. ▁On ▁the ▁closure ▁of ▁Ch ath am ▁D ock yard ▁the ▁area ▁experienced ▁an ▁un pre ced ented ▁sur ge ▁in ▁un emp loyment ▁to ▁ 2 4 %; ▁this ▁had ▁dropped ▁to ▁ 2 . 4 % ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁population ▁by ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁C iv ic ▁history ▁and ▁trad itions ▁Ro chester ▁was ▁recogn ised ▁as ▁a ▁City ▁from ▁ 1 2 1 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁The ▁City ▁of ▁Ro chester ' s ▁ancient ▁status ▁was ▁unique , ▁as ▁it ▁had ▁no ▁formal ▁council ▁or ▁Char ter ▁Trust ees ▁nor ▁a ▁Mayor , ▁instead ▁having ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁Admir al ▁of ▁the ▁River ▁Med way , ▁whose ▁inc umb ent ▁acted ▁as ▁de ▁fact o ▁civ ic ▁leader . ▁ ▁Since ▁Norman ▁times ▁Ro chester ▁had ▁always ▁govern ed ▁land ▁on ▁the ▁other ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁Med way ▁in ▁St ro od , ▁which ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁St ro od ▁In tra ; ▁before ▁ 1 8 3 5 ▁it ▁was ▁about ▁ ▁wide ▁and ▁stretch ed ▁to ▁Gun ▁Lane . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 8 3 5 ▁Municipal ▁Corpor ations ▁Act ▁the ▁boundaries ▁were ▁extended ▁to ▁include ▁more ▁of ▁St ro od ▁and ▁Fr inds bury , ▁and ▁part ▁of ▁Ch ath am ▁known ▁as ▁Ch ath am ▁In tra . ▁ ▁Like ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁media eval ▁towns ▁of ▁England , ▁Ro chester ▁had ▁civ ic ▁Fre emen ▁whose ▁historic ▁duties ▁and ▁rights ▁were ▁abol ished ▁by ▁the