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List of members of the Order of Merit

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Below is a list of members of the Order of Merit from the order's creation in 1902 until the present day. The number shown is the individual's place in the wider order of appointment since the Order of Merit's inception;

  the purple colour denotes the Sovereign.
  the blue colour denotes honorary members.
  the yellow colour denotes current members.
# Country Portrait Name Date Awarded Lifetime Office/Position
1. United Kingdom The Earl Roberts 26 June 1902 30 September 1832 – 14 November 1914 Military officer
2. United Kingdom The Viscount Wolseley 26 June 1902 4 June 1833 – 25 March 1913 Military officer
3. United Kingdom The Lord Kitchener of Khartoum 26 June 1902 24 June 1850 – 5 June 1916 Military officer, Colonial Administrator
4. United Kingdom The Lord Rayleigh 26 June 1902 12 November 1842 – 30 June 1919 Physicist
5. United Kingdom The Lord Kelvin 26 June 1902 26 June 1824 – 17 December 1907 Physicist
6. United Kingdom The Lord Lister 26 June 1902 5 April 1827 – 10 February 1912 Surgeon
7. United Kingdom Sir Henry Keppel 26 June 1902 14 June 1809 – 17 January 1904 Naval officer
8. United Kingdom John Morley 26 June 1902 24 December 1838 – 23 September 1923 Politician, Writer
9. United Kingdom William Edward Hartpole Lecky 26 June 1902 26 March 1838 – 22 October 1903 Historian, Politician
10. United Kingdom Sir Edward Hobart Seymour 26 June 1902 30 April 1840 – 2 March 1929 Naval officer
11. United Kingdom Sir William Huggins 26 June 1902 7 February 1824 – 12 May 1910 Astronomer
12. United Kingdom George Frederic Watts 26 June 1902 23 February 1817 – 1 July 1904 Painter
13. United Kingdom Sir George Stuart White 30 June 1905 6 July 1835 – 24 June 1912 Army officer
14. United Kingdom Sir John Fisher 30 June 1905 25 January 1841 – 10 July 1920 Naval officer
15. United Kingdom Sir Richard Claverhouse Jebb 30 June 1905 27 August 1841 – 9 December 1905 Classicist, Politician
16. United Kingdom Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema 30 June 1905 8 January 1836 – 25 June 1912 Painter
17. United Kingdom George Meredith 30 June 1905 12 February 1828 – 18 May 1909 Novelist
18. United Kingdom William Holman Hunt 30 June 1905 2 April 1827 – 7 September 1910 Painter
19. Japan Prince Yamagata Aritomo 21 February 1906 14 June 1838 – 1 February 1922 Military officer, Statesman, Prime Minister
20. Japan Prince Ōyama Iwao 21 February 1906 12 November 1842 – 10 December 1916 Military officer
21. Japan Marquess Tōgō Heihachirō 21 February 1906 27 January 1848 – 30 May 1934 Naval officer
22. United Kingdom The Earl of Cromer 29 June 1906 26 February 1841 – 29 January 1917 Colonial Administrator
23. United Kingdom James Bryce 11 February 1907 10 May 1838 – 22 January 1922 Politician, Historian
24. United Kingdom Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker 30 June 1907 30 June 1817 – 10 December 1911 Botanist
25. United Kingdom Florence Nightingale 12 May 1907 12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910 Nurse
26. United Kingdom Henry Jackson 26 June 1908 12 March 1839 – 25 September 1921 Classicist
27. United Kingdom Alfred Russel Wallace 26 June 1908 8 January 1823 – 7 November 1913 Naturalist
28. United Kingdom Sir William Crookes 8 July 1910 17 June 1832 – 4 April 1919 Chemist
29. United Kingdom Thomas Hardy 8 July 1910 2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928 Novelist
