Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe to esteemed members of its community or to organisations that have given the community heroic service; the term applies to two separate honors, one civilian and one military.
Key to the City is a similar award made in several other countries, and is more prevalent in the United States.
As a military privilege
Freedom of the City is an ancient honour granted to martial organisations, allowing them the privilege to march into the city "with
drumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of music instruments, technically classified as a membranophone.. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with parts of a player's body, or with some sort of...
s beating,
coloursIn military organizations, the practice of carrying colours, standards or Guidons, to act both as a rallying point for troops, and to mark the location of the commander, is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt some 5,000 years ago...
flying, and
bayonetA bayonet is a knife-, dagger-, sword-, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle barrel or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear. It is a close quarter battle combat or last-resort weapon.-History: The origins of the bayonet are...
s fixed".
This honour dates back to the laws of ancient Rome that made it a capital offence for Roman legions to enter the city in formation or with weapons without permission. This was meant to ensure that ambitious generals did not mount a military coup against the Senate. (It was the law that
Julius CaesarGaius Julius Caesar , , was a Roman military and political leader. He played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
broke when crossing the Rubicon.) Similar laws were passed by cities throughout the Medieval era, also to protect civic security and rights, even against their own king's troops.
However, legions, regiments, or other martial groups that had given heroic service or whose honour was beyond question, might be granted Freedom of the City: the group would not have to disarm or break ranks before the city gates were opened to them. Given the serious risk the city would be running, this was a rare honour.
Today, martial freedom of the city is an entirely ceremonial honour, but remains the oldest and one of the highest civic honours in the
Commonwealth of NationsThe Commonwealth of Nations, often referred to as the Commonwealth and previously as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-three independent member states. Most of them were formerly part of the British Empire. They co-operate within a framework of common values...
.
As freedom from serfdom
A slightly more common freedom of the city is connected to the medieval concept of "free status", when city and town charters drew a distinction between freemen and
vassalsSerfdom is the socio-economic status of unfree peasants under feudalism, and specifically relates to Manorialism. It was a condition of bondage or modified slavery which developed primarily during the High Middle Ages in Europe...
of a
feudalFeudalism is a decentralized sociopolitical structure in which a weak monarchy attempts to control the lands of the realm through reciprocal agreements with regional leaders...
Lord. As such, freemen actually pre-date 'boroughs'. Early freedom of the boroughs ceremonies had great importance in affirming that the recipient enjoyed privileges such as the right to trade and own property, and protection within the town. Before parliamentary reform in 1832, freedom of the city or town conferred the right to vote in the 'parliamentary boroughs' for the MPs. Until the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 the freemen were the exclusive electorate for the boroughs. These two Acts together curtailed the power of the freemen and extended the franchise to all 'householders' (i.e., local rate payers). The private property belonging to the freemen collectively was retained. York, Oxford and Newcastle-upon-Tyne still own considerable areas within their towns, although the income is effectively given to support charitable objects. The
Local Government Act 1972The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
specifically preserved Freemen's rights.
In contemporary society, the award of honorary freedom of the city or
boroughA borough is an administrative division of various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
tends to be entirely ceremonial, given by the local government in many towns and cities on those who have served in some exceptional capacity, or upon any whom the city wishes to bestow an honour (see Local Government Act 1972). It requires a special meeting of the council which passes the resolution by a two thirds majority.
The key to the city award is used in many places, in a manner similar to freedom of the city (see below).
Borough Freedom of the City of London
In England, the most extensive borough freedom is that conferred by the Freedom of the City of London, first recorded in 1237. This is closely tied to the role and status of the Livery Companies. From 1835 the Freedom "without the intervention of a Livery Company" has been bestowed by a general resolution of Common Council, by 'redemption' (purchase), at one time an onerous sum but now a donation to the Freemen's School.
New Freemen are enrolled in a ceremony in Guildhall, when they receive a guide to conducting their lives in an honourable fashion and an impressive sealed certificate. Freemen's children get admission preference at the
City of London Freemen's SchoolCity of London Freemen's School is a Public school, day and boarding located at Ashtead Park in Surrey, England. It is the sister school of the City of London School and the City of London School for Girls, both independent single-sex schools located within the City of London itself...
. There are a number of rights traditionally but apocryphally associated with Freemen—the right to drive sheep and cattle over
London BridgeLondon Bridge is a bridge between the City of London and Southwark in London, England, over the River Thames. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
; to a silken rope, if hanged; to carry a naked sword in public; or that if the City of London Police finds a freeman drunk and incapable, they will bundle him or her into a taxi and send them home rather than throw them into a cell.
The belief that freemen have droving rights over the bridges appears to be a misinterpretation of freemen's historic freedom from bridge tolls when bringing animals into the City for sale. Nevertheless, this "invented" right has been exercised periodically in modern times:
- On June 17, 2006, a flock of about thirty sheep was driven across the Millennium Bridge
The London Millennium Footbridge is a pedestrian-only steel suspension bridge crossing the River Thames in London, England, linking Bankside with the City. It is located between Southwark Bridge and Blackfriars Railway Bridge . The bridge is owned and maintained by the Bridge House Estates, a...
to mark the start of London Architecture Week.
- On August 31, 2008, Amanda Cottrell, a former High Sheriff of the City, marched six rams across London Bridge to promote fundraising for the restoration of Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the Church of England and symbolic leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion...
and "a scheme backing local food production"
- On September 17, 2008, the Lord Mayor and some 500 Freemen drove a flock of Romney ewes in relay across the bridge to raise funds for the Lord Mayor's charities (Orbis
Orbis, the Latin word for "circle", "ring", "sphere" or anything round or rotating, may also refer to:* Orbis, a Doctor Who audio play, starring Paul McGann and Sheridan Smith...
and Wellbeing of Women).
Today the Freedom of the City of London is still taken up by some 1,800 people every year. Prior to 1996, the Freedom was only open to British or Commonwealth Citizens over 21 years of age and of good character. Now, however, it has been extended globally, and persons of any nationality may apply either by nomination, by
patrimonyPatrimony may refer to:* Property or other legal entitlements inherited from one's father, especially if it has been handed down through generations in the same family, birthright....
or by being presented by a
Livery CompanyThe 108 Livery Companies are trade associations based in the City of London, almost all of which are known as the "Worshipful Company of" the relevant trade or profession. The Livery Companies originally developed as guilds and were responsible for the regulation of their trades, controlling, for...
