The usher of the Purple Rod, formally known as the Gentleman Usher of the Purple Rod or Lady Usher of the Purple Rod, is the
Usher to the Most Excellent
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
, established in 1917 and effective since 1918.
The Gentleman Usher is appointed by the Sovereign and holds the office during good behaviour. No specific functions are assigned to the Gentleman Usher but the Statutes require that the Usher shall "execute diligently whatever the Sovereign or Grand Master may be pleased to command touching the interests of the said Order".
The Statutes of the Order
[Article 28 of the 1917 Statutes, article 30 of the 1918 Statutes.] provide that the Gentleman Usher "shall wear around his neck pendent to a purple riband an escocheon of gold enamelled on a field purpure a representation of Britannia surrounded by the circle and motto of the Order and surmounted by an Imperial Crown, and that he shall carry the Purple Rod of the Order, having at the top an escrol thereon the motto of the Order surmounted by a representation of Britannia."
Officeholders from 1918
*1918 – 23 August 1952: Sir
Frederic G. Kenyon
*30 September 1952 – 2 December 1960: Sir
Ernest Gowers
Sir Ernest Arthur Gowers (; 2 June 1880 – 16 April 1966) was a British civil servant and author who is best remembered for his book ''Plain Words,'' first published in 1948, and his revision of Henry Watson Fowler, Fowler's classic ''Modern En ...
*2 December 1960 – 8 April 1969:
Malcolm Eve, 1st Baron Silsoe
*8 April 1969 – 1985: Sir
Robert Bellinger
*1985 – 30 November 2000: Sir
Robin Gillett, 2nd Baronet
*30 November 2000 – 23 July 2013: Sir
Alexander Graham
* 23 July 2013 – present Dame
Amelia Fawcett (first Lady Usher)
See also
*
Gentleman Usher
Gentleman Usher and Lady Usher are titles for some officers of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom. For a list of office-holders from the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 up to the present day see List of Lady and Gentleman Ushers.
Gen ...
, ushers of other orders of chivalry
References
{{Reflist
*The ''
London Gazette
London is the capital and largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 14.9 million. London stands on the River Tha ...
''.
Order of the British Empire
Ceremonial officers in the United Kingdom