30. United Kingdom Sir George Trevelyan, Bt 19 June 1911 20 July 1838 – 17 August 1928 Politician
31. United Kingdom Sir Edward Elgar 19 June 1911 2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934 Composer
32. United Kingdom Sir Arthur Wilson 8 March 1912 4 March 1842 – 25 May 1921 Naval officer
33. United Kingdom Sir Joseph John Thomson 15 March 1912 18 December 1856 – 30 August 1940 Physicist
34. United Kingdom Sir Archibald Geikie 1 January 1914 28 December 1835 – 10 November 1924 Geologist
35. United Kingdom Sir John French 3 December 1914 28 September 1852 – 22 May 1925 Military officer
36. United Kingdom The Viscount Haldane 26 May 1915 30 July 1856 – 19 August 1928 Politician
37. United Kingdom Henry James 1 January 1916 15 April 1843 – 28 February 1916 Novelist
38. United Kingdom Sir John Jellicoe 31 May 1916 5 December 1859 – 20 November 1935 Naval officer
39. United Kingdom Arthur Balfour 3 June 1916 25 July 1848 – 19 March 1930 Politician, Prime Minister
40. France Ferdinand Foch 29 November 1918 2 October 1851 – 20 March 1929 Military officer
41. United Kingdom Sir David Beatty 3 June 1919 17 January 1871 – 11 March 1936 Naval officer
42. United Kingdom Sir Douglas Haig 3 June 1919 19 June 1861 – 29 January 1928 Military officer
43. France Joseph Joffre 26 June 1919 12 January 1852 – 3 January 1931 Military officer
44. United Kingdom David Lloyd George 5 August 1919 17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945 Politician, Prime Minister
45. United Kingdom Sir James Matthew Barrie, Bt 2 January 1922 9 May 1860 – 19 June 1937 Novelist
46. United Kingdom F. H. Bradley 3 June 1924 30 January 1846 – 18 September 1924 Philosopher
47. United Kingdom Sir Charles Scott Sherrington 3 June 1924 27 November 1857 – 4 March 1952 Physiologist
48. United Kingdom Sir James George Frazer 1 January 1925 1 January 1854 – 7 May 1941 Sociologist
49. New Zealand
United Kingdom
Sir Ernest Rutherford 1 January 1925 30 August 1871 – 19 October 1937 Physicist
50. United Kingdom Sir Charles Algernon Parsons 3 June 1927 13 June 1854 – 11 February 1931 Engineer
51. United Kingdom Sir George Abraham Grierson 4 June 1928 7 January 1851 – 9 March 1941 Linguist
52. United Kingdom Robert Seymour Bridges 3 June 1929 23 October 1844 – 21 April 1930 Poet
53. United Kingdom John Galsworthy 3 June 1929 14 August 1867 – 31 January 1933 Novelist
54. Australia
United Kingdom
Samuel Alexander 3 June 1930 6 January 1859 – 13 September 1938 Philosopher
55. United Kingdom M. R. James 3 June 1930 1 August 1862 – 12 June 1936 Historian, Writer
56. United Kingdom G. M. Trevelyan 3 June 1930 16 February 1876 – 21 July 1962 Historian
57. United Kingdom Sir Charles Madden, Bt 1 January 1931 5 September 1862 – 5 June 1935 Naval officer
58. United Kingdom Philip Wilson Steer 1 January 1931 28 December 1860 – 18 March 1942 Painter
59. United Kingdom Sir William Henry Bragg 3 June 1931 2 July 1862 – 10 March 1942 Physicist
60. United Kingdom John William Mackail 1 January 1935 26 August 1859 – 13 December 1945 Classicist
61. United Kingdom John Masefield 3 June 1935 1 June 1878 – 12 May 1967 Poet
62. United Kingdom Ralph Vaughan Williams 3 June 1935 12 October 1872 – 26 August 1958 Composer
63. United Kingdom Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins 3 June 1935 20 June 1861 – 16 May 1947 Biochemist
64. United Kingdom Sir Philip Chetwode, Bt 1 January 1936 21 September 1869 – 6 July 1950 Military officer
