104-686: Aled Jones , MBE (born 29 December 1970) is a Welsh singer, radio and television presenter, and actor. As a teenage chorister , he gained widespread fame in 1985 with his recording of " Walking in the Air ", which reached No 5 in the UK pop chart. He has since worked in television with the BBC and ITV , and on radio for the BBC and Classic FM . In September 2012, Jones joined ITV Breakfast , where he presented Daybreak (2012–2014), alongside Lorraine Kelly and Kate Garraway . For
208-527: A GBE (in recognition of his role as chairman of the Scottish War Savings Committee) and the award of medal of the order to Lizzie Robinson, a munitions worker. The order had been established primarily as a civilian award; in August 1918, however, not long after its foundation, a number of awards were made to serving naval and military personnel. Four months later, a 'Military Division' was added to
312-404: A broad riband or sash, passing from the right shoulder to the left hip. Knights Commander and male Commanders wear the badge from a ribbon around the neck; male Officers and Members wear the badge from a ribbon on the left chest; female recipients other than Dames Grand Cross (unless in military uniform) normally wear it from a bow on the left shoulder. An oval eight-pointed star is worn, pinned to
416-538: A burning building containing explosives. In December 1922 the statutes of the order were amended; there having been a large number of awards for war work prior to this date, these amended statutes placed the order on more of a peacetime footing. For the first time numbers of appointments were limited, with the stipulation that senior awards in the Civil Division were to outnumber those in the Military Division by
520-449: A circlet bearing the motto of the Order; the reverse bears George V's Royal and Imperial Cypher. (Prior to 1937 Britannia was shown within the circlet.) The size of the badges varies according to rank: the higher classes have slightly larger badges. The badges of Knights and Dames Grand Cross, Knights and Dames Commander, and Commanders are enamelled, with pale blue crosses, crimson circlets and
624-466: A citizen of a Commonwealth realm can convert their appointment from honorary to substantive, and they then enjoy all privileges of membership of the order, including use of the title of Sir and Dame for the senior two ranks of the Order. (An example of the latter is Irish broadcaster Terry Wogan , who was appointed an honorary Knight Commander of the Order in 2005, and on successful application for British citizenship, held alongside his Irish citizenship,
728-508: A co-production with Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, and Aldous Huxley 's Brave New World in a co-production with Touring Consortium Theatre Company. The programme also included a co-production of King John with Shakespeare’s Globe , and Patrick Hamilton 's classic thriller Gaslight . Highlights of its Made in Northampton 2016 season include major tours of Peter Whelan 's The Herbal Bed (Winner of Best Touring Production in
832-602: A collaboration album with English tenor Russell Watson . They followed on 1 November 2019 with Back in Harmony , which debuted at number 1 on the UK Classical Albums chart. On 4 November 2022, Jones and Watson released the album Christmas with Aled and Russell . The album debuted at number 1 on the Classical Artists Albums Chart and number 14 on the main albums chart. The album was preceded by two singles;
936-424: A contestant on Strictly Come Dancing in 2004 brought him to the attention of a wider audience, leading to further tours and albums. It also led to increasing demands on him as a broadcaster. Jones is one of the main presenters of BBC One 's Songs of Praise . In 2003, he was the subject of the final episode of This Is Your Life when he was surprised by Michael Aspel while presenting Songs of Praise at
1040-550: A formal merger in 1999; they are run by the Northampton Theatres Trust. The Royal Theatre, established as a producing house , has a capacity of 450 seats and since 1976 has been designated a Grade II listed building ; Derngate Theatre seats a maximum of 1,200 and is a multi-purpose space in which the auditorium can be configured for a variety of events including theatre, opera, live music, dance, fashion and sports. The Northampton Filmhouse, an independent cinema built to
1144-443: A gold central medallion. Officers' badges are plain silver-gilt, while those of Members are plain silver. From 1917 until 1937, the badge of the order was suspended on a purple ribbon, with a red central stripe being added for the military division in 1918. Since 1937, the ribbon has been rose-pink with pearl-grey edges (with the addition of a pearl-grey central stripe for the military division). Knights and Dames Grand Cross wear it on
SECTION 10
#17330847278811248-689: A new charity to provide not-for-profit management services for the complex; it also established another charity to operate Corby Cube , a new theatre in Corby. In 2011, the R & G's production of End of the Rainbow was transferred to the West End and nominated for 4 Olivier Awards. In addition, Royal & Derngate was named the Regional Theatre of the Year in the inaugural Stage 100 awards. In 2015 Royal & Derngate
