Lincoln arts champion to be presented with Freedom of the City

Lincoln arts champion Lord Patrick Thomas Cormack will be presented with the Freedom of the City at an event next week.

The City of Lincoln Council will honour the chairman of the Historic Lincoln Trust at a special meeting of the Full Council at the Guildhall on Friday.

Lord Cormack was nominated in January due to his “contribution to the rich heritage of the city, and advocating for Lincoln on the national stage”.

“Lord Cormack is a champion of the arts and heritage in Lincoln, being instrumental in several large conservation projects and in bringing world class exhibitions to the city,” said his nomination.

At the event on Friday, a final vote will take place to confirm the move before Lord Cormack is presented with an illuminated scroll sealed with the Common Seal of the Council.

The Freedom of the City is given to individuals or groups who are considered to have “rendered eminent services to the local area”.

Lord Cormack (Conservative) was nominated by Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire Toby Dennis, supported by Mary Stuart CBE.

His nomination notes he was responsible for “bringing world class exhibitions to the city such as the Doomsday Book and Battles and Dynasties, and securing funding for the Magna Carta vault in Lincoln Castle along with his tireless work, for the benefit of others”.

It highlights a number of exhibitions which have come to Lincoln due to his work, including Lincolnshire’s Great Exhibition, the Battles and Dynasties Exhibition, the Victoria and Albert Exhibition and the Doomsday Book display.”

It also notes his work as Patron of the International Bomber Command Centre, Deputy High Steward of Lincoln Cathedral, Vice President of the Tennyson Society and Member of the University of Lincoln Court.

Conservative Lord Patrick Cormack and former Labour Lincoln MP Karen Lee at a Red Arrows Event in the House of Lords. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

In recent years, Lord Cormack has also spoken out about changes to the Usher Gallery.

A Conservative, he has been involved in Government since 1970, originally elected to the Cannock seat and then taking on both South West Staffordshire and South Staffordshire.

He sat in the House of Commons until 2010 and in the House of Lords has sat on the EU Environment sub-committee, the Lord Speaker’s Advisory Panel on Works of Art and the Ecclesiastical Committee.

Speaking to Local Democracy Reporters back in January, Lord Cormack said he was “honoured” by the nomination.

Asked of the significance of arts and culture to the city, he said: “They are enormously important because we have one of the greatest of cathedrals in Lincoln.

“We also have one of the finest small art galleries in the country in the Usher.”

He added he was glad to be involved in the work of the castle.

“It’s my strong desire to continue to be involved,” he said. “I hope to be able to play my part in some spectacular exhibitions which will bring people to Lincoln in their many thousands as the Doomsday Book did in 2017.”