The 1922 Birthday Honours were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of the British Empire. The appointments were made to celebrate the official birthday of The King, and were published in The London Gazette on 2 June 1922.[1]
Controversy from the 1922 Birthday Honours list eventually led to the passage of the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 and creation of the Honours Committee to formally review nominations. Sir Joseph Benjamin Robinson, chairman of the Robinson South African Banking Company and generous contributor to Prime Minister David Lloyd George's Liberal Party, was listed for a barony "for national and imperial services." Robinson quickly declined the honour within weeks after arguments erupted in the House of Lords over the circumstances of his nomination, particularly his residency in South Africa rather than in Great Britain, and that he was not recommended for the honour directly by the South African colonial government as required. "Feeling in the House of Lords ran high," reported The Times on 30 June.[2]The Times praised Robinson's letter to the King asking for permission to decline the honour, and pushed for further questioning into the matter: "..by his action Sir Joseph Robinson has placed himself in the right and has left the Government to explain, if they can, how and why they placed themselves in the wrong. It seems clear from the letter that Sir Joseph Robinson did not in any way seek the honour. Therefore, some person or persons unknown must have sought to induce him to accept it. Who are those persons, what are their functions, and what were their motives?"[3]
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.
Sir Robert Hudson BorwickBtDL by the name, style and title of Baron Borwick, of Hawkshead in the County of Lancaster. Senior partner in the firm of George Borwick & Sons, Ltd. Rendered great service. to the Government in providing hospital treatment for the sick and wounded Colonial officers throughout the war. A large contributor to the Officers Families Fund, and a generous supporter of the Red Cross Society.
Sir William VesteyBt by the name, style and title of Baron Vestey, of Kingswood, in the county of Surrey. Managing Director of the Union Cold Storage Company, Ltd. Has devoted his life to the production and preservation of food supplies by refrigeration, and has opened up numerous new sources of supply of refrigerated products from various parts of the world that have materially helped to cheapen the food supply of the people. Rendered immense service during the war to the country, and provided gratuitously the cold storage accommodation required for war purposes at Havre, Boulogne and Dunkirk. Head of the Blue Star Line. Has done much relief work for the poor, both in Liverpool and London, and generously contributes to charities.
Sir Samuel James WaringBt by the name, style and title of Baron Waring, of Foots Cray, in the County of Kent. Director of Waring & Gillow, Ltd. Director of the Duchess of Sutherland's Cripples Guild. High Sheriff of Denbighshire 1907–8. Member of Executive Committee of National Association of Ex-Soldiers. Pioneer of decorative art in furnishing. Active supporter of Boy Scout Movement. Founder of Higher Production Council. Generous supporter of charities.
The Rt. Honorary Sir Archibald WilliamsonBtMP by the name, style and title of Baron Forres, of Glenogil, in the county of Forfar. Financial and Parliamentary Secretary to the War Office 1919–21.
The King appointed the following to His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council:
Lieutenant-Colonel Leopold Charles Maurice Stennett AmeryMP Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty since 1921. Member of Parliament for the Sparkbrook Division of Birmingham since 1918. Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford.
Lieutenant-Colonel Leslie Orme WilsonCMGDSOMP Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury. Member of Parliament for Reading since 1913.
Harry Mallaby-DeeleyMP Member of Parliament for East Willesden since 1910. Rendered great public service in connection with the last War Loan, duplicating the subscriptions in many places with considerable loss to himself. For public services
John Frederick Drughorn. Director of Fred Drughorn, Ltd., The Anglo-Brazilian Line, Ltd., and the British and Continental Estates, Ltd. Generous contributor to the King's Fund and other charities.
Sir John HarrisonDL Mayor of Stockton-on-Tees for the fifth time. Member of the Durham County Council, Tees Pilotage Board. Chairman of Education Committee. Has taken a very active part in the public life of Stockton-on-Tees. For public and local services.
Lieutenant-Colonel Emmanuel HoyleOBE Has taken an active part in the local government of the town of Huddersfield and rendered great municipal service there. Has given very largely to charities and also expended much time and money on Clubs and Hospitals for soldiers throughout the war
Edmund NuttallAMICE Head of the firm of Nuttall and Co., Civil Engineers and Contractors, of Manchester. The firm has been responsible for numerous engineering works of national importance. Has been associated with many philanthropic works. For national services.
Edward Sharp. Head of the firm which bears his name. Generous contributor to charities in Maidstone and in Kent. Has been President of the National Sunday School Union. Has taken a keen interest in and been a generous supporter of many public institutions.
Sir Edward David SternDL Deputy Lieutenant for Surrey. High Sheriff 1904. Head of the firm of Stern Brothers. A generous benefactor to charities.
George SuttonMIEE Chairman and managing director of Henley's Telegraph Works. One of the founders and past Chairman of the Cable Makers Association. Founded a number of scholarships for elementary school children at secondary schools. A generous contributor to a large number of charities. Served on Beckenham Education Committee for 19 years and on Beckenham Urban District Council for 12 years.
Woolmer Rudolph Donati WhiteDL Deputy Lieutenant for Hampshire. Head of the firm of Timothy White and Co., Chemists and Merchants. Carried on for many years a free school for poor children in Portsmouth, High Sheriff for the county of Norfolk in 1914, and rendered great service in recruiting. Liberal subscriber to hospitals and charities.
