3. Freemen of the City
Under the Local Government Act 1972, we are allowed to grant the status of Honorary Freeman to those who deserve the honour.
There are a number of rights traditionally associated with freemen such as the right to drive sheep through the city or carry a sword in public. While sheep have occasionally been driven through Exeter, the "privileges" are now effectively symbolic.
Freedom by succession is still granted today to any person who can prove descent from a deceased freeman. Proof of descent is required by the production of the usual certificates of death of father, marriage and birth.
Previous Honorary Freemen have included Lord Nelson, The Rt.Hon. The Lord Widgery and the Arch Bishop of Canterbury.
| Freeman | Type | Granted |
|---|---|---|
| Mr H. M. Dare | Hereditary | 1984 |
| Mr J. D. Setter | Hereditary | 1987 |
| Mrs T. Joslin | Hereditary | 1997 |
| Sir John Hannam | Honorary | 1998 |
| Mr N. J. Leigh-Morgan | Hereditary | 2003 |
| Mr G. C. Curry | Hereditary | 2007 |
| Mr D. J. Morrish | Honorary | 2011 |
| Mr T. M. Sanders | Hereditary | 2013 |
| Mrs S. Spence | Honorary | 2013 |
| Mr B. M. H. Harwood | Hereditary | 2014 |
| Mrs Y. A. C. Henson | Honorary | 2015 |
| Mrs J. Pavey | Honorary | 2015 |
| Mr L. Tancock | Honorary | 2015 |
| Mr T. Rowe | Honorary | 2015 |
| Mr M. Caines | Honorary | 2016 |
| Mr R. Atkins | Honorary | 2017 |
| Mr R. E. J. Baxter | Honorary | 2017 |
| Mr R. C. Crabb | Honorary | 2018 |
| Dr C. L. T. Gray | Honorary | 2018 |
| Mr. D. Fursdon | Hereditary | 2019 |
| Mr G R Steenson | Honorary | 2021 |
| Mr R J Jacobs | Honorary | 2021 |
| Mr P Bostock OBE DL Hon.LLD | Honorary | 2022 |