. There is a long-standing tradition of admitting women, who used to be called 'free sisters' but who are now also called Freemen.
Although the Freedom is not an honour except in the case of Honorary Freedom, many people who have lived or worked in the City are proud to become part of the City's history by becoming Freemen. The Freedom is open to all who are genuinely interested and meet the criteria set down.
Borough freedom of the city in other cities
In other British cities, towns and boroughs, the qualifications for borough freedom differ, yet fall into two categories, 'patrimony' (inheritance) and 'servitude' (apprenticeship). For example, in
ChesterChester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
and
YorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence....
, only the children or grandchildren (or great grandchildren in York) (male or female) of freemen may apply for admission (In York, apprenticeship to a freeman of the city will also allow admission; though now rare, it has been used as recently as 2000. In Great Grimsby, the widow of a freeman passes his rights to her second husband who retains the privilege after either divorce from or death of the widow. The borough freedom is strongest in York, Chester,
Newcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England...
and
CoventryCoventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham with a population of 300,848...
, in the last named freedom is qualified by having served an apprenticeship.
DurhamDurham is a city in the North East of England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county....
and
NorthamptonNorthampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. It is about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, and lies on the River Nene...
have extended their admission criteria to those who have served an apprenticeship without being 'bound' (trained by) by a Freeman directly. The
Honorary Freedom of Boroughs Act 1885The Honorary Freedom of Boroughs Act 1885 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
is a law passed by the
Parliament of the United KingdomThe Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories. It alone has parliamentary sovereignty, conferring upon it ultimate power over all other political bodies in the UK and its territories...
. However the Freedom is still thriving in many cities and the above should only be seen as a guide. Each city where the admission of Freemen is carried out has its own regulations and customs for admission. Full information is available at the local authority of each city where Freemen are created.
In the
Republic of IrelandIreland is a country in north-western Europe. The modern sovereign state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned on 3 May 1921. It is a parliamentary democracy and a republic...
borough freedom of the city is generally given to noted foreign and national dignitaries and the list rarely exceeds a few dozen. The cities of the Republic of Ireland generally give various privileges, for instance
DublinDublin is the largest city and capital of Ireland. It is officially known in Irish as Baile Átha Cliath or Áth Cliath ; the English name comes from the Irish Dubh Linn meaning "black pool". It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the...
allows the right to vote in certain
electionAn election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the executive and...
s, bring goods for sale in the city without
customsCustoms is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country. Depending on local legislation and regulations, the import or export of...
and the right to pasture sheep on common ground such as
College GreenCollege Green is a three-sided "square" in the centre of Dublin. It was once known as Hoggen Green from the Old Norse word haugr meaning mound. On its northern side is a building known today as the Bank of Ireland which until 1800 was Ireland's Parliament House. To its east stands Trinity College...
and
St. Stephen's GreenSt Stephen's Green is an city centre public park in Dublin, Ireland. The park is adjacent to one of Dublin's main shopping streets, Grafton Street, and to a shopping centre named for it, while on its surrounding streets are the offices of a number of public bodies and the city terminus of one of...
.
Key to the City
The
Key to the City is a similar award that is descended from Freedom of the City. It is used in several countries, but is especially popular in the United States.
An ornamental key is presented to esteemed visitors, residents, or others the city wishes to honor. Evoking medieval walled cities whose gates were guarded during the day and locked at night, the key symbolizes the freedom of the recipient to enter and leave the city at will as a trusted friend of city residents.
In the Netherlands and some cities in Belgium and Germany, the key to the city is given to the so-called "Prince carnival", which leads the carnivals which take place the week prior to
SeptuagesimaSeptuagesima , an observance dropped from the calendar as revised following the Second Vatican Council but still in use in the traditional calendars, is the name given to the third from the last Sunday before Lent in the Catholic and Anglican churches. The Lutheran Church Year continues using the...
. The tradition is that the mayor steps down for the days, and so the power is transferred to the prince carnival, which returns the key at the end of
Shrove TuesdayShrove Tuesday is a term used in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia for the day preceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Christian season of fasting and prayer called Lent....
/
Mardi GrasThe terms "Mardi Gras" and "Mardi Gras season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, ending on the day before Ash Wednesday...
. Today, the handing over of the key is mostly symbolic and marks the start and end of the carnival.
Australia
Sydney, New South Wales
- Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following federation of the Australian Colonies in 1901, the former colonial navies merged to become the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
: March 14, 2009
Maitland, New South WalesMaitland is a city in the Lower Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Maitland City Council, situated on the Hunter River approximately by road north of Sydney and north-west of Newcastle...
Canada
Airdrie, AlbertaAirdrie is a city in Alberta, Canada, located just north of Calgary within the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor. The City of Airdrie is part of Calgary's Census Metropolitan Area and a member community of the Calgary Regional Partnership . Due to its proximity to Calgary, Airdrie's population has been...
CalgaryCalgary is the largest city in the Province of Alberta, Canada.The Calgary census metropolitan area is the third most diverse in Canada in terms of visible minorities after Toronto and Vancouver when considering only CMAs with population greater than 200,000...
,
AlbertaAlberta is one of Canada's prairie provinces. It became a province on September 1, 1905.Alberta is located in western Canada, bounded by the provinces of British Columbia to the west and Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories to the north, and the U.S. state of Montana to the south....
- 14 (Calgary) Service Battalion
- Calgary Highlanders: 1956
- King's Own Calgary Regiment
- Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians)
Lord Strathcona's Horse is a regular armoured regiment of the Canadian Forces. Currently based in Edmonton, Alberta, the regiment is part of Land Force Western Area's 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group. When deployed overseas, however, the regiment is placed in ad hoc formations that report...
- 4 Wing Cold Lake: 11 May 1999
Courtenay, British ColumbiaCourtenay is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is the largest city in the area commonly known as the Comox Valley, and it is the location of the head offices of the Comox Valley Regional District...
: 2008
EdmontonEdmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta. The city is located on the North Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province, an area with some of the most fertile farmland on the prairies...
,
AlbertaAlberta is one of Canada's prairie provinces. It became a province on September 1, 1905.Alberta is located in western Canada, bounded by the provinces of British Columbia to the west and Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories to the north, and the U.S. state of Montana to the south....