65. United Kingdom Herbert Fisher 1 February 1937 21 March 1865 – 18 April 1940 Historian, Politician
66. United Kingdom The Lord Baden-Powell 11 May 1937 22 February 1857 – 8 January 1941 Military officer, Scouting pioneer
67. United Kingdom Sir Arthur Eddington 9 June 1938 28 December 1882 – 22 November 1944 Astronomer
68. United Kingdom The Lord Chatfield 2 January 1939 27 September 1873 – 15 November 1967 Naval officer, Statesman
69. United Kingdom Sir James Hopwood Jeans 2 January 1939 11 September 1877 – 16 September 1946 Physicist
70. United Kingdom Sir Cyril Newall 29 October 1940 15 February 1886 – 30 November 1963 Air force officer
71. Australia
United Kingdom
Gilbert Murray 1 January 1941 2 January 1866 – 20 May 1957 Classicist
72. United Kingdom Sir Edwin Lutyens 1 January 1942 29 March 1869 – 1 January 1944 Architect
73. United Kingdom Augustus John 11 June 1942 4 January 1878 – 31 October 1961 Painter
74. United Kingdom Edgar Adrian 11 June 1942 30 November 1889 – 4 August 1977 Physiologist
75. United Kingdom Sir William Searle Holdsworth 1 January 1943 7 May 1871 – 2 January 1944 Legal Scholar
76. United Kingdom Sir Dudley Pound 3 September 1943 29 August 1877 – 21 October 1943 Naval officer
77. United Kingdom The Lord Passfield 8 June 1944 13 July 1859 – 13 October 1947 Economist, Politician
78. United Kingdom Sir Henry Hallett Dale 8 June 1944 9 June 1875 – 23 July 1968 Pharmacologist
79. United Kingdom Sir Giles Gilbert Scott 8 June 1944 9 November 1880 – 8 February 1960 Architect
80. United Kingdom
United States
Alfred North Whitehead 1 January 1945 15 February 1861 – 30 December 1947 Mathematician, Philosopher
81. United States Dwight D. Eisenhower 12 June 1945 14 October 1890 – 28 March 1969 Military officer, Statesman, President
82. United Kingdom Winston Churchill 1 January 1946 30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965 Politician, Prime Minister
83. United Kingdom The Viscount Portal of Hungerford 1 January 1946 21 May 1893 – 22 April 1971 Air force officer
84. United Kingdom The Viscount Alanbrooke 13 June 1946 23 July 1883 – 17 June 1963 Military officer
85. United Kingdom The Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope 13 June 1946 7 January 1883 – 12 June 1963 Naval officer
86. United Kingdom The Earl of Halifax 13 June 1946 16 April 1881 – 23 December 1959 Politician
87. South Africa Jan Smuts 1 January 1947 24 May 1870 – 11 September 1950 Politician, Military officer, Prime Minister
88. United States John Gilbert Winant 1 January 1947 23 February 1889 – 3 November 1947 Politician, Diplomat
89. Canada William Lyon Mackenzie King 17 November 1947 17 December 1874 – 22 July 1950 Politician, Prime Minister
90. United Kingdom T. S. Eliot 1 January 1948 26 September 1888 – 4 January 1965 Poet
91. United Kingdom Sir Robert Robinson 9 June 1949 13 September 1886 – 8 February 1975 Chemist
92. United Kingdom The Earl Russell 9 June 1949 18 May 1872 – 2 February 1970 Philosopher, Mathematician
93. United Kingdom Sir Alexander Cadogan 1 January 1951 25 November 1884 – 9 July 1968 Civil Servant
94. United Kingdom The Viscount Trenchard 1 January 1951 3 February 1873 – 10 February 1956 Air force officer and 'Father of the RAF'
95. United Kingdom G. E. Moore 7 June 1951 4 November 1873 – 24 October 1958 Philosopher
96. United Kingdom Clement Attlee 5 November 1951 3 January 1883 – 8 October 1967 Politician, Prime Minister
97. Canada Wilder Penfield 1 January 1953 26 January 1891 – 5 April 1976 Surgeon
