Arise, Sir András... and Dame Hilary and Sir Dan...

[Mary Chambers]

Susan Bullock has been awarded a CBE.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I noticed that Miss Jean Evelyn Campbell received an MBE "for services to piping".

Not sure whether this is bag, plumbing or icing.

[teamsaint]

I noticed that Miss Jean Evelyn Campbell received an MBE "for services to piping".

Not sure whether this is bag, plumbing or icing.

Or tailoring?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

[Richard Tarleton]

Googling her I see she's from Glasgow, so perhaps bag. Only problem, she's (presumably) a Campbell.

We MacDonalds have long memories

[ardcarp]

Susan Bullock has been awarded a CBE.

Mary, am I right in thinking Benjamin Britten turned down a knighthood? I know he accepted a CH later on.

[VodkaDilc]

Mary, am I right in thinking Benjamin Britten turned down a knighthood? I know he accepted a CH later on.

Not later on. He became a CH in 1952, OM in 1965 and a life peer just before he died.

[ardcarp]

It's only ridiculous [the honours system] if you think it has any fundamental meaning.

Ummm....like only being an atheist if you think there's some sort of god?

[Mary Chambers]

Some people, and Britten seems to have been among them, object to honours that carry titles such as 'Sir'. He seems to have been happy to accept other honours, from many countries. It is said that he accepted the peerage at the very end of his life partly because his beloved nurse Rita Thomson said she would never speak to him again (or something) if he didn't, and partly because he thought it was a wonderful thing for music. Such peerages aren't unusual now, but Britten was the very first composer to be so honoured.

Does anyone know if RVW ever gave his reasons for refusing a knighthood? I've always been rather intrigued by that.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Such peerages aren't unusual now, but Britten was the very first composer to be so honoured.

Aren't they? I can only think of one other (for want of a better word) composer who has been Lorded; and I don't think this was for his Musical abilities!

[ardcarp]

I can only think of one other (for want of a better word) composer who has been Lorded; and I don't think this was for his Musical abilities!

[french frank]

Such peerages aren't unusual now, but Britten was the very first composer to be so honoured.

Life peerages were only introduced in 1958. That probably changed the whole way the 'title' was viewed. It was just one more that could be offered and as there became more and more life peers it also became more of a 'routine' honour.

[Mary Chambers]

Aren't they? I can only think of one other (for want of a better word) composer who has been Lorded; and I don't think this was for his Musical abilities!

You're right. After I wrote that I realised there were very few musicians even now, but quite a lot was made of it at the time. There's also Lord Menuhin - all right, not a composer - as well as the unmentionable one.

[french frank]

Does anyone know if RVW ever gave his reasons for refusing a knighthood? I've always been rather intrigued by that.

Don't know the dates involved, but he had the OM (like a number of musicians) which should rank higher than a 'mere' knight since there are only 24 at a time.

[greenilex]

Maybe people who don't like being called Sir should try being mam the whole time, eh?