Edwin Airey, Governing Director of William Airey & Son, Engineers and Contractors. Rendered considerable assistance to the Ministry of Munitions during the war, and subsequently to the Ministry of Health. An active participant in the direction of many Organisations for social welfare and education
James William Bulmer, Head of the Firm of Smith, Bulmer & Co., Worsted Spinners, of Halifax. Served on the Wool Statistical Committee and on the Wool Textile Control Board. Chairman of Executive of Yorkshire National Liberal Council. For public services.
Robert Appleby BartramDL One of the Senior DLs of Sunderland. Leading educationalist from 1870. A generous, benefactor to charitable, religious and educational bodies in Sunderland.
William Haddock BaylissFRS Professor of General Physiology in University College, London. Is recognised as one of the leading physiologists of the world. His researches in the War afforded the scientific basis of treatment which resulted in conspicuous benefit to the troops and the saving of many lives
Ernest John Fawke. A Director of the Central and Western Corporation. Has interested himself regarding Smoke and Noxious Vapours abatement reported upon by Lord Newton's Committee.
Robert Septimus Gardiner, Editor of the Near East, a publication much valued in Egypt, Palestine and the East. Manager of important Colliery and Shipping undertakings in the North of England.
Charles Tyrrell GilesKCDLMP North Cambridge 1895–1900. Chairman Wimbledon Conservative Association for1 20 years. High Sheriff of Surrey 1915–16. Deputy Lieutenant Surrey 1915
Dan Godfrey, Director of Music to the Corporation of Bournemouth since 1893. For valuable services to British Music
Major Collingwood George Clements HamiltonMP Member of Parliament for the Altrincham Division of Cheshire since 1913. Director of Enrollment National Service, 1917. Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister of Pensions, 1919–20
Ernest Montague Hughman, Late Partner in Pyne, Hughman & Co., Engineers and Shipbuilders. Member of Council of Institution of Engineers, India, and Honorary Secretary, Indian Council, English Institution of Electrical Engineers. For public services.
Edward Mauger IliffeCBE Director of Iliffe & Sons, Publishers. Controller of Machine Tool Department of the Ministry of Munitions. President of Coventry Chamber of Commerce. Devoted much time to hospital, municipal and local public work
Robert McCraken, chairman of the firm of Steel Brothers & Company, Fenchurch Street. Represented Burmah in London Chamber of Commerce for many years. Generous contributor to London charities.
William Mills, Inventor of the Mills Hand Grenade, used exclusively and successfully by the British and other Allies throughout the war, and of which seventy-five millions were supplied. Member of the Council of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce. Member of the Imperial Mineral Resources Bureau
Albert Lindsay ParkinsonMP Member of Parliament for Blackpool since 1918. Mayor of Blackpool from 1916 to 1919, and was conspicuously energetic and successful in all work connected with the war during that period
Charles Thornton PulleyDL Late Member of Parliament for Hereford, and formerly Chairman of the Hereford Division cf the Unionist Association. Chairman during the war of the South Herefordshire Joint Parliamentary Recruiting Committee, and chairman of many other Committees formed to carry on war work in Herefordshire
Henry Norman RaeMP Member of Parliament for Shipley Division of Yorkshire. For public services during and after the war.
William Fleming RussellDL President of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce. A member of the Glasgow Town Council for many years. Honorary President of the Scottish Unionist Association, and at present Chairman of its Western Divisional Council
David Maurice Serjeant Holds unique position as Colonist, Volunteer, patriotic writer and municipal worker
Thomas Shipstone, chairman and managing director of James Shipstone and Sons, Ltd., of Nottingham. Magistrate of the city and a Governor of the Nottingham General Hospital. A generous contributor to many charitable and philanthropic institutions. Rendered important service to the Red Cross Society during the war, presenting amongst other things a fully equipped motor ambulance.
Sydney Martin Skinner, Chairman of John Barker and Co., and of Employers Organisation for the distributive trade. Has also done much municipal work, being Chairman of various Committees and Higher Education Committees. A generous contributor to philanthropic and charitable institutions. For public services.
Major Hugh James Protheroe ThomasOBEDLDL Partner in the firm of James Thomas and Son, established 120 years, Land and Estate Agency. Owner of the town of Milford Haven, which he freed from all tolls amounting to many thousands of pounds. Deputy Lieutenant and Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Haverfordwest.
William WalkerCBE Recently retired from the post of Director of Health and Safety in the Mines Department of the Board of Trade
Henry Whitehead, Director of the firm, of Sir Titus Salt and Co. President of the Bradford Chamber of Commerce. Generous public benefactor. For public and war services.
James Edward WoodsDL Deputy Lieutenant for the city and county of Newcastle upon Tyne. High Sheriff for the County of Northumberland. Honorary Treasurer of the Royal Victoria Infirmary. For 26 years Honorary Treasurer to the Northern Union of Conservative and Constitutional Associations. A most generous supporter of all local charities.
British India
Khan Bahadur Muhammad Habibullah Sahib Bahadur, Member of the Executive Council, Madras
Justice Jwala Prasad Raj Bahadur, Puisne Judge of the High Court of Judicature, Patna, Bihar and Orissa
Henry SharpCSICIE Secretary to the Government of India, Education Department
M. R. Ry. Diwan Bahadur Tirumalai Desika Achariyar Avargal, Member of the Madras Legislative Council, and President of the Trichinopoly District Board, Madras
The Hon. Maui PomareCMG Member of the Executive Council of the Dominion of New Zealand, representing the Native Race and Minister in Charge of the Cook Islands. For valuable services to the Empire.