98. United Kingdom Walter de la Mare 1 June 1953 25 April 1873 – 22 June 1956 Writer
99. France Albert Schweitzer 25 February 1955 14 January 1875 – 4 September 1965 Physician, Missionary, Theologian
100. United Kingdom The Lord Hailey 31 May 1956 15 February 1872 – 1 June 1969 Colonial Administrator
101. United Kingdom Sir John Cockcroft 1 January 1957 27 May 1897 – 18 September 1967 Physicist
102. United Kingdom The Viscount Waverley 8 December 1957 8 July 1882 – 4 January 1958 Civil Servant, Statesman
103. Australia Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet 12 June 1958 3 September 1899 – 31 August 1985 Physiologist
104. United Kingdom The Viscount Samuel 21 November 1958 6 November 1870 – 2 February 1963 Politician
105. United Kingdom The Earl Alexander of Tunis 23 April 1960 10 December 1891 – 16 June 1969 Military officer
106. United Kingdom Sir Cyril Norman Hinshelwood 23 April 1960 19 June 1897 – 9 October 1967 Chemist
107. United Kingdom Graham Sutherland 23 April 1960 24 August 1903 – 17 February 1980 Artist
108. United Kingdom Sir Geoffrey de Havilland 23 November 1962 27 July 1882 – 21 May 1965 Aircraft Engineer
109. United Kingdom Sir Basil Spence 23 November 1962 13 August 1907 – 19 November 1976 Architect
110. Australia Sir Owen Dixon 29 May 1963 28 April 1886 – 7 July 1972 Judge
111. India Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan 12 June 1963 5 September 1888 – 17 April 1975 Statesman, Philosopher, President
112. United Kingdom George Peabody Gooch 16 August 1963 21 October 1873 – 31 August 1968 Historian, Politician
113. United Kingdom Henry Moore 16 August 1963 30 July 1898 – 31 August 1986 Sculptor
114. United Kingdom Benjamin Britten 23 March 1965 22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976 Composer
115. United Kingdom Dorothy Hodgkin 23 March 1965 12 May 1910 – 29 July 1994 Biochemist
116. United Kingdom The Earl Mountbatten of Burma 15 July 1965 25 June 1900 – 27 August 1979 Naval officer, Statesman
117. Australia
United Kingdom
The Lord Florey 15 July 1965 24 September 1898 – 21 February 1968 Pharmacologist
118. United Kingdom Patrick Blackett 20 November 1967 18 November 1897 – 13 July 1974 Physicist
119. United Kingdom Sir William Walton 20 November 1967 29 March 1902 – 8 March 1983 Composer
120. United Kingdom Ben Nicholson 23 April 1968 10 April 1894 – 6 February 1982 Painter
121. South Africa
United Kingdom
Sir Solly Zuckerman 23 April 1968 30 May 1904 – 1 April 1993 Zoologist
122.   The Duke of Edinburgh 10 June 1968 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021 Prince, Spouse of Queen Elizabeth II
123. United Kingdom E. M. Forster 1 January 1969 1 January 1879 – 7 June 1970 Novelist
124. United Kingdom Malcolm MacDonald 14 July 1969 17 August 1901 – 11 January 1981 Politician
125. United Kingdom The Lord Penney 14 July 1969 24 June 1909 – 3 March 1991 Mathematician
126. United Kingdom Sir Geoffrey Ingram Taylor 14 July 1969 7 March 1886 – 27 June 1975 Physicist
127. United Kingdom Dame Veronica Wedgwood 14 July 1969 20 July 1910 – 9 March 1997 Historian
128. New Zealand John Beaglehole 21 March 1970 13 June 1901 – 10 October 1971 Historian
129. Canada Lester B. Pearson 20 May 1971 23 April 1897 – 27 December 1972 Politician, Prime Minister
130. United Kingdom Sir Isaiah Berlin 20 May 1971 6 June 1909 – 5 November 1997 Philosopher, Historian
131. United Kingdom Sir George Edwards 20 May 1971 9 July 1908 – 2 March 2003 Aircraft Engineer