1352-736: A new main entrance. A creativity centre for education and community work was added, together with an atrium-style performance space, a new rehearsal room, and better changing rooms for actors. During the 18-month closure, productions were moved elsewhere. The Comedy Club moved to the Roadmender, as did the youth theatre and education work. The classical music season went to Spinney Hill Hall at Northampton School for Girls, while dance moved to The Castle theatre in Wellingborough. The complex reopened as Royal & Derngate in October 2006. Royal & Derngate
1456-428: A part of. His last episode aired on 25 April 2014. The following day, Jones began hosting Weekend , broadcast every Saturday and Sunday morning from 8:30am. Since 2012, Jones has presented the annual Christmas Carols on ITV programme, which airs late on Christmas Eve. In 2015, he was a regular reporter for Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two , broadcast on BBC Two . Since February 2016, Jones has co-presented
1560-488: A proportion of six to one. Furthermore appointments in the civil division were to be divided equally between UK and overseas awards. With regard to the Medal of the Order (but not the order itself), a distinction was made in 1922 between awards 'for gallantry' and awards 'for meritorious service' (each being appropriately inscribed, and the former having laurel leaves decorating the clasp, the latter oak leaves). In 1933 holders of
1664-441: A record contract with a major music label. Suckling's debut album was strongly endorsed by Jones, who described it as "breathtaking" and it was released on 29 November 2010. In 2011, Jones hosted the television and DVD series, Classical Destinations III, Aled Jones' Ultimate Travel Guide to Classical Music which was filmed on his travels in the UK, Europe, Scandinavia and Australia. On 9 November 2018, Jones released In Harmony ,
1768-417: A regular stand-in presenter for Sarah Kennedy and Ken Bruce on Radio 2 , until he left Radio 2 in 2012. Jones also presents programmes for BBC Radio 3 , such as Choir of the Year and Young Chorister of the Year and The Choir until he left Radio 3 in 2013. On 4 February 2013 it was announced that Jones had returned to Classic FM to present a new show from 9:00–12:00 on Sundays, starting on 3 March of
1872-476: A son Lucas. On 28 October 2009, Jones was presented with a BASCA Gold Badge Award in recognition of his unique contribution to music. Jones was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to music and broadcasting and for charitable services. He collected his award on 17 October 2013. On 14 February 2014, Jones was nominated as an Honorary Fellow of
1976-649: Is a theatre complex in the Cultural Quarter of Northampton , England, consisting of the Royal Theatre, Derngate Theatre and the Northampton Filmhouse. The Royal was built by theatre architect Charles J. Phipps and opened in 1884. Ninety-nine years later in 1983, Derngate, designed by RHWL , was built to the rear of the Royal. Whilst the two theatres were physically linked, they did not combine organisations until
2080-512: Is an image of Britannia surrounded by the motto, with the words "For Meritorious Service" at the bottom; on the reverse is George V's Imperial and Royal Cypher, with the words "Instituted by King George V" at the bottom. The name of the recipient is engraved on the rim. This medal is nicknamed "the Gong", and comes in both full-sized and miniature versions – the latter for formal white-tie and semi-formal black-tie occasions. A lapel pin for everyday wear
2184-931: Is not a member of the College of Arms , as are many other heraldic officers; and the Lady Usher of the Purple Rod does not – unlike the Order of the Garter equivalent, the Lady Usher of the Black Rod – perform any duties related to the House of Lords . Since the Second World War, several Commonwealth realms have established their own national system of honours and awards and have created their own unique orders, decorations and medals. A number, though, continue to make recommendations for appointments to
SECTION 20
#17330847278812288-698: Is now the main venue for arts and entertainment in Northamptonshire. The Royal auditorium seats 530, Derngate seats 1,200-1,400 people, and the 2013 film theatre seats 90. The venue offers a diverse programme: drama, dance, stand-up comedy, classical music, children's shows, opera, and pantomime. It also hosts the annual February degree conferment ceremonies for the University of Northampton . The venue has produced critically acclaimed shows, including Stephen Sondheim's Follies , J.B. Priestley's The Glass Cage , The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie , and Roald Dahl's James and
2392-567: The Doctor Who serial The Talons of Weng-Chiang were shot inside the theatre. The serial was set in Victorian London and an authentic atmosphere was wanted for the theatre scenes. According to director David Maloney on the DVD commentary, the theatre was chosen because it had the nearest original fly gallery to London. Derngate Theatre was added to the rear of the Royal, and was constructed on
2496-661: The Empire Theatre , Liverpool (22 December 2011 to 7 January 2012) On 8 November 2014 Jones made his West End debut, again playing Bob Wallace in " White Christmas ", this time at the Dominion Theatre , Tottenham Court Road. Following the publication of Aled's Forty Favourite Hymns in 2009, a further book, Favourite Christmas Carols , was published on 28 October 2010; Jones took the book on his UK tour in November and December 2010. On 29 November, his CD, Aled's Christmas Gift ,