- The Loyal Edmonton Regiment
HamiltonHamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
,
OntarioOntario is a province located in east-central Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area. Ontario is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east, and 5 U.S...
(Naval Reserve)
- Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada
- Royal Hamilton Light Infantry
KelownaKelowna is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. Its name derives from a native term for "grizzly bear"...
,
British ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is famed for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . In 1871, it became the sixth province of Canada.The capital of British Columbia is Victoria, the 15th largest metropolitan region in Canada...
- British Columbia Dragoons: 11 February 1963
Kingston, OntarioKingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, where Lake Ontario runs into the St. Lawrence River and the Thousand Islands begin.Kingston is the county seat of Frontenac County...
- Royal Military College of Canada
The Royal Military College of Canada , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers. Located on Point Frederick, a 41-hectare peninsula in Kingston, Ontario, the college is a blend of...
: 1976
London, OntarioLondon is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada along the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor with a metropolitan area population of 457,720; the city proper had a population of 352,395 in the 2006 Canadian census....
- The Royal Canadian Regiment
The Royal Canadian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. The RCR is the senior infantry regiment in the Regular Force, but its 4th Battalion is ranked 11th in the order of precedence among Reserve Force infantry regiments...
(1st Battalion) 1980
Ottawa, Ontario
- The Royal Canadian Regiment
The Royal Canadian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. The RCR is the senior infantry regiment in the Regular Force, but its 4th Battalion is ranked 11th in the order of precedence among Reserve Force infantry regiments...
(1st Battalion)1953
- Cameron Highlanders
The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.-History:The 1st Volunteer Militia Rifle Company of Ottawa was formed on April 3, 1856. At that time, the bulk of Canada's militia existed as small, independent companies scattered throughout the provinces...
: 1969
- 26/28 Service Battalion: 2009
Quebec CityQuébec , is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in the province – after Montreal, about to the southwest...
,
QuebecQuebec is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking identity and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
- Royal 22e Régiment
The Royal 22
e Régiment is an infantry regiment and the most famous francophone organization of the Canadian Forces. The regiment comprises three Regular Force battalions, two Primary Reserve battalions, and a band, making it the largest regiment in the Canadian Army. The ceremonial...
TorontoToronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America...
,
OntarioOntario is a province located in east-central Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area. Ontario is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east, and 5 U.S...
- 48th Highlanders of Canada
The 48th Highlanders of Canada is a Canadian Forces Primary Reserve infantry regiment based in Toronto, parading out of Moss Park Armoury. The regiment is part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group....
- The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada are a militia regiment within the Canadian Forces, based in Toronto, Ontario. The regiment is part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. It is the only Primary Reserve regiment in Canada to have a parachute role. The regiment consists of the...
: 1948
- The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's Own)
The Toronto Scottish Regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. It is part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group.-History:...
Uxbridge, OntarioUxbridge is a township in south-central Ontario, in the Regional Municipality of Durham in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada. The main centre in the township is the town of Uxbridge.-History:Uxbridge was surveyed in 1805 as part of York County...
- UNICEF
The United Nations Children's Fund was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946, to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated by World War II...
Team Canada: 2008
Waterloo, OntarioWaterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the larger city of Kitchener....
- 31 Combat Engineer Regiment
Vancouver, British Columbia
- 12 (Vancouver) Field Ambulance
12 Field Ambulance is a Canadian Forces Primary Reserve medical unit in Vancouver, British Columbia.-History:This unit has a long and distinguished history that lives up to the medical corps tradition of being faithful in adversity...
: 2007
Vegreville, AlbertaVegreville is a town in central Alberta, Canada. It is located east of Alberta's capital city, Edmonton. The primary economic base of the town is agricultural.A large percentage of Vegreville's population is of Ukrainian Canadian descent...
- 41 Combat Engineer Regiment (From predecessor unit)
Victoria, British ColumbiaVictoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada. Located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria is a major tourism destination seeing more than 3.65 million visitors a year who inject more than one billion dollars into the local economy. Victoria is a cruise ship port where...
- Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry is an infantry regiment in the Canadian Forces , belonging to 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group . It is one of the most decorated regiments in the CF. It currently consists of three Regular Force battalions and one Reserve Force. The PPCLI is ranked...
(3rd Battalion)
- Maritime Forces Pacific
In the Canadian Forces, Maritime Forces Pacific is responsible for Maritime Command fleet and operations in the Pacific Ocean.-MARPAC facilities:MARPACHQ is located at CFB Esquimalt in Victoria, British Columbia.* NOTC Venture...
- The 5th. (B.C.) Field Battery Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery is the artillery personnel branch of the Canadian Forces .-History:...
- The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's)
The Canadian Scottish Regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces based on Vancouver Island British Columbia.The regiment located in Victoria, Nanaimo, and Courtenay, British Columbia...
- Major-General, The Honourable George Randolph Pearkes, V.C.
- Royal Roads Military College
Royal Roads Military College was a Canadian military college located in Hatley Park, Colwood, British Columbia near Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The facility is currently being used as the campus for Royal Roads University, a public university that offers applied and professional academic...
MontrealMontreal is the second-largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of Quebec. Originally called Ville-Marie , the city takes its present name from Mont-Royal, the triple-peaked hill located in the heart of the city, whose name was also initially given to the island on which the...
,
QuebecQuebec is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking identity and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
- Canadian Grenadier Guards
- Le Régiment de Maisonneuve
Le Régiment de Maisonneuve is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.The regiment is Canada's twenty-sixth most senior reserve infantry regiment, and comprises one battalion serving as part of the Land Force Reserve.-History:...
- 3rd Field Engineer Regiment (34 CER)
Australia
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
'Freedom of the City' or 'Key to the City' has been granted twice in recent history.
- 2001: Royal Military Collage Duntroon During that year's GMC 400
- 2006: 1 April Scout Association of Australia, ACT Branch in recognition of the branch's 25th Anniversary
Canada
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The city bestows the "Key to the City" upon individuals that it wishes to honour in such a manner, usually at the discretion of the Mayor. Recipients include:
- 2000: Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies is a Juno-winning and Grammy-nominated Canadian alternative rock band. The band is composed of Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, Tyler Stewart, and formerly Andy Creeggan and Steven Page. They formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario, at the time a suburb of Toronto...
