The Freedom of the City of Aberdeen is an honour bestowed by the city of

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

, Scotland.

History

The

Freedom of the City The Freedom of the City (or Borough in some parts of the UK) is an honour bestowed by a municipality upon a valued member of the community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary. Arising from the medieval practice of granting respected ...

of Aberdeen has its origins in the 12th century, through the city's Guild of Burgesses. Certain respected residents would be granted free entry into the Guild, earning them the title of Free Burgess. Members of the Guild would have special trading rights, such as exemption from tolls, but would also be required to own arms and be prepared to use them in defence of the city. Today, the Freedom of Aberdeen is a purely symbolic honour, which can be bestowed by

Aberdeen City Council gd, Comhairle Cathair Obar Dheathain , native_name_lang = , other_name = , image_skyline = Town House, Municipal Offices and Court Houses in Aberdeen.jpg , image_caption ...

under the terms of Section 206 of the

Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c. 65) is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom that altered local government in Scotland on 16 May 1975. The Act followed and largely implemented the report of the Royal Commission on Local Gove ...

, Part XI – 'Admission of honorary freemen'. The Act states that: Section 207 of the same Act – 'Limitation of rights of freemen' – further states that:

Individuals

Since the Reform Act, the Freedom of Aberdeen has been conferred on the following persons: * 10 September 1834: Henry Brougham, former Lord Chancellor * 1834: Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch * 1834: George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale * 1836: William Hay, Lord Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire * 1837: Charles Gordon-Lennox, former Postmaster General * 1839: George Watt of Aberdeen * 1840: George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland * 1841: Robert Wallace, MP for

Greenock Greenock (; sco, Greenock; gd, Grianaig, ) is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council areas of Scotland, council area in Scotland, United Kingdom and a former burgh of barony, burgh within the Counties of Scotland, historic ...

* 1841: Major George Thomson of Fairley CB, East India Company * 1844: Samuel McKnight of South Carolina * 1844:

Rowland Hill Sir Rowland Hill, KCB, FRS (3 December 1795 – 27 August 1879) was an English teacher, inventor and social reformer. He campaigned for a comprehensive reform of the postal system, based on the concept of Uniform Penny Post and his soluti ...

, social reformer * 7 September 1848: Prince Albert, husband of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

* 1849:

Robert Peel Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet, (5 February 1788 – 2 July 1850) was a British Conservative statesman who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1834–1835 and 1841–1846) simultaneously serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer ...

, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom * 1853: George Howard, 7th Earl of Carlisle * 1854:

Joseph Hume Joseph Hume FRS (22 January 1777 – 20 February 1855) was a Scottish surgeon and Radical MP.Ronald K. Huch, Paul R. Ziegler 1985 Joseph Hume, the People's M.P.: DIANE Publishing. Early life He was born the son of a shipmaster James Hume ...

, MP for Montrose Burghs * 1858:

Philip Stanhope Philip Stanhope may refer to: * Philip Stanhope (Royalist officer) (died 1645), English Civil War Royalist colonel * Philip Stanhope, 1st Earl of Chesterfield (1584–1656), English peer * Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Chesterfield (1634–1 ...

, 5th Earl Stanhope * 1859:

David Ogilvy David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

, 10th Earl of Airlie * 28 September 1859: John Russell, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs * 1862: Edward Ellice, MP * 20 September 1866:

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria an ...

, Prince of Wales * 1871:

William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...

, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom * 1876:

William Edward Forster William Edward Forster, PC, FRS (11 July 18185 April 1886) was an English industrialist, philanthropist and Liberal Party statesman. His supposed advocacy of the Irish Constabulary's use of lethal force against the National Land League earne ...

, philanthropist * 15 November 1878:

Arthur Hamilton-Gordon Arthur Charles Hamilton-Gordon, 1st Baron Stanmore (26 November 1829 – 30 January 1912) was a British Liberal Party politician and colonial administrator. He had extensive contact with Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone. Career Gordon was ...

, Governor of Fiji * 1881:

Sir John Anderson John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley, (8 July 1882 – 4 January 1958) was a Scottish civil servant and politician who is best known for his service in the War Cabinet during the Second World War, for which he was nicknamed the "Home Front Pr ...

, Engineer and philanthropist * 1883: John Hamilton-Gordon, Lord Lieutenant of Aberdeenshire * 1883: R. A. Cross, former Home Secretary * 1884: Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery * 1888: John Campbell, former Governor General of Canada * 1890: William Alexander Hunter, MP for Aberdeen North * 1890:

Henry Morton Stanley Sir Henry Morton Stanley (born John Rowlands; 28 January 1841 – 10 May 1904) was a Welsh-American explorer, journalist, soldier, colonial administrator, author and politician who was famous for his exploration of Central Africa Cen ...