2600-643: The National Philharmonic Orchestra , was behind the Santa Claus: The Movie , original motion picture soundtrack, "Every Christmas Eve" of 1985. Also in 1985, Jones was employed by Mike Oldfield to sing on his single " Pictures in the Dark ", a three-voice song, on which he performed with Anita Hegerland and Barry Palmer , but the song did not reach the UK Top 40. In 1986, he sang the theme song for
2704-484: The Order of Canada . On the other hand, the Australian Honours System unilaterally created in 1975 did not achieve bi-partisan support until 1992, which was when Australian federal and state governments agreed to cease Australian recommendations for British honours; the last Australian recommended Order of the British Empire appointments were in the 1989 Queen's Birthday Honours . New Zealand continued to use
2808-567: The Royal Academy of Music ; he was presented with the fellowship on 3 July 2014. Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry , rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service . It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions,
2912-660: The Royal Albert Hall in London. He has also presented the annual "Big Sing", the 50th Anniversary edition from Alexandra Palace in 2011, and the 60th Anniversary edition from Westminster Abbey (3/10/21). Since 2009, Jones has presented editions of Escape to the Country for the BBC. He was also a presenter on Cash in the Attic between 2010 and 2012. In October 2011, he appeared as a guest presenter on The One Show . In 2012, Jones hosted
3016-578: The Siriol Animation film A Winter Story . The song was a modest success, reaching number 51 in the UK Singles Chart . In 1986, he sang the oratorio Athalia . Jones' recording career was temporarily halted in the late 1980s. By then he had sung for Pope John Paul II , Queen Elizabeth II , and Charles, Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales in a private recital, as well as presenting numerous children's television programmes. He sang at
3120-489: The cover version of " Walking in the Air ", the song from Channel 4 's animated film The Snowman , based on the book by Raymond Briggs . The record reached number five in the UK charts in 1985. Although it is often reported that Jones sang the version used in the 1982 film, that was actually performed by Peter Auty , a St Paul's Cathedral choirboy. In June 1985, Jones was the subject of an Emmy Award –winning BBC Omnibus documentary entitled The Treble . Jones, with
3224-464: The 21st century quotas were introduced to ensure consistent representation among recipients across nine categories of eligibility: with the largest proportion of awards being reserved for community, voluntary and local service. Non-military awards of the British Empire Medal resumed in 2012, starting with 293 BEMs awarded for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee . In 2017 the centenary of
Aled Jones - Misplaced Pages Continue
3328-552: The Australian TV series Classical Destinations III, Aled Jones' Ultimate Travel Guide to Classical Music . On 4 May 2012, Jones was confirmed as the new presenter of the ITV Breakfast programme Daybreak with Lorraine Kelly and Kate Garraway , replacing Adrian Chiles . On 3 March 2014, it was announced that Daybreak was to be replaced by a new breakfast programme called Good Morning Britain , which Jones would not be
3432-595: The BBC, he has presented Songs of Praise (since 2004), Cash in the Attic (2010–2012), Escape to the Country (2009–2013), and Going Back Giving Back (since 2016). Jones was born in St. David's Hospital in Bangor , Caernarfonshire , the only child of Nest Rowlands, a teacher, and Derek John Jones, a draughtsman for a shipbuilder. He was raised in the small Welsh -speaking community of Llandegfan on Anglesey , and attended Ysgol David Hughes (a secondary school). Jones joined
3536-788: The British Empire . Rather than using this chapel, the Order now holds its great services upstairs in the nave of the cathedral. In addition to the Chapel of the Order of the British Empire, St Paul's Cathedral also houses the Chapel of the Order of St Michael and St George . Religious services for the whole Order are held every four years; new Knights and Dames Grand Cross are installed at these services. Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander prefix Sir , and Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commander prefix Dame , to their forenames. Wives of Knights may prefix Lady to their surnames, but no equivalent privilege exists for husbands of Knights or spouses of Dames. Such forms are not used by peers and princes, except when
3640-490: The British Empire for Gallantry. Any individual made a member of the order for gallantry after 14 January 1958 wears an emblem of two crossed silver oak leaves on the same ribbon as the badge, with a miniature version on the ribbon bar when worn alone. When the ribbon only is worn the emblem is worn in miniature. It could not be awarded posthumously , and was replaced in 1974 with the Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM). If recipients of