132. United Kingdom Sir Alan Lloyd Hodgkin 17 April 1973 5 February 1914 – 20 December 1998 Physiologist
133. United Kingdom Paul Dirac 17 April 1973 8 August 1902 – 20 October 1984 Physicist
134. United Kingdom Harold Macmillan 2 April 1976 10 February 1894 – 29 December 1986 Politician, Prime Minister
135. United Kingdom The Lord Hinton of Bankside 2 April 1976 12 May 1901 – 22 June 1983 Engineer
136. United Kingdom The Lord Clark 2 April 1976 13 July 1903 – 21 May 1983 Art Historian, Broadcaster
137. New Zealand
United Kingdom
Sir Ronald Syme 2 April 1976 11 March 1903 – 4 September 1989 Historian
138. United Kingdom The Lord Todd 24 October 1977 2 October 1907 – 10 January 1997 Biochemist
139. United Kingdom The Lord Franks 24 October 1977 16 February 1905 – 15 October 1992 Civil Servant, Diplomat
140. United Kingdom Sir Frederick Ashton 24 October 1977 17 September 1904 – 18 October 1988 Ballet Dancer
141. United Kingdom J. B. Priestley 24 October 1977 13 September 1894 – 14 August 1984 Playwright, Novelist
142. United Kingdom The Lord Olivier 6 February 1981 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989 Actor
143. United Kingdom Sir Peter Medawar 6 February 1981 28 February 1915 – 2 October 1987 Biologist
144. United Kingdom Leonard Cheshire 6 February 1981 7 September 1917 – 31 July 1992 Soldier, Philanthropist
145. United Kingdom The Reverend Owen Chadwick 11 November 1983 20 May 1916 – 17 July 2015 Priest, Historian
146. United Kingdom Sir Andrew Huxley 11 November 1983 22 November 1917 – 30 May 2012 Physiologist
147. Australia Sir Sidney Nolan 11 November 1983 22 April 1917 – 28 November 1992 Painter
148. United Kingdom Sir Michael Tippett 11 November 1983 2 January 1905 – 8 January 1998 Composer
149. Albania
India
Agnesë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu (Mother Teresa) 18 November 1983 26 August 1910 – 5 September 1997 Nun, Missionary
150. United Kingdom Graham Greene 11 February 1986 2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991 Novelist
151. United Kingdom Frederick Sanger 11 February 1986 13 August 1918 – 19 November 2013 Biochemist
152. United Kingdom Sir Frank Whittle 11 February 1986 1 June 1907 – 9 August 1996 Aircraft Engineer
153. United Kingdom Sir Yehudi Menuhin 25 February 1987 22 April 1916 – 12 March 1999 Violinist
154. United Kingdom Sir Ernst Gombrich 15 February 1988 30 March 1909 – 3 November 2001 Art Historian
155. United Kingdom Max Perutz 15 February 1988 19 May 1914 – 6 February 2002 Biologist
156. United Kingdom Dame Cicely Saunders 30 November 1989 22 June 1918 – 14 July 2005 Nurse, Social Worker
157. United Kingdom Sir George Porter 30 November 1989 6 December 1920 – 31 August 2002 Chemist
158. United Kingdom Margaret Thatcher 7 December 1990 13 October 1925 – 8 April 2013 Politician, Prime Minister
159. Australia Dame Joan Sutherland 29 November 1991 7 November 1926 – 10 October 2010 Soprano
160. United Kingdom Francis Crick 27 November 1991 8 June 1916 – 28 July 2004 Biologist
161. United Kingdom Dame Ninette de Valois 17 November 1992 6 June 1898 – 8 March 2001 Ballet Dancer
162. United Kingdom Sir Michael Atiyah 17 November 1992 22 April 1929 – 11 January 2019 Mathematician
163. United Kingdom Lucian Freud 6 December 1993 8 December 1922 – 20 July 2011 Painter
164. United Kingdom The Lord Jenkins of Hillhead 6 December 1993 11 November 1920 – 5 January 2003 Politician
165. South Africa Nelson Mandela 21 March 1995 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013 Statesman, President
