THE Lord Lieutenant of Durham has been made a member of the Guild of Durham Freemen.
Sir Paul Nicholson, Lord Lieutenant since 1997, joined the ranks of the city's Freemen at a ceremony yesterday.
The guild dates back to medieval times when it regulated and promoted local craftsmen, including carpenters, butchers and cordwainers.
Today, there are about 70 members and the guild owns land, including The Sands.
Freemen chairman Alan Atkinson said Sir Paul qualified to be a member because an ancestor had been a stonemason in the city.
Membership is open to craftsmen who complete their apprenticeships in the city but can also be passed down to male relatives.
"By rights, he should have been made a Freeman years ago.''
Sir Paul, whose brother, Frank, was managing director of the former Vaux brewery in Sunderland, was the county's High Sheriff for 20 years.
Plumbers Paul Absom and Andrew Brass were also admitted to the Freemen's ranks.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article