3744-649: The Giant Peach , as well as collaborating with Frantic Assembly on productions of Frankenstein and Othello . World premieres have included Arthur Miller 's The Hook , Aldous Huxley 's Brave New World , and a new play about Marvin Gaye , Soul by Roy Williams . For Christmas 2016, Royal & Derngate will be presenting the European premiere of Broadway sensation Peter and the Starcatcher . On 16 November 2018, Jo Gordon
3848-740: The Military Division of the order from the UK and across the Empire. Recommendations for all appointments to the Order of the British Empire were originally made on the nomination of the King's United Kingdom ministers (recommendations for overseas awards were made by the Foreign Office , the Colonial Office , the India Office and the Dominions Office ); but in the early 1940s the system was changed to enable
3952-580: The Northampton Theatres Trust. In 2005, both theatres closed for an 18-month redevelopment. The total cost, £14.5 million, was received from various outlets, including £1.6m from the Heritage Lottery Fund, £2.6m from the East Midlands Development Agency and Northampton Partnership, and almost £1m from partnership funding by the theatres' development team. The redevelopment merged and totally refurbished both venues. A creativity centre
4056-436: The Order of the British Empire for Gallantry received promotion within the order, whether for gallantry or otherwise, they continued to wear also the insignia of the lower grade with the oak leaves; however, they used only the post-nominal letters of the higher grade. When the order was founded in 1917, badges, ribands and stars were appointed for wear by recipients. In 1929 mantles, hats and collars were added for recipients of
4160-513: The Order of the British Empire. In 2024 appointments to the order were made by the governments of: Most members of the order are citizens of the United Kingdom or Commonwealth realms that use the UK system of honours and awards. In addition, honorary awards may be made to citizens of nations where the monarch is not head of state ; these permit use of post-nominal letters, but not the title of Sir or Dame . Honorary appointees who later become
4264-404: The Order, however, are not assigned any special precedence. As a general rule, only wives and children of male recipients are afforded privileges. Knights and Dames Grand Cross are also entitled to be granted heraldic supporters . They may, furthermore, encircle their arms with a depiction of the circlet (a circle bearing the motto) and the collar; the former is shown either outside or on top of
Aled Jones - Misplaced Pages Continue
4368-579: The Royal's stage before embarking on his film career. For several months in 1933, he was part of the Northampton Repertory Players at the Royal. The Australian designer Catherine Harness was here in the 30s working with Thomas Osborne Robinson who was the decor and costume designer. In 1937 Osborne Robinson designed the costumes for Laurence Olivier at the Old Vic and despite a job offer he stayed in Northampton. In January 1977, scenes for
4472-525: The UK Theatre Awards), King Lear starring Michael Pennington , and Spymonkey 's The Complete Deaths . It produced the world premiere of Soul , a new play by Roy Williams about American singer Marvin Gaye , and the European Premiere of Peter and the Starcatcher . Shows, including 2007's 101 Dalmatians , 2018's The Worst Witch and 2019's The Season renamed Two Strangers (Carry
4576-532: The UK. In 2009, to celebrate its 125th anniversary, the theatres' season included a celebration of Britain's most popular living playwright, Alan Ayckbourn , a new show created with the funny company Spymonkey, and a Young America season, featuring two rarely seen plays by Eugene O’Neill and Tennessee Williams about young people in love. Royal & Derngate also toured co-productions of Kneehigh Theatre's Brief Encounter and, with Fiery Angel, The BFG . In addition, Royal & Derngate played host to some of
4680-460: The United Kingdom; those who would formerly have met the criteria for the medal were instead made eligible for the MBE. In 2004, a report entitled A Matter of Honour: Reforming Our Honours System by a Commons select committee recommended phasing out the Order of the British Empire, as its title was "now considered to be unacceptable, being thought to embody values that are no longer shared by many of
4784-538: The Year (2010) in its inaugural Stage 100 Awards for "its artistic quality and connections it has with local audiences." In 2013 James Dacre took over as artistic director. The Royal & Derngate was awarded the UK Theatre Management Award for Best Presentation of Touring Theatre for its Made in Northampton co-produced work in 2015 and the UK Theatre Award for Best Touring Production in 2016. It
4888-450: The addition of a vertical pearl grey stripe in the centre for awards in the military division). From time to time the order was expanded: there was an increase in the maximum permitted number of recipients in 1933, and a further increase in 1937. During the Second World War, as had been the case during and after World War I, the number of military awards was greatly increased; between 1939 and 1946 there were more than 33,000 appointments to