, explorer * 5 July 1892:

Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie (, ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans i ...

, philanthropist * 10 April 1901: Charles William Mitchell, son of shipbuilder

Charles Mitchell Charles Mitchell may refer to: * Charles Mitchell (footballer), British soccer player * Charles Mitchell (academic) (born 1965), professor of law at University College, London * Charles Mitchell (American football) (born 1989), American football pl ...

* 27 April 1901:

George Stephen, 1st Baron Mount Stephen George Stephen, 1st Baron Mount Stephen, (5 June 1829 – 29 November 1921), known as Sir George Stephen, Bt, between 1886 and 1891, was a Canadian businessman. Originally from Scotland, he made his fame in Montreal and was the first Canadian ...

, philanthropist (presented at Aberdeen 27 August 1901) * 9 April 1902:

Donald Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal Donald Alexander Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal (6 August 182021 January 1914), known as Sir Donald A. Smith between May 1886 and August 1897, was a Scottish-born Canadian businessman who became one of the British Empire's foremo ...

, philanthropist and Lord Rector of the

University of Aberdeen The University of Aberdeen ( sco, University o' 'Aiberdeen; abbreviated as ''Aberd.'' in List of post-nominal letters (United Kingdom), post-nominals; gd, Oilthigh Obar Dheathain) is a public university, public research university in Aberdeen, Sc ...

* 29 August 1913:

Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts Field Marshal Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts, (30 September 1832 – 14 November 1914) was a British Victorian era general who became one of the most successful British military commanders of his time. Born in India to an Anglo-Iri ...

, military commander * 29 August 1918:

William Morris Hughes William Morris Hughes (25 September 1862 – 28 October 1952) was an Australian politician who served as the seventh prime minister of Australia, in office from 1915 to 1923. He is best known for leading the country during World War I, but ...

, 7th Prime Minister of Australia * 11 July 1919:

Douglas Haig Field marshal (United Kingdom), Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, (; 19 June 1861 – 29 January 1928) was a senior Officer (armed forces), officer of the British Army. During the First World War, he commanded the British Expeditionar ...

, military commander * 16 August 1926:

Weetman Pearson Weetman Dickinson Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray, (15 July 1856 – 1 May 1927), known as Sir Weetman Pearson, Bt between 1894 and 1910, and as Lord Cowdray between 1910 and 1917, was a British engineer, oil industrialist, benefactor and Libe ...

, 1st Viscount Cowdray * 24 October 1927: Sir Robert Williams, explorer, miner and railroad developer * 26 September 1928:

John Jellicoe Admiral of the Fleet John Rushworth Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe, (5 December 1859 – 20 November 1935) was a Royal Navy officer. He fought in the Anglo-Egyptian War and the Boxer Rebellion and commanded the Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland ...

, 2nd Governor-General of New Zealand * 26 September 1928: Sir Thomas Jaffray of Edgehill * 26 September 1928:

Robert Laws Robert Laws FRGS FRSGS (1851–1934) was a Scottish missionary who headed the Livingstonia mission in the Nyasaland Protectorate (now Malawi) for more than 50 years. The mission played a crucial role in educating Africans during the colonial er ...

, missionary * 7 October 1931: James Murray, former MP for East Aberdeenshire * 7 October 1931:

George Adam Smith :''Note in particular that this George Smith is to be distinguished from George Smith (Assyriologist) (1840–1876) who researched in some overlapping areas.'' Sir George Adam Smith (19 October 1856 – 3 March 1942) was a Scottish the ...

, Principal of the

* 20 September 1935: James Meston, 1st Baron Meston * 20 September 1935:

George Milne Field Marshal George Francis Milne, 1st Baron Milne, (5 November 1866 – 23 March 1948) was a senior British Army officer who served as Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS) from 1926 to 1933. He served in the Second Boer War and during ...

, military commander * 19 June 1937:

William Lyon Mackenzie King William Lyon Mackenzie King (December 17, 1874 – July 22, 1950) was a Canadian statesman and politician who served as the tenth prime minister of Canada for three non-consecutive terms from 1921 to 1926, 1926 to 1930, and 1935 to 1948. A Li ...

, 10th Prime Minister of Canada * 19 June 1937:

Joseph Aloysius Lyons Joseph Aloysius Lyons (15 September 1879 – 7 April 1939) was an Australian politician who served as the 10th Prime Minister of Australia, in office from 1932 until his death in 1939. He began his career in the Australian Labor Party (ALP), ...

, 10th Prime Minister of Australia * 31 July 1941:

Peter Fraser Peter Fraser (; 28 August 1884 – 12 December 1950) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 24th prime minister of New Zealand from 27 March 1940 until 13 December 1949. Considered a major figure in the history of the New Zealand Lab ...

