The Freedom of the City award is not given lightly. It is the highest distinction that Derby City Council can bestow on an unelected member of the public who has served the city in a notable or significant way. The award is even more coveted in Derby, with only five individuals currently holding the title.
Derby City Council has only given out a small number of these awards as it was previously unable to. Derby only became a city in 1977, long after the first recorded award was given out in 1237 in London.
Legendary Derby County manager Brian Clough was the first of the five to receive the honour, in 2003. In 1972, Clough brought the Rams the first league title in their history. Clough then managed to get the club to the semi-finals of the European Cup before eventually becoming Nottingham Forest’s manager.
The second person to receive the coveted award is one of the UK’s most celebrated Olympic athletes, Adam Peaty. The swimmer was awarded the Freedom to the City in 2016 for winning gold for Team GB in the men’s 100-metre breaststroke. Peaty broke the world record with his groundbreaking new technique.
Peaty, originally from Staffordshire, grew up in and around Derby and attended Derby College. The athlete also trained at the City of Derby swimming club, as well as Repton School.
Derby City Council also awarded Reg Harrison the Freedom to the city in 2018 as he was the last living member of Derby County’s FA Cup-winning side in 1946.
He was a professional footballer between 1944 and 1962. He played most of his games for Derby County, making 280 appearances for the Rams and scoring over 50 goals. He was given the award two years before he died at 97 in 2020.
The first woman to receive the award was Sandy Ryan for her achievements in boxing. After winning a world championship silver medal in her debut in 2014, Ryan went on to become the World Boxing Association Women’s World Lightweight champion in April 2023.
Prior to this however the Derby boxer had won gold at the 2018 common wealth games. Ryan was then given the Freedom to the City by Derby City Council in March 2024.
Finally, Steve Kirk, a pub landlord who runs the Neptune pub in Ostmaston Road, was given the award in April 2024 for raising over £120,000 for charity. During his time as a pub landlord, Mr Kirk has raised more money for the Royal British Legion’s poppy appeal than any other pub in the UK.