166. United Kingdom Sir Aaron Klug 23 October 1995 11 August 1926 – 20 November 2018 Chemist
167. United Kingdom Sir John Gielgud 9 December 1996 14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000 Actor
168. United Kingdom The Lord Denning 25 November 1997 23 January 1899 – 5 March 1999 Judge
169. United Kingdom Sir Norman Foster 25 November 1997 1 June 1935 – Architect
170. United Kingdom Sir Denis Rooke 25 November 1997 2 April 1924 – 2 September 2008 Engineer
171. United Kingdom Ted Hughes 10 August 1998 17 August 1930 – 28 October 1998 Poet, Writer
172. United Kingdom Basil Hume 25 May 1999 2 March 1923 – 17 June 1999 Archbishop, Cardinal
173. United Kingdom Sir James Whyte Black 9 May 2000 14 June 1924 – 22 March 2010 Pharmacologist
174. United Kingdom Sir Anthony Caro 9 May 2000 8 March 1924 – 23 October 2013 Sculptor
175. United Kingdom Sir Roger Penrose 9 May 2000 8 August 1931 – Mathematician
176. United Kingdom Sir Tom Stoppard 9 May 2000 3 July 1937 – Playwright
177.   King Charles III 27 June 2002 14 November 1948 – King
178. Australia The Lord May of Oxford 28 October 2002 8 January 1936 – 28 April 2020 Ecologist
179. United Kingdom The Lord Rothschild 28 October 2002 29 April 1936 – 26 February 2024 Banker, Philanthropist
180. United Kingdom Sir David Attenborough 10 June 2005 8 May 1926 – Broadcaster, Naturalist
181. United Kingdom The Baroness Boothroyd 10 June 2005 8 October 1929 – 26 February 2023 Politician, Speaker
182. United Kingdom Sir Michael Howard 10 June 2005 29 November 1922 – 30 November 2019 Historian
183. United Kingdom The Lord Eames 13 June 2007 27 April 1937 – Archbishop
184. United Kingdom Sir Tim Berners-Lee 13 June 2007 8 June 1955 – Computer Scientist
185. United Kingdom The Lord Rees of Ludlow 13 June 2007 23 June 1942 – Astronomer
186. Canada Jean Chrétien 13 July 2009 11 January 1934 – Politician, Prime Minister
187. United Kingdom Neil MacGregor 4 November 2010 16 June 1946 – Art Historian
188. United Kingdom David Hockney 1 January 2012 9 July 1937 – Painter
189. Australia John Howard 1 January 2012 26 July 1939 – Politician, Prime Minister
190. United Kingdom Sir Simon Rattle 1 January 2014 19 January 1955 – Conductor
191. United Kingdom Martin Litchfield West 1 January 2014 23 September 1937 – 13 July 2015 Classicist
192. Egypt
United Kingdom
Sir Magdi Yacoub 1 January 2014 16 November 1935 – Surgeon
193. United Kingdom The Lord Darzi of Denham 31 December 2015 7 May 1960 – Surgeon
194. United Kingdom Dame Ann Dowling 31 December 2015 15 July 1952 – Engineer
195. United Kingdom Sir James Dyson 31 December 2015 2 May 1947 – Industrial Designer
196. United Kingdom Dame Elizabeth Anionwu 11 November 2022[1] 2 July 1947 – Nurse
197. Trinidad and Tobago
United Kingdom
The Baroness Benjamin 11 November 2022[1] 23 September 1949 – Broadcaster
198. Canada Margaret MacMillan 11 November 2022[1] 23 December 1943 – Historian
199. Ghana
United Kingdom
Sir David Adjaye 11 November 2022[1] 22 September 1966 – Architect
200. United Kingdom Sir Paul Nurse 11 November 2022[1] 25 January 1949 – Geneticist and Nobel Laureate
201. United States
United Kingdom
Venki Ramakrishnan 11 November 2022[1] 1 April 1952 – Structural biologist and Nobel Laureate

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f His Majesty The King (11 November 2022). "New Appointments to the Order of Merit". royal.uk. Retrieved 11 November 2022.

Sources

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