, 24th Prime Minister of New Zealand * 1942:

Jan Smuts Field Marshal Jan Christian Smuts, (24 May 1870 11 September 1950) was a South African statesman, military leader and philosopher. In addition to holding various military and cabinet posts, he served as prime minister of the Union of South Af ...

, 4th Prime Minister of South Africa * 27 July 1943:

John Gilbert Winant John Gilbert Winant (February 23, 1889 – November 3, 1947) was an American diplomat and politician with the Republican party after a brief career as a teacher in Concord, New Hampshire. John Winant held positions in New Hampshire, national, a ...

, U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom * 27 July 1943: Vi-Kyuin Wellington Koo, former Premier of the Republic of China * 27 April 1946:

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...

, Leader of the Conservative Party * 16 March 1949:

John Boyd Orr John Boyd Orr, 1st Baron Boyd-Orr, (23 September 1880 – 25 June 1971), styled Sir John Boyd Orr from 1935 to 1949, was a Scottish teacher, medical doctor, biologist, nutritional physiologist, politician, businessman and farmer who was awarde ...

, Nobel Prize winner and first director of the

Rowett Research Institute The Rowett Institute is a research centre for studies into Food science, food and nutrition, located in Aberdeen, Scotland. History The institute was founded in 1913 when the University of Aberdeen and the Scottish Agricultural College, Nort ...

* 16 March 1949: Thomas Johnston, former Secretary of State for Scotland * 5 June 1956:

Clement Attlee Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, (3 January 18838 October 1967) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955. He was Deputy Prime Mini ...

, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom * 5 June 1956: Alexander Steven Bilsland, 1st Baron Bilsland * 25 May 1959:

Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was the l ...

* 21 June 1966:

Sir Dugald Baird Sir Dugald Baird Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, FRCOG (16 November 1899 – 7 November 1986) was a British medical doctor and a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology. Baird was most notable and influential in calling for th ...

, medical doctor * 21 June 1966: Lady May Baird, medical doctor and town councillor * 21 June 1966: Thomas Dunlop Galbraith, former Minister of State for Scotland * 9 October 1981:

Mary Esslemont Mary Esslemont CBE MA BSC MB ChB FRCGP LLD DPH (3 July 1891 - 25 August 1984) was a general practitioner in Aberdeen, Scotland, Vice President of the British Medical Association (BMA) and president of the Soroptimist Federation. Early li ...

, former chair of the

British Medical Association The British Medical Association (BMA) is a registered trade union for doctors in the United Kingdom. The association does not regulate or certify doctors, a responsibility which lies with the General Medical Council. The association's headquar ...

* 29 November 1984:

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...

, anti-apartheid activist, and his wife, Winifred Mandela * 6 December 1993: Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, former President of the Soviet Union * 18 November 1995: Alex C. Collie, former

Lord Provost of Aberdeen The Lord Provost of Aberdeen is the convener of the Aberdeen City local authority in Scotland. They are elected by the city council and serve not only as the chair of that body, but as a figurehead for the entire city. They are equivalent in m ...

* 30 March 1999:

Alex Ferguson Sir Alexander Chapman Ferguson (born 31 December 1941) is a Scottish former football manager and player, best known for managing Manchester United from 1986 to 2013. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football managers of all time ...

, football manager * 14 August 2004: John Rowland Mallard, medical physicist and university professor * 20 April 2008: George Donald MBE, William "Buff" Hardie MBE, and Stephen Robertson MBE, comedy trio better known as

Scotland the What? Scotland the What? were a Scottish comedy revue act comprising William "Buff" Hardie, Stephen Robertson and George Donald. History Buff Hardie and Steve Robertson first met in the Aberdeen Student Show in 1952.Steve Robertson: "Scotland The What? ...

* 25 November 2017:

Denis Law Denis Law (born 24 February 1940) is a Scottish former footballer who played as a forward. His career as a football player began at Second Division Huddersfield Town in 1956. After four years at Huddersfield, he was signed by Manchester City ...

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

, Scottish Football Player.

Military Units

* 20 August 1949: The Colonel, Officers and other Ranks of the

Gordon Highlanders Gordon may refer to: People * Gordon (given name), a masculine given name, including list of persons and fictional characters * Gordon (surname), the surname * Gordon (slave), escaped to a Union Army camp during the U.S. Civil War * Clan Gordon, ...

* 8 June 1992: HMS Scylla, RN * 1 July 2006: Highlanders, 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland

Organisations and Groups

* 11 February 1995:

, in its Quincentenary year * 16 December 2022: The

Aberdeen Football Club Aberdeen Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen, Scotland. They compete in the Scottish Premiership and have never been relegated from the top division of the Scottish football league system since they were ...

References

{{Authority control History of Aberdeen

Lists of Scottish people