4992-530: The biggest touring shows in the country, including the UK premiere of English National Ballet 's Angelina Ballerina's Big Audition and Rambert Dance Company , which has returned since the redevelopment. The following year, the Young America season transferred to the National Theatre in London, winning a TMA Award and being nominated for an Evening Standard Award. In 2010, Royal & Derngate developed
5096-468: The cathedral. That year, Commonwealth awards made up 40% of all OBEs and MBEs awarded (and 35% of all living recipients of the higher awards). Gradually that proportion reduced as independent states within the Commonwealth established their own systems of honours . The last Canadian recommendation for the Order of the British Empire was an MBE for gallantry gazetted in 1966, a year before the creation of
5200-548: The choir of Bangor Cathedral at age nine and was lead soloist within two years, although he was never Head Chorister. The remarkable quality of Jones' treble voice was appreciated by a member of the congregation, Hefina Orwig Evans, who wrote a letter to record company Sain , and he was duly signed. In 1982, Jones won the Cerdd Dant solo competitions for competitors under 12 at the Urdd Eisteddfod . Jones became famous for
5304-418: The circlet. In 1929, to bring the order into line with the other orders of chivalry, members of the first class of the order (GBE) were provided with mantles, hats and collars. Only Knights/Dames Grand Cross wear these elaborate vestments; the hat is now rarely, if ever, worn. Use of the mantle is limited to important occasions (such as quadrennial services and coronations ). The mantle is always worn with
SECTION 50
#17330847278815408-444: The collar. Although the mantle was introduced in 1929, very few mantles would have been produced prior to the 1937 design changes, as there were few occasions for wearing them in the intervening years. On certain days designated by the sovereign, known as " collar days ", members attending formal events may wear the order's collar over their military uniform, formal day dress, evening wear or robes of office. Collars are returned upon
5512-479: The country's population". The committee further suggested changing the name of the award to the Order of British Excellence, and changing the rank of Commander to Companion (as the former was said to have a "militaristic ring"), as well as advocating for the abolition of knighthoods and damehoods; the government, however, was not of the opinion that a case for change had been made, and the aforementioned suggestions and recommendations were not, therefore, pursued. In
5616-481: The daily magazine show Too Much TV , for BBC Two . Since 2016, Jones has presented Going Back Giving Back , a daytime programme for BBC One . Jones has been on the judging panel for the Pride of Britain awards twice. In 2022, Jones appeared on the third series of The Masked Singer as "Traffic Cone". In November 2017, Jones was being investigated by the BBC following allegations of inappropriate behaviour. In
5720-403: The death of their owners, but other insignia may be retained. The six office-holders of the order wear pearl-grey mantles lined with rose-pink, having on the right side a purple shield charged with the roundel from the badge. Each of these office-holders wears a unique badge of office, suspended from a gold chain worn around the neck. The British Empire Medal is made of silver. On the obverse
5824-607: The distinction between ranks in military operational gallantry awards will cease'. The reforms affected the order at various levels: for example the automatic award each year of a GBE to the Lord Mayor of London ceased; the OBE replaced the Imperial Service Order as an award for civil servants and the number of MBEs awarded each year was significantly increased. As part of these reforms the British Empire Medal stopped being awarded by
5928-469: The dress circle brilliant with blue and gold, the crimson rested chairs, together with the soft and delicate beauty of the ceiling and mural embellishment, were the theme of audible admiration from all parts of the house. The theatre suffered damage from fire in 1887, and was restored by Charles J. Phipps. He was the original architect and also built the Savoy Theatre in London. The Royal's proscenium stage
6032-419: The first, " A Spaceman Came Travelling ", was released on 21 October 2022. The second single, " O Holy Night ", was released on 4 November 2022. The duo toured the UK in November and December 2022. Jones is a presenter on Classic FM . In 2006 he joined the BBC , taking over from Don Maclean on Good Morning Sunday on BBC Radio 2 . He was also a presenter of Friday Night is Music Night , and has also been
6136-405: The former site of Northampton's bus station. Following its conception by Northampton Borough Council, RHWL designed the new theatre with Arup providing acoustic consultancy and engineering services. Building work started in the early 1980s. It opened on 4 April 1983 with an evening performance by singer Jack Jones . In 1999, the Royal Theatre and Derngate became a combined organisation, run by
6240-515: The former was to be responsible for recording all proceedings connected with the order, issuing warrants under the seal of the order and making arrangements for investitures, while the latter (at that time the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury ) was responsible for collecting and tabulating the names of those who were to receive an award. The office of Dean was added in 1957. The King of Arms