, a Canadian pop band.
- October 23, 2000: J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series of books.
- 2001: Blue Rodeo
Blue Rodeo is a Canadian pop and country rock band, which was formed in 1984 in Toronto, Ontario. They have been signed with Warner Music Group since their debut album Outskirts in March 1987...
, a Canadian alt-country band.
- November 18, 2001: Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, filmmaker, comedian, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer....
, an action movie star, was awarded the Key to the City in recognition of filming a movie there.
WindsorWindsor is the southernmost major city in Canada and lies in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, although administratively separated from the county government. Windsor is located south of Detroit, is separated...
, Ontario, Canada
- May 9, 2009: Windsor Spitfires
The Windsor Spitfires are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The franchise was granted for the 1975–76 season and revived a previous OHA Jr. A Spitfires team which moved to become the Hamilton Tiger Cubs in 1953...
Major JuniorJunior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between the ages of 16 and 20 years old...
ice hockeyIce Hockey is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a puck into the opposing team's goal. It is a fast-paced and physical sport...
team for winning the J. Ross Robertson CupThe J. Ross Robertson Cup is an ice hockey trophy awarded annually to the winner of the Ontario Hockey League playoff championship. It was presented by and named for John Ross Robertson, the president of the Ontario Hockey Association who served from 1899 to 1905.Originally it was awarded to the...
.
Republic of Ireland
Dublin, Ireland
See also
Freedom of Dublin CityThe Freedom of the City of Dublin is an award bestowed by the people of Dublin on a person nominated by the the Lord Mayor. It is usually awarded for contributions made to the life of the city, as an honour given to certain visiting dignitaries. This award is rarely given; only 74 people have been...
- Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is a former President of South Africa, the first to be elected in a fully representative democratic election, who held office from 1994–99. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of the African National Congress's armed wing Umkhonto...
- Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton was the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He was the third-youngest president; only Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy were younger when entering office...
United Kingdom
AberdeenAberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city and one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. It has an official population estimate of .Nicknames include the Granite City, the Grey City and the Silver City with the Golden Sands...
,
ScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Aberdeen has a long history of bestowing the honour. See
Freedom of the City of AberdeenAberdeen's Freedom ceremony has its origins in the 12th Century. There have been 38 Freedom ceremonies in Aberdeen since the start of the 20th Century...
for details.
BradfordBradford is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, England
- J. B. Priestley
John Boynton Priestley, OM was an English novelist, playwright and broadcaster.-Early years:Priestley was born in what he described as an "ultra-respectable" suburb of Bradford...
was awarded the Freedom of BradfordBradford is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
.
Bury St Edmunds, England
- Actor Ian McShane
Ian McShane is a Golden Globe-winning English actor. Although he has starred in a number of films, it is by his television roles that he is generally best known, starting with the BBC's Lovejoy and particularly in the HBO Western drama Deadwood...
was given freedom of the borough in 1996 after he played the title role in the television series LovejoyLovejoy is a TV series about the adventures of Lovejoy, a British antiques dealer based in East Anglia whose scruples are not always the highest. These were based on a series of picaresque novels by John Grant...
, filmed in and around Bury.
DerbyDerby is a city in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
, England
- 2003: former Derby County and Nottingham Forest football manager Brian Clough
Brian Howard Clough, OBE was an English footballer and subsequently football manager, most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest, and his 44 day reign at Leeds United A.F.C...
.
DouglasDouglas is a common surname of Scottish origin, thought to derive from the Scottish Gaelic Dubh Glas, meaning black, or black-green, , referring to locations either at Douglas in Scotland or Douglas in Ireland.Douglas is also used as a masculine given name...
,
Isle of ManThe Isle of Man , or Mann , is a self-governing British Crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Britain and Ireland. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Crown is represented by a Lieutenant Governor...
- Musicians The Bee Gees given freedom of the city in June 2009.
DurhamDurham is a city in the North East of England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county....
, England
- December 08 2008: Sir Bobby Robson received the Freedom of the City of Durham in honor of his services to football and charitable work. Robson was born in Sacriston, County Durham and went on to manage several successful football clubs across Europe including PSV Eindhoven
Philips Sport Vereniging , widely known either as PSV or PSV Eindhoven, is a Dutch sports club from Eindhoven, Netherlands. It is best known for its professional football department....
, Sporting Lisbon, FC Porto, FC BarcelonaFútbol Club Barcelona , also known simply as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça , is a football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The team was founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, English and Spanish men led by Joan Gamper. The club has become a Catalan institution, hence the motto "Més que...
and Newcastle United.
IpswichIpswich is a non-metropolitan district and the county town of Suffolk, England on the estuary of the River Orwell. Nearby towns are Felixstowe in Suffolk and Harwich and Colchester in Essex...
, England
- May 05 2008: Sir Bobby Robson received the Freedom of the Borough of Ipswich
Ipswich is a non-metropolitan district and the county town of Suffolk, England on the estuary of the River Orwell. Nearby towns are Felixstowe in Suffolk and Harwich and Colchester in Essex...
. Robson won the FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association. The name "FA Cup" usually refers to the English men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held...
in 1978 with Ipswich TownIpswich Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Ipswich, Suffolk...
. Robson also went on to manage EnglandThe English national football team represents England in international association football and is controlled by The Football Association, the governing body for football in England...
.
Kingston upon HullKingston upon Hull , almost invariably referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is located 25 miles from the North Sea on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary...
, England
- Recipients of Freedom of the City of Hull
Kingston upon Hull , almost invariably referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is located 25 miles from the North Sea on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary...
include:
- 1999: Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Desmond Mpilo Tutu is a South African cleric and activist who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid. In 1984, Tutu became the second South African to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize...
, when he was invited to give the annual Wilberforce Lecture in Kingston upon Hull, commemorating the life and achievements of the anti-slavery campaigner William WilberforceWilliam Wilberforce was a British politician, a philanthropist and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780 and became the independent Member of Parliament for Yorkshire...
. Tutu used the occasion to praise the people of the city for their traditional support of freedom and for standing with the people of South Africa in their fight against apartheid.
LeedsLeeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. The historic core at the heart of Leeds in 2001 had an estimated subdivision population of 443,247, whilst the entire city, that includes the urban and suburban areas incorporated into the city in 1974, had an estimated...
