley

The Guild of Young Freemen was founded in 1976 by the City of London Corporation under the Lord Mayoralty of Sir Robin Gillett Bt to encourage the wider participation of Freemen under the age of 40 in the affairs and traditions of the Livery, by supporting them in finding a Livery Company to join.  Ever since, it has played an important part in promoting the Livery to generations of young Freemen and has progressed no fewer than 820 young freemen to the Livery, many of whom have gone on to become Masters, Clerks, Elected Members and even Lord Mayor.

Strong ties with the City of London Corporation, Guilds and Livery Companies, and an engaging programme of events all serve to provide members with an invaluable insight into the rich fabric of the City. With a strong emphasis on civic service and benevolence, members are required to take an active part in the Livery programme whilst upholding its traditions and values, and any unattached Freemen are expected to join a Livery Company.

Membership of the Guild currently numbers some 160 young professionals, drawn mostly from the City’s financial and professional services, although there is also a healthy representation from the legal sector and the Armed Services. The Guild is governed by a Master, Wardens and Court of Assistants which meets regularly throughout the year to oversee the Guild’s activities.  As an association of younger freemen, the programme is tailored to the increasingly busy schedules of young professionals; all events are significantly subsidised and any profit made from quarterage is invested in the Guild’s charitable activities across its affiliated charities, military units and schools.

Though close links have always existed between the two, the Guild of Young Freemen is a voluntarily-run organisation which is completely independent of the Guild of Freemen of the City of London, a Company Limited by Guarantee founded in 1908.

Honorary Presidents

1976-81         Sir Robin Gillett Bt, GBE, RD, DSc

1981-84         Sir Lindsay Ring, GBE

1984-87         Sir Ronald Gardner-Thorpe GBE

1987-90         Sir Hugh Bidwell, GBE

1990-94         Sir Brian Jenkins, GBE

1994-97         Sir Roger Cork

1997-00         Sir Clive Martin OBE, TD, DL

2000-02        Sir Michael Oliver, LLD

2002-07         Sir David Brewer, CMG

2007-15         Alderman Sir David Wootton, MA

2015-             Alderman Dr Andrew Parmley