6344-401: The governments of overseas dominions to make their own nominations; Canada and South Africa began doing so in 1942, followed by Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth realms. In May 1957, forty years after the foundation of the order, it was announced that St Paul's Cathedral was to serve as the church of the order, and in 1960 a chapel was dedicated for its use within the crypt of
SECTION 60
#17330847278816448-450: The highest class of the order (GBE). The designs of all these items underwent major changes in 1937. The badge is worn by all members of the order; the size, colour and design depends on the class of award. The badge for all classes is in the form of a cross patonce (having the arms growing broader and floriated toward the end) with a medallion in the centre, the obverse of which bears a crowned image of George V and Queen Mary within
6552-600: The honours system, calling it "a preposterous charade". The order has attracted some criticism for its naming having connection with the idea of the now-extinct British Empire . Benjamin Zephaniah , a British poet of Jamaican and Barbadian descent, publicly rejected appointment as an Officer in 2003 because, he asserted, it reminded him of "thousands of years of brutality". He also said that "it reminds me of how my foremothers were raped and my forefathers brutalised". Royal Theatre (Northampton) Royal & Derngate
6656-446: The insignia to Buckingham Palace and by ceasing to make reference to their honour, but they still hold the honour unless and until annulled by the monarch. In 2003, The Sunday Times published a list of the people who had rejected the Order of the British Empire, including David Bowie , John Cleese , Nigella Lawson , Elgar Howarth , L. S. Lowry , George Melly , and J. G. Ballard . In addition, Ballard voiced his opposition to
6760-709: The interim, he had agreed to withdraw from programmes. It was subsequently confirmed in January 2018 that the BBC had lifted the suspension and that he would resume presenting programmes. Jones met English circus performer Claire Fossett whilst both performed in Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in Blackpool , Lancashire . The couple married on 6 January 2001 in Covent Garden , London. They have two children: actress and singer Emilia and
6864-468: The junior post-nominal letters. The British sovereign is the sovereign of the order and appoints all other officers of the order (by convention, on the advice of the governments of the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth realms ). The second-most senior officer is the Grand Master (a 'Prince of the Blood Royal, or other exalted personage' appointed by the sovereign, who, by virtue of their appointment, becomes 'the First or Principal Knight Grand Cross of
6968-457: The latter. Knights and Dames Commander and Commanders may display the circlet, but not the collar, surrounding their arms. The badge is depicted suspended from the collar or circlet. See List of current honorary knights and dames of the Order of the British Empire Only the monarch can annul an honour. The Honours Forfeiture Committee considers cases and makes recommendations for forfeiture. An individual can renounce their honour by returning
7072-438: The launch of his first baritone album, Aled on the Universal Music label in Australia in May 2003, Jones visited the country on a promotional tour. He has since successfully toured in concert there five times: in Dec 2003, Aug 2006, Oct 2008, Aug/Sep 2010 and Feb 2015, performing in eight cities. Jones released two singles with Terry Wogan in aid of the Children in Need appeal. From 3 July to 30 August 2008, Jones played
7176-440: The lead role of Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Wales Millennium Centre , Cardiff. He returned to the stage, playing Bob Wallace in White Christmas at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth , and at The Lowry , Salford Quays , from November 2009 until 9 January 2010, and again from 11 to 26 November 2011 at the Mayflower Theatre , Southampton , from 1 to 17 December at the Grand Canal Theatre , Dublin , and at
7280-463: The left breast, by Knights and Dames Grand Cross; Knights and Dames Commander wear a smaller star composed of 'four equal points and four lesser'. The star is not worn by the more junior classes. Prior to 1937 each star had in the centre a gold medallion with a figure of Britannia, surrounded by a crimson circlet inscribed with the motto of the order ('For God and the Empire'); since 1937 the effigies of King George V and Queen Mary have been shown within
7384-405: The medal 'for gallantry', which had come to be known as the Empire Gallantry Medal , were given permission to use the postnominal letters EGM (and at the same time to add a laurel branch emblem to the ribbon of the medal); however, in 1940, awards of the EGM ceased and all holders of the medal were instructed to exchange it for a new and more prestigious gallantry award: the George Cross . In 1941,
7488-547: The medal of the order 'for meritorious service' was renamed the British Empire Medal , and the following year its recipients were granted the right to use the postnominal letters BEM. During the war, the BEM came to be used to recognise acts of bravery which did not merit the award of a George Cross or George Medal , a use which continued until the introduction of the Queen's Gallantry Medal in 1974. The designs of insignia of