, England
- April 30, 2001: Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is a former President of South Africa, the first to be elected in a fully representative democratic election, who held office from 1994–99. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of the African National Congress's armed wing Umkhonto...
LiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
- Recipients of Freedom of the City of Liverpool include:
-
- April 30, 1970: Elizabeth Margaret Braddock, better known as Bessie Braddock
Elizabeth Margaret Braddock JP , better known as Bessie Braddock, was a British Labour politician....
, LiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
-born British LabourThe Labour Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century, it has been seen since 1920 as the principal party of the Left in England, Scotland and Wales, but not Northern Ireland, where it has only recently begun to organise again...
politician.
- November 23, 1983: Bob Paisley
Robert "Bob" Paisley OBE was an English football half back who became best known for being the most successful manager in English football history whilst managing his only team Liverpool Football Club in the 1970s and 1980s...
, best known for being one of the most successful managers in English football history whilst managing his only team Liverpool Football ClubLiverpool Football Club is a professional football club based in Liverpool, England. The club plays in the Premier League, and has won more trophies than any other English club...
in the 1970s and 1980s.
- March 7, 1984: George Harrison
George Harrison MBE was an English rock guitarist, singer-songwriter and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist in The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian mysticism, and helped broaden the horizons of the other Beatles, as well as...
, LiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
-born rockRock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1960s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music....
guitarThe guitar is a musical instrument with ancient roots that adapts readily to a wide variety of musical styles. It typically has six strings, but four-, seven-, eight-, ten-, eleven-, twelve-, thirteen- and eighteen-string guitars also exist. The size and shape of the neck and the base of the guitar...
ist, singer, songwriter, author and sitarThe sitar is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
ist best known as the lead guitarThe guitar is a musical instrument with ancient roots that adapts readily to a wide variety of musical styles. It typically has six strings, but four-, seven-, eight-, ten-, eleven-, twelve-, thirteen- and eighteen-string guitars also exist. The size and shape of the neck and the base of the guitar...
ist of The BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 who became one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music...
.
- March 7, 1984: John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE was an English rock musician, singer-songwriter, author, and peace activist who gained worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles...
, LiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
-born songwriter, singer, musician, graphic artistA graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography or motion graphics to create a piece of design. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, printed or electronic media, such as brochures and...
, author and political activistActivism, in a general sense, can be described as intentional action to bring about social change, political change, economic justice, or environmental wellbeing...
, one of the founders of The BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 who became one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music...
. (PosthumousA posthumous recognition is a ceremonial award given after the recipient has died, usually in honor of an action associated with his or her death....
)
- March 7, 1984: Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE , is an English singer-songwriter, poet, composer, multi-instrumentalist, entrepreneur, record and film producer, painter, and animal rights and peace activist. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings, McCartney is the most successful songwriter in the history of popular music...
, LiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
-born songwriter, singer, musician, graphic artistA graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography or motion graphics to create a piece of design. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, printed or electronic media, such as brochures and...
, author and political activistActivism, in a general sense, can be described as intentional action to bring about social change, political change, economic justice, or environmental wellbeing...
, one of the founders of The BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 who became one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music...
.
- March 7, 1984: Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE , better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer-songwriter, and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for the rock group The Beatles. When The Beatles formed in 1960, Starr belonged to another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes....
, real name Richard Starkey JrRichard Starkey, MBE , better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer-songwriter, and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for the rock group The Beatles. When The Beatles formed in 1960, Starr belonged to another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes....
, LiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
-born musician, singer, songwriter and actor, best known as the drummerA drummer is a person who plays drums, particularly a drum kit , marching percussion or hand drums. The term percussionist applies to a musician performing on any percussion instrument, but usually refers to one who plays classical or Latin percussion. Most bands for Rock, Pop, Jazz, R&B etc...
of The BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 who became one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music...
.
- July 6, 1994: Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is a former President of South Africa, the first to be elected in a fully representative democratic election, who held office from 1994–99. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of the African National Congress's armed wing Umkhonto...
, 11th PresidentThe President of the Republic of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under South Africa's Constitution. From 1961 to 1994, the head of state was called the State President....
of South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
.
- September 14, 2008: Duke of Lancaster's Regiment Soldiers returning from duty in Iraq and Afghanistan were awarded freedom of the city in recognition of their bravery and sacrifice.
- September 30, 2008: Sir Simon Rattle Conductor awarded Freedom of Liverpool. He was presented with the honour by the Lord Mayor, Councillor Steve Rotheram.
- April 15, 2009: Families of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster
The Hillsborough Disaster was a human crush that occurred on 15 April 1989 at Hillsborough, a football stadium, the home of Sheffield Wednesday F.C. in Sheffield, England, resulting in the deaths of 96 people, all fans of Liverpool F.C. It remains the deadliest stadium-related disaster in British...
were given this honour in a ceremony recognising the 20th anniversary of the event.
London, England
- Freedom of the City of London awarded to Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor and explorer.On May 20–21, 1927, Lindbergh, then a 25-year old U.S...
.
- 2005: Freedom of the City of London granted to Luciano Pavarotti
Luciano Pavarotti Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was an Italian operatic tenor, who also crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most commercially successful tenors of all time. He was one of "The Three Tenors" and became well-known for his televised concerts and media...
.
- 2008: Freedom of the City of London granted to Otto von Habsburg
Otto von Habsburg was the head of the House of Habsburg from 1922 to 2007...
.
ManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. In 2007, the population of the city was estimated to be 458,100...
, England
- October 6, 1899: Mrs Enriqueta Augustina Rylands
Enriqueta Augustina Rylands was the founder of the John Rylands Library, Manchester.Born in Havana, Cuba, she was one of five children including José Esteban , Blanca Catalina and Leocadia Fernanda...
- June 15, 1906: Businessman and Liberal Member of Parliament Sir William John Crossley
There have been two Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Crossley, both in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom.The Crossley Baronetcy, of Belle Vue and Somerleyton, was created in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom on 23 January 1863...
was presented with a key on the 15th of June in honour of the Stamford Park County School. He was made a baronetA baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown known as a baronetcy...
later the same year. He, with his brother Francis, founded the pioneering locomotive company CrossleyCrossley, based in Manchester, United Kingdom, was a pioneering company in the production of internal combustion engines. Since 1988 it has been part of the Rolls-Royce Power Engineering group.More than 100,000 Crossley oil and gas engines have been built....
and the (now defunct) car manufacturer Crossley MotorsCrossley Motors was a British motor vehicle manufacturer based in Manchester, England. They produced approximately 19,000 high quality cars from 1904 until 1938, 5,500 buses from 1926 until 1958 and 21,000 goods and military vehicles from 1914 to 1945....
and was a Director of the Manchester Ship Canal.
