Take sheep across Southwark Bridge | Hacker News Reader

Take sheep across Southwark Bridge

ianvisits.co.uk

22 pointsedward16 comments

Why did they choose Southwark Bridge over Millennium Bridge as the substitute for London Bridge? It seems much better suited to sheep traffic. Plus then on the other side there's not as far to walk to take your sheep into Tate Modern. Some sheep might be into that.

Not for the Damien Hirst retrospective?

I saw what you did there.

I half saw it. Now I half can't un-see it.

As an American, I'm interested in what makes up a "freeman". From wikipedia it seems like it's just someone whose not a noble, but there's only a sentence blurb about it. Maybe someone from England can clarify? :).

America has something similar in spirit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_the_City#Key_to_the...

"In some countries, such as the United States, an ornamental key – the ‘key to the city’ – is presented to esteemed visitors, residents, or others whom the city wishes to honour. This practice is a variation on the freedom of the city tradition, and has a similar symbolic meaning; evoking medieval walled cities, the gates of which would be guarded during the day and locked at night, the key symbolises the freedom of the recipient to enter and leave the city at will, as a trusted friend of city residents."

Freemen were people who werent bound to serfdom. You weren't obligated or a vassal of a noble. You could work in any way you saw fit or pledge yourself as you wished.

https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/about-us/law-historic-govern... might be helpful?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_the_City_of_London

tl;dr basically an award you can be given by the government of the City of London

Also, apparently, not an award? From your link:

"Whilst undoubtedly a privilege, strict instructions are given that the Freedom of the City of London should not be presented to others as being an honour or award."

Which, for Americans, is not the same as the city you know of as London. It's about a square mile inside greater London and is often referred to as such.

CGPGrey has a great video about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1ROpIKZe-c

The Worshipful Company of Woolmen is an awesome name for an organization. And their Shop page features waistcoat buttons!

But note that they're only 43rd in the Order of Precedence for livery companies:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livery_company#Precedence

I mean, way above the Worshipful Company of Educators (109) and the Worshipful Company of Security Professionals (108) -- and rightly so! -- but rather below the Girdlers (23), Dyers (13), and Brewers (14).

Finally, finally a precedence table that follows the Principle of Least Surprise.

There are 110 such "livery companies", most of them worshipful, a couple of them honourable, and then there are the lawyers. They have a role in the local government of the City of London.

All the livery companies (as they are known) are the descendants of historical guilds. Most of them are basically defunct now but they remain a cool tradition and piece of living history.

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