Raymond Gadney (rgadney@btinternet.com) started this thread by enquiring what trade a Freeman of the City of Oxford might follow. As the author of indexed lists of "The Freeman of the City of Oxford, 1663-1997", perhaps I can contribute a little? I prepared these lists in 1998 at the instigation of Dr. Malcolm Graham, at that time head of the Centre for Oxfordshire Studies in Oxford Central Library. The lists were available in bound volumes on the open shelves. (The Centre has moved from the Central Library and will be part of the Oxfordshire Heritage Centre at St.Luke's, Cowley, Oxford, due to open in July 2011.) The Introduction to the lists, prepared by Dr. Graham, outlines the history of the Freemen of Oxford: The Freemen or Burgesses of Oxford are first recorded in the 11th century. Some or all of them became the members of the town's Merchant Guild by about 1100. The Merchant Guild gradually took over the functions of local government and its officers were chosen from among the Freemen. Only the Freemen, known also in Oxford as Hanasters or Hannisters, were permitted to practise their trade within the town and only they could vote at elections. [snip] ... the number of admissions declined considerably after 1835 when the Municipal Corporations Act swept away exclusive trading privileges and widened the franchise to non-Freemen. Admission to the Freedom was generally by patrimony, that is by being the son of a Freeman, or by serving a full apprenticeship to a Freeman. Many people also became Freemen by Act of Council, usually on payment of a fee. The practice of granting Honorary Freedoms developed further during the 17th century and several historically important persons were so honoured. The number of such honours declined sharply after 1835 ... [snip] The Corporation which developed out of the old Merchant Guild kept detailed records of Admissions to the Freedom and Apprenticeship Registers from the early 16th century. The Registers of Freemen or Hanasters provide the Date of Admission, the Name of the Freeman, the name and occupation of his Father, and (where the Freedom had been obtained by Apprenticeship) the name and occupation of the Master. A typical entry in the Apprenticeship Registers includes the name of the Apprentice, the name, occupation and place of origin of the Father, the name, occupation and domicile of the Master, and the date of Indenture and Enrolment. [snip] Some Admissions to the Freedom are indexed in "Selections from the Records of the City of Oxford 1509-1583" (W.H.Turner, 1880) and in the volumes of Oxford Council Acts covering the years 1583-1801 which have been published as "Oxford Historical Society 1st Series vols. 87, 95" and "2nd Series vols. 2, 10, 15". The 18th Century Apprenticeship Registers have been calendared and indexed in "Oxford City Apprentices, 1697-1800" (Ed. Malcolm Graham, Oxford Historical Society, 2nd Series, vol. 31, 1987). I hope this will be helpful. Howard Fuller