- 1907: James W. Southern, another director of the Manchester Ship Canal, was presented with the Freedom of the City in the form of a silver casket and scroll.
- 1974: Nellie Beer
- October 31, 1977: Astronomer Sir Bernard Lovell was presented with the Freedom of the City in the form of a simple salver.
- 1984: Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw
Dame Kathleen Timpson Ollerenshaw, DBE is a British mathematician and politician. Deaf since the age of eight, she loved doing arithmetic problems as a child. At the age of 19, she gained admittance to Somerville College, Oxford to study mathematics...
- March 2, 2009: Sir Bobby Charlton was awarded the Freedom for promoting the city of Manchester.
NottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, England and is one of only eight members of the English Core Cities Group....
- 1920 Jesse Boot, founder of Boots the Chemist
PrestonPreston is a city and non-metropolitan district of Lancashire, in North West England. It is located on the north bank of the River Ribble, and was granted city status in 2002, becoming England's 50th city in the 50th year of Queen Elizabeth II's reign...
, England
- 2005: Andrew Flintoff
Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff, MBE, is an English cricketer who plays for Lancashire County Cricket Club, England and Indian Premier League team, Chennai Super Kings...
was awarded the Freedom of Preston for his contribution in the Ashes SeriesThe 2005 Ashes series was that year's edition of the long-standing and storied cricket rivalry between England and Australia. Starting on 21 July 2005, England and Australia played five Tests, with the Ashes held by Australia as the most recent victors...
.
PortsmouthPortsmouth is a city located in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is the United Kingdom's only island city and is located on Portsea Island. The City of Portsmouth and Portsmouth Football Club are both nicknamed Pompey...
, England
- October 28, 2008: Former Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey, sometimes called 'The Blues', with their fans known as 'The Blue Army'. They play in the Premier League...
manager Harry RedknappHenry James "Harry" Redknapp is an English former footballer who has had a long career in football management. He is the manager of Tottenham Hotspur, a club in the English Premier League....
was made a freeman of the city for his achievements in leading Portsmouth to the FA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association. The name "FA Cup" usually refers to the English men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held...
in 2007-8. Ironically he had left Portsmouth FC for Tottenham Hotspur days earlier and he was booed by fans at the presentation.
RomseyRomsey is a small market town in the county of Hampshire, England.It is 8 miles northwest of Southampton and 11 miles south-west of Winchester. Just under 15,000 people live in Romsey, which has an area of about 4.93 square kilometres.Romsey lies on the River Test, which is famous for...
, England
- July 14, 2009: Soldiers from the 1st Battalion (Armored Tigers) of the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment were given the Freedom of Romsey for their service in Iraq
The Iraq War, also known as the Occupation of Iraq or Operation Iraqi Freedom, is an ongoing military campaign which began on March 20, 2003 with the invasion of Iraq by a multinational force led by troops from the United States and the United Kingdom.Prior to the war, the governments of the United...
and AfghanistanThe War in Afghanistan is an ongoing coalition conflict which began on October 7, 2001, as the British military participated in the US military's Operation Enduring Freedom that was launched in response to the September 11 attacks...
. The ceremony followed a parade held to welcome the unit home. Technically, the PWRR already had the Freedom of Romsey, as it inherited it from the Royal Hampshire RegimentThe Royal Hampshire Regiment is a former British Army line infantry regiment who trace their origins back to 1702. In World War I it took part in the Battle of Gallipoli when engaged in the fatal Landing at Cape Helles of the 88th Brigade, 29th Division....
as a result of the 1992 Options for ChangeOptions for Change was a restructuring of the British Armed Forces in 1990, aimed at cutting defence spending following the end of the Cold War....
merger with the Queen's Regiment.
SheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the city has grown from its largely industrial roots to encompass a wider economic base...
, England
- 2005: Winning Captain Michael Vaughan
Michael Paul Vaughan OBE is a former cricketer who represented Yorkshire and England. A classically elegant right-handed batsman and useful occasional off-spinner, Vaughan was ranked the best batsman in the world following the 2002/3 Ashes, in which he scored 633 runs, including three centuries...
was awarded Freedom of the City for his contribution in the Ashes SeriesThe 2005 Ashes series was that year's edition of the long-standing and storied cricket rivalry between England and Australia. Starting on 21 July 2005, England and Australia played five Tests, with the Ashes held by Australia as the most recent victors...
.
- March 8, 2006: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi AC , born 19 June 1945, is an opposition politician and general secretary of the National League for Democracy in Burma . Aung San Suu Kyi was the third child in her family. Her name is derived from three relatives; "Aung San" from her father, "Kyi" from her mother and "Suu" from...
, winner of the Nobel Peace PrizeThe Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:...
was granted martial Freedom of the City, ironically, in recognition of her non-violent work against the military dictatorship in Burma.
Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
- This award is given by the Kingston and St. Andrew Cooperation (KSAC) in collaboration with the Mayor of Kingston and St. Andrew. It is given to outstanding individuals, who did or continue to make a mark in the city of Kingston
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica and is located on the southeastern coast of the island country. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
. This person or group must meet certain criteria, and display outstanding ability and commitment to building the city and nation. This award is the highest award given by a city/parish.
- April 23, 2006: Bishop, Hon. Dr. Carmen L. Stewart, OD, JP, Custos Rotorulum of St. Andrew, Jamaica.
Japan
Tokyo
- Recipients of the Key to the Metropolis of Tokyo include:
- Helen Keller
Helen Adams Keller was an American author, political activist and lecturer. She was the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree....
- Dr. Leon Picon, one of the founding members of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations and a former Secretary-General.
- Paul E. Ruestow, U.S. Major General
- Bill Effinger, former Mayor of Buena Park, California
Buena Park is a city located in northwestern Orange County, California. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 78,282. The city is located adjacent to the city of Anaheim and is located 12 miles northwest of downtown Santa Ana...
, 1959.
