Skip to content ↓

Translate

Search

Churchill Academy & Sixth Form

Churchill alumnus, Harry Lim, granted the prestigious Freedom of the City of London

We’re honoured to share the news that Harry Lim, a Churchill alumnus, has been awarded the Freedom of the City of London and was presented with the accolade this week during a Ceremony at the Guildhall in London.

This is an outstanding achievement and we’re so proud of the journey Harry has taken following studying at his A-Levels at Churchill.  Harry is pictured above with (L to R): Master of the Worshipful Company of International Bankers, Angela Knight CBE; Harry Lim; Middle Warden, Tim Skeet; Clerk to the Worshipful Company of International Bankers, Carole Seawert.

Harry writes below what the Freedom of the City of London is and what it has meant to him to be granted the award:

"On Thursday 6th June 2024, I was granted the Freedom of the City of London. But what exactly does it mean to be granted the Freedom of the City of London?

The Freedom of the City of London is an ancient tradition that dates back to 1237 and was originally awarded to help citizens carry out their trade. The recipient was viewed as a “free man” and not subject to a feudal lord with the right to earn money for themselves and own property. In 1835, the Freedom was widened to include people living or working in the City or those with a strong London connection.

Today, the Freedom of the City does still carry many of the historical rights, like wandering around the City with your sword drawn to defend yourself (not advisable) or being drunk and disorderly and granted safe passage (in the back of a taxi, nowadays) home. Also, the Freedom is a requirement for standing for election to the Court of Common Council, the Court of Aldermen and ultimately, the Lord Mayor of the City of London.

Some notable recipients of the Freedom of the City of London include Lord Nelson, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth II, Dame Vera Lynn, Eddie Redmayne, Bill Gates, Mark Carney, Bob Geldof, Harry Kane and Sir Bill Beaumont.

Reflecting on the many challenges I had to overcome to get here, it fills me with immense gratitude to have this opportunity to be part of the history of the City of London. I look forward to working with the International Bankers Charitable Trust to continue to encourage children from disadvantaged backgrounds to raise their aspirations and pursue a career in financial services."