7592-449: The medal. The colour of the riband was also changed: twenty years earlier, prior to the order's establishment, Queen Mary had made it known that pink would be her preferred colour for the riband of the proposed new order, but, in the event, purple was chosen. Following her appointment as Grand Master of the order in 1936 a change was duly made and since 9 March 1937 the riband of the order has been 'rose pink edged with pearl grey’ (with
7696-446: The most senior two of which make the recipient either a knight if male or a dame if female. There is also the related British Empire Medal , whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order. The order was established on 4 June 1917 by King George V , who created the order to recognise 'such persons, male or female, as may have rendered or shall hereafter render important services to Our Empire'. Equal recognition
7800-633: The name given to productions that have been produced in-house at the Royal Theatre. Since re-opening, Royal & Derngate has worked with various writers, creative teams and companies to produce these shows, receiving considerable critical and commercial praise. . Other highlights have included the premiere of Nicholas Wright 's adaptation of Pat Barker 's novel Regeneration , in a co-production with Touring Consortium Theatre Company in 2014. It also premiered Mike Poulton ’s adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities . The Made in Northampton 2015 season included world premieres of Arthur Miller 's The Hook in
7904-469: The names of the former are written out in their fullest forms. Male clergy of the Church of England or the Church of Scotland do not use the title Sir (unless they were knighted before being ordained) as they do not receive the accolade (they are not dubbed "knight" with a sword), although they do append the post-nominal letters ; dames do not receive the accolade, and therefore female clergy are free to use
8008-449: The numbers restricted to the order as full members do. Although the Order of the British Empire has by far the highest number of members of the British orders of chivalry, with more than 100,000 living members worldwide, there are fewer appointments to knighthoods than in other orders. From time to time, individuals may be promoted to a higher grade within the Order, thereby ceasing usage of
8112-605: The order alongside its own honours until the establishment of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1996. Other Commonwealth realms have continued to use the Order of the British Empire alongside their own honours. In 1993 the Prime Minister, John Major , instituted a reform of the honours system with the aim 'that exceptional service or achievement will be more widely recognised; that greater importance will be given to voluntary service; that automatic honours will end; that
8216-408: The order and medal were altered in 1937, prior to the coronation of King George VI , 'in commemoration of the reign of King George V and Queen Mary, during which the Order was founded'. The figure of Britannia at the centre of the badge of the order was replaced with an image of the crowned heads of the late King and Queen Mary, and the words 'Instituted by King George V' were added to the reverse of
8320-409: The order was celebrated with a service at St Paul's Cathedral. The order is limited to 300 Knights and Dames Grand Cross, 845 Knights and Dames Commander, and 8,960 Commanders. There are no limits applied to the total number of members of the fourth and fifth classes, but no more than 858 officers and 1,464 members may be appointed per year. Foreign appointees, as honorary members, do not contribute to
8424-426: The order, to which serving personnel would in future be appointed. The classes were the same as for the Civil Division (as it was now termed), but military awards were distinguished by the addition of a central vertical red stripe to the purple riband of the civil awards. In 1920 appointment as an MBE 'for an act of gallantry' was granted for the first time, to Sydney Frank Blanck Esq, who had rescued an injured man from
8528-586: The same Order'). The position of Grand Master has been held by the following people: In addition to the sovereign and the grand master , the order has six further officers: At its foundation the order was served by three officers: the King of Arms, the Registrar & Secretary and the Gentleman Usher of the Purple Rod. In 1922 the Prelate was added, and the office of Registrar was separated from that of Secretary:
8632-463: The same year. From March 2016, his breakfast show was moved down to two hours, to 7:00–10:00 (but staying on Sundays). His show reaches over a million listeners, which is a record number for weekend breakfast listenership, alongside the Saturday show at the same slot with Alan Titchmarsh. As a teenager Jones presented Chatterbox , a children's chat show made by HTV for ITV, in 1988. Jones' appearance as
8736-468: The scenes. The Royal Theatre was the first building of what now exists as the Royal & Derngate complex. The Royal, then called the Theatre Royal and Opera House, was built for John Franklin by Henry Martin and designed by renowned Victorian theatre architect Charles J. Phipps with mural artist Henry Bird . It opened on 5 May 1884 with a production of William Shakespeare 's Twelfth Night . On