- John Glenn
John Herschel Glenn Jr. is a retired United States Marine Corps pilot, a former astronaut and United States Senator who was the first American and third person to orbit the Earth. Glenn was a Marine Corps fighter pilot before joining NASA's Mercury program, NASA's original astronaut group. He...
, presented by Tokyo Gov. Rotaro Azuma on May 30, 1963. http://library.osu.edu/sites/archives/glenn/collection/audiovisuals/photos.htm
- Francis Sumner Carruth, Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force. His management skills played an important role in heading off a labor strike in Tokyo.
- Dr. Albert M. Schwartz, a vascular surgeon and a Colonel in the US Army.
United States
Buffalo, New York, United States
- May 19, 2009: Terell Owens received the key to the city of Buffalo
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, second only to New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River, Buffalo is the principal city of the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area and the seat of Erie...
with the provisions that he catch a minimum of 10 touchdown passes for the BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the metropolitan area of Buffalo, New York. They play their home games in the suburb of Orchard Park, and beginning in 2008, one home game is played in Toronto. They are members of the Eastern Division of the American Football...
and lead the team into the playoffsThe National Football League playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held at the end of the 16-game regular season to determine the NFL champion. Six teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records, and a tie-breaking procedure exists...
.
Danville, California, United States
- January 16, 2009: Chesley B. Sullenberger III
Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger III is an American airline transport pilot , safety expert, and accident investigator from Danville, California, who successfully carried out the emergency ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River, offshore from Manhattan, New York City, on...
was awarded the keys to city of his hometown, DanvilleThe Town of Danville is located in the San Ramon Valley in Contra Costa County, California. It is one of the incorporated municipalities in California that uses "town" in its name instead of "city". The population was 41,715 in 2008...
, CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
, for his actions in saving US Airways Flight 1549US Airways Flight 1549 was a scheduled commercial passenger flight from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina, that, on January 15, 2009, was successfully ditched in the Hudson River adjacent to Manhattan six minutes after departing from LaGuardia Airport.While on its initial climb out, the...
.
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
- 2008: Alexander Ovechkin
Alexander Mikhaylovich Ovechkin is a Russian professional ice hockey left winger and alternate captain for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League...
, received the key of the city in honor of being the first player in NHLThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league as a joint venture for its self perpetuating membership of 30 franchised member clubs located in the United States and Canada...
history to receive the most valuable playerThe Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, the "oldest and most prestigious individual award in hockey", is awarded annually to the "player adjudged most valuable to his team" in the National Hockey League. The Hart Memorial Trophy has been awarded 84 times to 51...
, outstanding playerThe Lester B. Pearson Award is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHL Players Association. The Lester B. Pearson Award has been awarded 38 times to 22 different players since its beginnings in 1971...
, top scorerThe Art Ross Trophy is awarded to the National Hockey League player who leads the league in scoring points at the end of the regular season. It was presented to the NHL by former player, general manager, and head coach Art Ross. The trophy has been awarded 61 times to 25 players since its inception...
, and goal scoring leader awards in the same season.
Miami, Florida, United States
- 2004: The mayors of Miami-Dade County and the city officially welcomed Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , frequently referred to simply as "Shaq", is an American professional basketball player, rapper, and actor. He is widely perceived as one of the most dominant players in the history of the NBA. Standing at 7 feet 1 inch, 325 pounds, he is one of the largest players to...
and presented him with the keys to the city before a press conference was held in the American Airlines Arena.
- August 19, 2009: Miami Commissioner Thomas Regalado presented Armando Perez (aka Pitbull) with the key to the city during a morning ceremony.
Franklin Springs, Georgia, United States
- 2007: Georgia
Georgia is a state in the United States. One of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution, it had been the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established, in 1733. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January...
Governor Sonny PerdueSonny Perdue is the governor of the U.S. state of Georgia. Upon his inauguration in January 2003, he became the first Republican governor of Georgia since Benjamin F. Conley served during Reconstruction in the 1870s....
received the key to the city of Franklin Springs, Georgia, after visiting the city and cutting the ribbon to the city's new Public Safety and City Hall buildings; the original buildings were destroyed in 2004 by Hurricane IvanHurricane Ivan was the strongest hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. It was often dubbed in the media as Ivan the Terrible. It was the tenth most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. The cyclone formed as a Cape Verde-type hurricane in early September and became the ninth named...
.
Milton, Georgia, United States
- 2007: The original Governor's Commission for the City of Milton
Milton is an area of Fulton County, Georgia which became incorporated as a city on December 1, 2006. According to special legislation passed by the Georgia General Assembly in March 2006, and signed by the governor of Georgia in April 2006, it was created out of the entire unincorporated...
(Ron Wallace, Brandon Beach, Gregory Mishkin, Dan Phalan and Cecil Pruitt) was awarded the key to the city of Milton in recognition of their work in the creation of the city. They were also presented a proclamation that officially declares December 1 as "Commissioning Day" in honor of their achievements.
Chicago, Illinois, United States
- December 30, 1871 Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia
Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich of Russia was the sixth child and the fourth son of Alexander II of Russia and his first wife Maria Alexandrovna . Destined to a naval career, Alexei Alexandrovich started his military training at the age of 7...
received the "Freedom of the City of Chicago"
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
- November 21, 2006: Kentucky-New Orleans Architecture Studio, for its work on restoration and re-design efforts of Mickey Markey Park in Bywater.
- April 26, 2007: The Harris County Hospital District, in recognition of its efforts to provide health care to Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest, in the history of the United States...
evacuees at its Astrodome Clinic in September 2005.
Portland, Maine, United States
- July 13, 2008: moe.
moe. is an American jam band, formed at the University at Buffalo in 1990. The band members are: Rob Derhak , Al Schnier , Chuck Garvey , Vinnie Amico , and Jim Loughlin ....
, a band from upstate New York, was presented the key to the city in recognition of a two day fundraising concert they organized for the Prebble Street Resource Centerhttp://www.preblestreet.org/.
Albion, Michigan, United States
- Recipients include:
- January 25, 1964: Aunt Jemima
Aunt Jemima is a trademark for pancake flour, syrup, and other breakfast foods currently owned by the Quaker Oats Company. The trademark dates to 1893, although Aunt Jemima pancake mix debuted in 1889...
, a frequent visitor, present at the time to raise money for the March of Dimes.
