CONFERMENT OF THE FREEDOM OF THE BOROUGH OF MID AND EAST ANTRIM SIR WILLIAM WRIGHT CBE 18 January 2019 SIMUL • ET • DEINCEPS Mayor’s Foreword As Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, I’m delighted to welcome you all to the conferment of the Freedom of the Borough of Sir William Wright CBE. As the member of a family Wrightbus has been at the shaped by engineering, heart of our community for I’m so privileged to celebrate generations and is renowned for this special event in honour the outstanding quality of its work of a man who has given so around the world. The company, much to this Borough. despite challenges, has provided employment to tens of thousands Sir William’s contribution of our citizens over the years. It to global business and the has promoted and supported the local economy is unmistakable. education of our young people An entrepreneur and pioneer and provided a lifeline for many in his field Sir William, despite organisations and groups within his worldwide success, has Mid and East Antrim. never forgotten his strong ties to Ballymena. His vision This honour is our opportunity and dedication has put our to recognise all of that fantastic Borough firmly on the map work and, more importantly, to as an area of manufacturing give thanks to Sir William, from excellence and innovation. the people of Mid and East Antrim. Councillor Lindsay Millar Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council 02 Conferment of the Freedom of the Borough of Mid and East Antrim Acknowledgement Tribute from The Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP Sir William Wright CBE is one of Northern Ireland’s most well-known and respected businessmen. His achievements in the bus manufacturing industry have brought him recognition throughout the United Kingdom and indeed globally, yet he remains incredibly proud of his Ballymena roots. As part of my 2008 campaign to become Mayor of London, I pledged to introduce a new version of the Routemaster double-decker bus to the capital, to give London public transport an icon for the 21st Century. Following my successful election, the wheels were set in motion to turn this vision into a reality and that is how I first became acquainted with Sir William. Wrightbus was the manufacturer As a result of Sir William’s I am delighted to have the selected to deliver the project, remarkable insight into the opportunity to pay tribute a hybrid diesel-electric double- needs for modern mass transit to Sir William Wright CBE decker bus offering a hop-on, solutions and through the on this special occasion. hop-off service. Under Sir innovative use of cutting edge For Mid and East Antrim William’s leadership they took technology, he has ensured Borough Council to bestow its it from drawing board to the that Wrightbus has grown highest honour, conferment of streets of London in less than 3 from its humble beginnings Freedom of the Borough on Sir years. Today there are hundreds to become a world leader in of internationally recognisable William is a fitting honour to bus manufacturing. It truly is New Routemasters in operation someone who has contributed a shining example of great throughout the capital, all of so much to the economic and British manufacturing. which started life in Ballymena. social fabric of the area. The Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP 18 January 2019 03 Resolution of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council On 5 February 2018 it was proposed by the then Mayor, Councillor Paul Reid, seconded by Councillor Mrs Audrey Wales MBE and resolved: “That the Honorary Freedom of the Borough of Mid and East Antrim be conferred on Sir William Wright CBE in recognition of his service to the economy and support for the community of Mid and East Antrim and also for his contribution to bus manufacturing internationally.” Conferment of the Freedom of the Borough The tradition of Boroughs Originally such conferment the tradition is maintained conferring the Freedom of the conveyed special privileges as a means whereby public Borough goes back to ancient of various kinds upon recognition may be given to times when the Royal Charter recipients but, over the years, the recipients as an expression Boroughs were almost, if not the conferment has become of the highest esteem in which entirely, self-governing with purely honorary. they are held by the Council little or no control over the and the people of the Borough. authority and powers of the The Freedom of the Borough Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses is the highest honour that a by Parliament or Statute. Council can bestow. Today 04 Conferment of the Freedom of the Borough of Mid and East Antrim Ceremonial Mace The mace is a highly ornamented