1953 New Year Honours

The insignia of the Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George

The New Year Honours 1953 for the United Kingdom were announced on 30 December 1952,[1] to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 1953. This was the first New Year Honours since the accession of Queen Elizabeth II. The Honours list is a list of people who have been awarded one of the various orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom. Honours are split into classes ("orders") and are graded to distinguish different degrees of achievement or service, most medals are not graded. The awards are presented to the recipient in one of several investiture ceremonies at Buckingham Palace throughout the year by the Sovereign or her designated representative.

The orders, medals and decorations are awarded by various honours committees which meet to discuss candidates identified by public or private bodies, by government departments or who are nominated by members of the public.[2] Depending on their roles, those people selected by committee are submitted to Ministers for their approval before being sent to the Sovereign for final approval. As the "fount of honour" the monarch remains the final arbiter for awards.[3] In the case of certain orders such as the Order of the Garter and the Royal Victorian Order they remain at the personal discretion of the Queen.[4]

The recipients of honours are displayed here as they were styled before their new honour, and arranged by honour, with classes (Knight, Knight Grand Cross, etc.) and then divisions (Military, Civil, etc.) as appropriate.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Barons

Privy Counsellors

Baronets

Knights Bachelor

State of Victoria
State of South Australia.
State of Western Australia.
Commonwealth Services.
Colonies, Protectorates, etc.

Order of the Bath

Knights Grand Cross (GCB)

Military Division
Civil Division

Knights Commander (KCB)

Military Division
Civil Division

Commanders (CB)

Military Division
Civil Division

Order of Merit

Order of St Michael and St George

Knights Grand Cross (GCMG)

Knights Commander (KCMG)

Companions (CMG)

Royal Victorian Order

Dame Grand Cross (GCVO)

Knights Commanders (KCVO)

Commanders (CVO)

Fourth Class

Fifth Class

Order of the British Empire

Knights Grand Cross (GBE)

Military Division
Civil Division

Dames Commander (DBE)

Civil Division

Knights Commander (KBE)

Military Division
Civil Division

Commanders (CBE)

Military Division
Civil Division

Officers (OBE)

Military Division
Civil Division

Members (MBE)

Military Division
Civil Division

Companions of Honour

British Empire Medal

Military Division
Civil Division

Royal Victorian Medal

Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air

Royal Red Cross

Associate Royal Red Cross

Air Force Cross & Bar

Air Force Cross

Air Force Medal

King's Police and Fire Services Medal

Police-England and Wales
Police-Scotland
Police-Northern Ireland
Fire Service-England and Wales
Australia
Southern Rhodesia
Colonies, Protectorates and Protected States

Colonial Police Medal

Australia

Honours conferred on the advice of Her Majesty's Australian Ministers.[6]

Knight Bachelor

Order of the Bath

Companion (CB)

Military Division

Order of St Michael and St George

Knight Commander (KCMG)

Companion (CMG)

Order of the British Empire

Knight Commander (KBE)

Military Division
Civil Division

Commander (CBE)

Military Division
Civil Division

Officer (OBE)

Military Division
Civil Division

Member (MBE)

Military Division
Civil Division

British Empire Medal

Military Division

Royal Red Cross

Associate

Air Force Cross

Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air

New Zealand

Honours conferred on the advice of Her Majesty's New Zealand Ministers.[7]

Order of St Michael and St George

Knight Commander (KCMG)

Companions (CMG)

Order of the British Empire

Dame Grand Cross (GBE)

Civil Division

Commanders (CBE)

Civil Division

Officers (OBE)

Military Division
Civil Division

Members (MBE)

Military Division
Civil Division

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Military Division
Civil Division

Air Force Cross (AFC)

Ceylon

Honours conferred on the advice of Her Majesty's Ceylon Ministers.[8]

Order of St Michael and St George

Companion (CMG)

Knight Commander (KBE)

Civil Division

Commander (CBE)

Civil Division

Officer (OBE)

Civil Division

Member (MBE)

Military Division
Civil Division

Pakistan

Honours conferred on the advice of Her Majesty's Pakistan Ministers.[9]

Knight Bachelor

Order of the Bath

Companion (CB)

Order of St Michael and St George

Companion (CMG)

Order of the British Empire

Commander (CBE)

Military Division
Civil Division

Officer (OBE)

Military Division
Civil Division

Member (MBE)

Military Division
Civil Division

References

  1. UK list: The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39732. pp. 1–36. 30 December 1952.
  2. "Honours committees". United Kingdom Government. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
  3. "Development of the Honours System". Royal Household. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
  4. "Order of the Garter". Royal Household. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
  5. Royal Red Cross list: The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39733. pp. 37–38. 30 December 1952.
  6. Australia list: The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39734. pp. 39–42. 30 December 1952.
  7. New Zealand list: The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39735. pp. 43–46. 30 December 1952.
  8. Ceylon list: The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39736. pp. 47–48. 30 December 1952.
  9. Pakistan list: The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39737. pp. 49–50. 30 December 1952.