The history of the granting of the title and rights associated with being a freeman is somewhat chequered.

Until the municipal reforms of the mid 19th century, Chichester City Council was governed under the terms of a charter granted in 1685.

Freedoms could be bought for 40 shillings. Some honorary freedoms were occasionally bestowed on eminent national figures who, by and large, didn't bother to come to swear their oath and therefore were technically not freemen (prime ministers such as William Pitt and Earl Grey being cases in point).

The Prince Regent was granted the freedom in 1784 but he didn't accept it until 1803 during a visit to Goodwood.

Under the provisions of the 1835 Municipal Corporations Act, the buying and gifting of freedoms was abolished.

Chichester City Council was not empowered to grant freedoms for the ensuing 66 years. No new freedoms could be granted until the passing of the Honorary Freedom of Boroughs Act 1885,which Chichester City Council adopted in 1901.

Earlier this year, in April, the Duke of Richmond was granted the honorary freedom of the city of Chichester.

One name which also appears on the list of freemen is that of Bassil Shippam, or, more correctly, Charles Percival Bassil Shippam, who was granted the freedom nearly 50 years ago.

On September 8, 1962, a magnificent dinner was held in the Council House to mark the granting of his honorary freedom.

Bassil Shippam was presented with his honorary freedom scroll and a pair of 18th-century candlesticks. The mayor referred to Mr Shippam as 'one of Chichester's sons and an untiring worker for good causes'.

To many youngsters at the City Boys' Club, he was simply known as 'Uncle Bassil'.

He was born in 1899 in South Street and lived all his life within the city walls, apart from a period in the army and two years in London. He had been secretary of the Boys' Club for 34 years.

Apart from his chairmanship of Shippams, he held many public offices, including chairman of the magistrates' bench and also posts in education and sport. He had been awarded the MBE some years earlier for his community work.

Geoffrey Lawrence QC, chairman of the West Sussex Quarter sessions, proposed a toast to Mr Shippam in which he praised his work in the Juvenile Courts.

"There must be many a boy and girl and many a parent who has been grateful for the tolerance and wisdom he (Mr Shippam) has extended when he has heard their case," he said.

In replying to the toast, Bassil Shippam made a plea for more of the younger generation to come forward for voluntary work.

"They do not know what they are missing by not doing it," he said.

"There is an awful lot to do in spite of the welfare state."

He also pleaded for more parental interest in their youngsters' activities.

Bassil Shippam died in 1968 but he is still remembered today in several ways, not least the Bassil Shippam Centre in Tozer Way off St Pancras, which provides a venue for many community activities.

I wonder if other Cicestrians have memories of this eminent son of Chichester?


What do you think? Click here to send a letter or leave a comment below.

Click here to go back to Chichester news
Click here to go back to Bognor Regis news
Click here to go back to Midhurst and Petworth news

To tell us where in the world you are reading this story click on the link below to add yourself to our readers' map.

MAP