Traditionally a mace is carried by is engraved in Latin, translated staff which serves as a symbol of the Sergeant at Arms before the as: ‘A gift from Robert Gardner the Mayor’s authority. Council sovereign or other high ranking Esquire, in the Year of Our Lord meetings ordinarily begin with officials during civic ceremonies, 1712, in Honour of His City’. the mace-bearer carrying the representing power and authority. mace into the Chamber and the Such is its historic significance, ceremonial tradition of ‘laying The mace in use at today’s that it has been chosen as the down the mace’, as the Mayor ceremony is the ceremonial official ceremonial mace for takes their place. The mace is mace which was presented to Mid and East Antrim Borough also carried on civic occasions the town of Carrickfergus by Council and was used in the such as the conferring of the Colonel Robert Gardner in 1712. new Council’s first meeting Freedom of the Borough. Made from silver-gilt, the mace on 1 April 2015. Ceremonial Sword Made out of Britannia silver the Mid and East Antrim Borough ceremonial sword was created by Council only uses the ceremonial Thomas Vicaridge in London and sword on very significant civic like the mace was presented to occasions such as today’s the Corporation of Carrickfergus ceremony for the Conferment in 1712. The Corporation of the Freedom of the Borough. employed a sword-bearer, who carried the sword before the Mayor on formal occasions. 18 January 2019 05 Sir William Wright CBE William Wright was born in 1925 the elder of two children and grew up in Ballymena. On leaving school he attended the technical college, going on to found Robert Wright and Sons Limited in 1946, along with his father Robert Wright, later becoming Wrights Group Ltd. The company thrived under The company launched the the leadership of the father/ UK’s first pure electric bus in son team, becoming the leading 1998 and Sir William went on commercial body builder to lead the way in developing in Northern Ireland by the hybrid and hydrogen bus 1970s. Sir William Wright then technology, including the masterminded the company’s New Routemaster for London. entry into the wider UK market, where it has become one of the For many years Sir William UK’s leading bus manufacturers. has been a leading proponent of the development of Today, Wrightbus is one environmentally friendly of Northern Ireland’s largest technologies; his vision is employers, manufacturing to improve air quality in technologically innovative towns and cities globally. vehicles for service across Even today, he continues the globe, from the UK to the to take a close interest in USA to Hong Kong and beyond. product development. The company’s success is which was opened in 2016. primarily due to Sir William’s A legacy of his commitment The centre promotes research foresight and persistence in to the development of new and advanced engineering introducing new technologies technologies is the William to facilitate the creation and and developing new Wright Technology Centre, a incubation of technologies relationships with key joint venture between Wrights for the future development partners within the industry. Group and Queens University, of the bus industry. 06 Conferment of the Freedom of the Borough of Mid and East Antrim William Wright was awarded Alongside his ever-growing an OBE for services to the bus bus business, Sir William industry and the community Wright took an active interest in 2001. In 2011 he was awarded in politics, and he served on a CBE for his services to the Ballymena Borough Council bus industry. He was further from 1981 to 1985 and again honoured in May 2018 when he from 1993 to 2005. was made a Knight Bachelor of the British Empire for services Throughout his career in to both the bus industry and industry and in politics Sir the UK economy. William’s wife, Lady Ruby, whom he married in 1954 has been his constant companion and support. They have three children, ten grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Family and faith continue to be at the centre of this remarkable man’s life. 18 January 2019 07 Order of Proceedings 10:30am Welcome Reception. 11:00am Sir William Wright CBE received by the Mayor and Chief Executive. Welcome in the Atrium and then proceed to the Mayor’s Parlour. 11.55am The Aldermen and Councillors take their places in the Council Chamber. 12.00pm Special Council Meeting for Conferment of Freedom of the Borough. Arrival of the Freedom Party in the Theatre and piped to the stage. 12.30pm The Mayor will address the Assembly. Mr PJ McAvoy will address the Assembly. Mr Ian Paisley MP will address the Assembly. Mrs Lauren Christie, granddaughter of Sir William Wright CBE, new Freeman of Mid & East Antrim, will address the Assembly.