- 1960s: Ann Landers, upon her visit to Starr Commonwealth for Boys.
Detroit, Michigan, United States
- Recipients include:
- 1980: Then-Iraqi President Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the President of Iraq from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
was awarded by Mayor Coleman YoungColeman Alexander Young served as mayor of Detroit in the U.S. state of Michigan from 1974 to 1993. Young was Detroit's first black mayor.-Pre-Mayoral career:...
for having donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to a local church.
- January 31, 2006: Detroit native Jerome Bettis
Jerome Abram Bettis, nicknamed "The Bus" born February 16, 1972 is a former American football halfback for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever due to his amazing footwork and sheer power, and is currently fifth on the...
was awarded by Mayor Kwame KilpatrickKwame Malik Kilpatrick is the former mayor of Detroit, Michigan. When elected at the age of 31, he was the youngest mayor in the history of Detroit. Kilpatrick's tenure as mayor, from 2002 until 2008, was plagued with controversies which included allegations of marital infidelity, conspiracy,...
days before his Super BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League, the premier association of professional American football. In most years, the Super Bowl is the most-watched American television broadcast. Many popular singers and musicians have performed during the event’s pre-game and...
win.
- On January 2, 2007 Steve Yzerman
Stephen Gregory "Steve" Yzerman is a Canadian-American member of the Hockey Hall of Fame who played his entire National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009...
after his retirement and having his jersey retired.
- Geri Allen
Geri Allen is an American post bop jazz pianist, producer, and music educator from Detroit, Michigan, who has worked with many of the greats of modern jazz, including Dave Holland, Ron Carter, Ravi Coltrane, Tony Williams, Jack DeJohnette, Ornette Coleman, Betty Carter, Mary Stallings, and Charles...
an internationally known award-winning composer and pianist. http://www.geriallen.com
Flint, Michigan, United States
- 1989: Lois M. Craig
- June 10, 2007: American Idol
American Idol is a reality competition to find new solo musical talent, created by Simon Fuller. It debuted on June 11, 2002 on the Fox network, and has since become one of the most popular shows on American television...
finalist LaKisha JonesLaKisha Ann Jones is an American singer. She placed fourth on the sixth season of American Idol.-Personal life:Jones was born at Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Michigan, to a teacher at the Flint Foundation Academy...
received a proclamation and key to the city from Mayor Don WilliamsonDonald J. Williamson is a former mayor of Flint, Michigan and businessman. He is the husband of Patsy Lou Williamson, owner of several car dealerships in the Flint area, and chairman of The Colonel's International, Inc...
.
New York, New York, United States
- The City of New York bestows the "Key to the City" upon individuals that it wishes to honour in such a manner. Recipients include:
- 1702: Viscount Cornbury
Edward Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon , styled Viscount Cornbury between 1674 and 1709, was Governor of New York and New Jersey between 1701 and 1708, and is perhaps best known for the claims of him cross-dressing while in office.- Career :Born The Hon...
on June 27 was presented the "Freedom of the City". http://home2.nyc.gov/html/unccp/html/protocol/key.shtml
- Andrew Hamilton (lawyer)
Andrew Hamilton was a Scottish lawyer in Colonial America, best known for his legal victory on behalf of printer and newspaper publisher John Peter Zenger. This 1735 decision helped to establish that truth is a defense to an accusation of libel...
received the "Freedom of the City" for his defense of John Peter ZengerJohn Peter Zenger was a German-born American printer, publisher, editor, and journalist in New York City. He was defendant in a landmark legal case in American jurisprudence that determined that truth was defense against charges of libel.-Facts of the case:John Peter Zenger owned the second 2...
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- Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor and explorer.On May 20–21, 1927, Lindbergh, then a 25-year old U.S...
- February 5, 2008: The New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The team plays its home games at Giants Stadium, which also serves as its headquarters, and trains at an adjacent practice facility within the Meadowlands Sports Complex...
players, coaches and owners received keys to the city in recognition of their victory at Super Bowl XLIISuper Bowl XLII was an American football game that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
. Presentation took place at City Hall after a ticker-tape parade up the Canyon of Heroes"Canyon of Heroes" is a colloquialism referring to the section of New York City's lower Broadway and the Financial District that is the historic location of the city's ticker-tape parades....
in lower Manhattan.
- February 9, 2009: Chesley B. Sullenberger III
Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger III is an American airline transport pilot , safety expert, and accident investigator from Danville, California, who successfully carried out the emergency ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River, offshore from Manhattan, New York City, on...
, pilot of US Airways Flight 1549US Airways Flight 1549 was a scheduled commercial passenger flight from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina, that, on January 15, 2009, was successfully ditched in the Hudson River adjacent to Manhattan six minutes after departing from LaGuardia Airport.While on its initial climb out, the...
departing from LaGuardia AirportLaGuardia Airport is an airport located in Queens County on Long Island in the the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally named Glenn H...
, who safely landed in the Hudson River after mid-air faults from a bird collision, saving the lives of all 155 people on board. The First Officer of the Flight, Jeffrey B. Skiles, flight attendants Sheila Dail, Doreen Welsh and Donna Dent also received keys to the city.
- May 8, 2009: Captain Richard Phillips and crewman William Rios received keys to the city in recognition of their heroism aboard the Maersk Alabama
MV Maersk Alabama is a container ship owned by United States-based Maersk Line Limited and operated by Waterman Steamship....
during the 2009 hijackingThe Maersk Alabama hijacking was a series of events involving piracy that began with four Somali pirates seizing the cargo ship southeast of the Somalia port city of Eyl. This event ended with the Action of April 12, 2009. It was the sixth vessel in a week to be attacked by pirates who had...
by Somali Pirates.
Mount Vernon, Washington, United States
- On September 26, Bud Norris, the mayor of Mount Vernon, Washington
Washington is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Washington was carved out of the western part of Washington Territory which had been ceded by Britain in 1846 by the Oregon Treaty as settlement of the Oregon Boundary Dispute. It was admitted to the Union as the...
, gave the "Key to the City" to the popular Conservative talk show and radio show host Glenn BeckGlenn Lee Beck is an American talk radio and television host, conservative political commentator, author, and entrepreneur. He hosts the nationally syndicated Glenn Beck Program on Premiere Radio Networks, while also hosting the Glenn Beck Show every weekday on the Fox News Channel...
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