Goldsmiths & Plumbers

[nethercs]

Hi, I have an Edward Barnaby Gudgeon.  He was employed by the Bank of England from 1842 to 1877.  From 1749 he worked in the Gold Weighing Room.  This is documented in a letter from the Bank of England and confirmed in census records.
In 1870 he was admitted to the Freedom of the city of London as Edward Barnaby Gudgeon of London, Plumber.  What is going on? Its the same person (my cousin has the certificate that he was given.)  But his occupation was not plumber and it is the Company of Goldsmiths guild that oversees the Bank of England's gold (so I read).
In 1873 his son Henry John Oswald Gudgeon also received "Freedom of the City" and again he is a "Plumber" even though his actual occupation was "Merchant, General Export".

Why are they "Plumbers"?
Also, What does Freedom of the City entail?
Thanks
Steve

[Hackstaple]

The Worshipful Company of Plumbers is one of the City of London's Ancient Guilds.
http://www.plumberscompany.org.uk/Tradition%20History.htm

[mazi]

From 1835 the freedom of the city of London could be granted without reference to any of the livery companies, so although he was described as a plumber it does not follow that he was one, or a member of the plumbers livery company.

the goldsmiths are one of the founding twelve worshipful companies and more oriented to jewellery and assaying, and banking, but I imagine that one would need to be an employer, rather than an employee to be invited into membership.

a lot of googling will tell you more,      the city of London's own website is a good place to start

 mike

[Bookbox]

Why are they "Plumbers"?
Also, What does Freedom of the City entail?

After the mid 1700s it was common to be admitted to Freedom of the City through a Company that was unconnected with the trade in which you worked. By the 1870s, when Edward Barnaby GUDGEON became a Freeman, this would have been the norm.

Note that he gained his Freedom by redemption (rather than by servitude or patrimony) -- in other words, he bought his way in. Do ensure you have seen all the relevant images (4), as Ancestry fails to indicate how many pages there are for each application.

A full explanation of Freedom of the City of London is in the LMA information leaflet

https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/visiting-the-city/archives-and-city-history/london-metropolitan-archives/Documents/visitor-information/14-city-freedom-archives.pdf

[nethercs]

Thank you Masi, Hackstaple and Bookbox.
The reference to the leaflet and the hint to look at  the subsequent pages in ancestry.com were both helpful.

Thank you
Steve