The Livery and Freedom
The Company is a "living" guild and numbers among its members both professionals and amateurs who are actively involved in the craft. All are united by the common bond of gardens and gardening.
Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and the Earl of Wessex are Royal Liverymen. Their Majesties The King and Queen of the Belgians are Royal Freemen of the Company, reflecting the strong links between the two countries in the world of gardening.
As a City of London Livery Company, there are close links with the Corporation of London and members of the Company are strongly represented on the Court of Common Council. Since 1891, the year in which the Company was granted City Livery status, 11 Lord Mayors have been Gardeners. Of these, eight served as Master.
Admission to the Company is usually by one of four routes: Patrimony, Servitude, Redemption or Presentation. Candidates for admission to the Freedom and advancement to the Livery are subject to interview and recommendation by a committee appointed by the Court. A fifth category of membership is that of Honorary Freedom (Freedom Honoris Causa) which the Court has the power to award to persons who have distinguished themselves by public service or individual merit.
Read more about this topic: Worshipful Company Of Gardeners
Famous quotes containing the words livery and/or freedom:
“This death’s livery which walled its bearers from ordinary life was sign that they have sold their wills and bodies to the State: and contracted themselves into a service not the less abject for that its beginning was voluntary.”
—T.E. (Thomas Edward)
“The day that the Black man takes an uncompromising step and realizes that he is within his rights, when his own freedom is being jeopardized, to use any means necessary to bring about his freedom or put a halt to that injustice, I don’t think he’ll be by himself.”
—Malcolm X (1925–1965)