Honours

[Shatnerfan]

When did honours such as the MBE become traditional? Did Shakespeare ever get a Royal honour?

[Octavius]

King George V in 1917 created these honours during World War 1 to reward services to the war effort by civilians at home and servicemen in support positions.

The orders are now awarded mainly to civilians and service personnel for public service or other distinctions and has a military and a civil division. Ranks in the Order are Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GBE), Knight or Dame Commander (KBE or DBE), Commander (CBE), Officer (OBE) and Member (MBE).

 

Shakespear would therefore not have been awarded such.  In 1596 his father was granted a coat of arms, which he inherited on his fathers death in 1601.  He inherited the arms and the right to style himself a gentleman, even though at the time, actors were generally regarded as rogues and vagabonds.

 

When  James I (Jame VI of Scotland) came to the English throne in 1603 he granted royal patronage to Shakespeares acting company - they then became the 'Kings Men'. 

[Peter Pedant]

me me I want a go!

The order of the British Empire was created and almost immediately Lloyd George who always stunk of corruption because - well he was corrupt [he sold the Lord Chancellors post to the highest bidder for �100 000 Lord Birkenhead won the auction] - asked his man Horation bottomley: how much can we get for an OBE?

And I think bottomley said, oh �200. There was a good television prog about this man - he ends up poisoning his house mate for her money - a few years ago.

My grandfather was appointed CBE in 1935 -he was a governor of a colony. Order inflation has been observed, the winn=ers of gold medals in the Olympics got one layer above my grandad (DBEs)

Dja know what OBE stands for?

Other b*ggers' efforts ! -that was a  joke going around my grandfather's bureau in the twenties - some things never change