The first known Freeman of the City of Coventry was a merchant indentured in 1317 and the first deed of Apprenticeship of a Woman was in 1336. In 1340 the first Merchant Guild was formed to represent the Merchants and their apprentices. However in 1546, Henry VIII disolved all the Guilds.
Four hundred years later in 1946, the Freemen of the City of Coventry united and formed the Freemen’s Guild and I attended their Annual Civic Service at Holy Trinity Church alongside Pauline Black DL and the Lord Mayor of Coventry.
We processed through the City from the Council House to the Church and the service was expertly led by Revd Canon Richard Hibbert