Dominic honoured with Freedom of City of London!

WARRINGTON based Radio Presenter and Stadium Announcer Dominic Walker has been honoured with the Freedom of the City of London at the Guildhall.

The ceremony dates back to 1237 and entitled a ‘freeman’ to earn a living in the City of London and not be subservient to a Lord or Baron.

These days, most practical reasons for being a freeman such as the ability to drive your cattle across London Bridge have disappeared and the ceremony has become part of London’s tradition.

Other traditional ‘privileges’ of a freeman include the ability to be escorted home if under the weather from a drink or two, the right to be hung using a velvet rope, the right not to be press-ganged into joining the Navy and according to JK Rowling a free drink in the leaky cauldron pub!

Dominic who is the Stadium Announcer for Warrington Wolves was joined at the ceremony by his daughter Sasha who is a pupil at The King’s Leadership Academy.

He was presented by his warrant on behalf of the Lord Mayor of London and a ceremonial sword, as freemen have the right to carry them in the City of London.

Dominic, who has friends and contacts in the london area after presenting at events in the city, said: “It’s an honour to be a freeman of the City of London, I feel very proud.”

“Sadly, at my house in Padgate there isn’t room to graze sheep so I don’t have any, but, I fully intend to travel to London and take part in the annual charity sheep drive across London Bridge.”

During the ceremony, which was conducted in the Chamberlains Court at the Guild Hall in London, Dominic was told that Mary Berry from the Great British Bake Off was recently admitted as a Freeman, but, during her ceremony the fire alarm went off. It was because someone had burnt a pudding in the kitchen! Which was a concern given the great fire of London was started by a baker on Pudding Lane!

Dominic was told that although he read the declaration of a freeman well, it wasn’t quite as good as when Morgan Freeman did it! After the ceremony there were celebratory drinks at the City of London Members Club.

Other Freeman of the City of London include Colin Firth and Barbara Windsor.