8840-444: The side of the complex, opened in 2013. In 2005, both theatres closed for an 18-month £14.5m redevelopment. The theatres were merged into one complex, a creativity centre was constructed, and the two venues were totally refurbished. The complex reopened as Royal & Derngate in October 2006. From its reopening, Laurie Sansom was artistic director; under his tenure, The Stage hailed Royal & Derngate as The Regional Theatre of
8944-455: The standard of the George Medal (even though, as appointments to an order of chivalry, they were listed before it on the Order of Wear . In contrast to awards for meritorious service, which usually appear without a citation, there were often citations for gallantry awards, some detailed and graphic. From 14 January 1958, these awards were designated Commander, Officer or Member of the Order of
9048-701: The teenage Huw Morgan. Jones went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music for three years and the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School , before beginning his adult recording career, which has featured a largely religious/inspirational repertoire. In 1995 he took the leading role in the long-running production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at the Blackpool Wintergardens Opera house stage. From September 1996 to May 1997 Jones played
9152-446: The theatre's opening, The Stage newspaper reported: No element of success was wanting to contribute to the superb triumph that crowned the opening of this new theatre; the audience which thronged every available part of the house, comprised the rank and fashion of the town and county, while the charming Thespian temple, fresh from the hand of the scene painters, gleamed everywhere with light and colour. The artistically designed scenery,
9256-506: The title Dame . Knights and Dames Grand Cross use the post-nominal GBE; Knights Commander, KBE; Dames Commander, DBE; Commanders, CBE; Officers, OBE; and Members, MBE. The post-nominal for the British Empire Medal is BEM. Members of all classes of the order are assigned positions in the order of precedence . Wives of male members of all classes also feature on the order of precedence, as do sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander; relatives of Ladies of
9360-577: The titles Sir for men and Dame for women before their forenames, except with honorary awards. King George V founded the order to fill gaps in the British honours system : In particular, George V wished to create an order to honour the many thousands of individuals from across the Empire who had served in a variety of non-combat roles during the First World War . From its foundation the order consisted of five classes (GBE, KBE/DBE, CBE, OBE and MBE) and
9464-620: The wedding of celebrities Bob Geldof and Paula Yates in 1986. Jones also had the distinction of being the first artist to have two classical albums listed simultaneously in the popular music charts, and worked with Leonard Bernstein ( Chichester Psalms ). Jones' first biography, Walking on Air , was published in 1986. In September 1990, Jones made his acting debut at the Royal Theatre (Northampton) in Shaun McKenna 's adaptation of Richard Llewellyn 's How Green Was My Valley playing
9568-455: The young Tom Gradgrind (a non-singing role) in a large-scale national touring production of Charles Dickens 's Hard Times . Theatres at which the play was presented included Theatre Royal, Brighton , Bath Theatre Royal and Richmond Theatre . In 2005, Jones launched his autobiography, Aled: The Autobiography , written in collaboration with Darren Henley. In 2013, Jones released his extended autobiography, Aled Jones: My Story . Following
9672-443: Was also built. 100 staff were made redundant but all were offered the opportunity of re-employment once the complex reopened. Initially, the refurbishment work was to be completed in annual periods of three-months. When it was learned that both venues needed to have asbestos removed, and rotten flooring had to be replaced in the Royal, project managers and officials decided to shut the entire venue for more than one year. Most money
9776-638: Was announced as the new chief executive of Northamptonshire Arts Management Trust and its venues, Royal & Derngate and The Core at Corby Cube. Royal & Derngate welcomes over 300,000 audience members each year to see work in both stages and in the Underground space. 20,000 people a year also take part in over 700 creative projects. Over 20,000 people attended a free outdoor spectacular Crackers? by The World Famous at Delapre Park. Some 80,000 people enjoyed Made in Northampton productions (productions made in-house at Royal & Derngate) that toured throughout
9880-402: Was first announced at the end of December 2006, and is available to recipients of all levels of the order, as well as to holders of the British Empire Medal . The pin design is not unique to any level. The pin features the badge of the order, enclosed in a circle of ribbon of its colours of pink and grey. Lapel pins must be purchased separately by a member of the order. The creation of such a pin
9984-487: Was issued to accompany the book. On 11 October 2010, Jones was confirmed to take over as stand-in presenter of the early morning breakfast slot on BBC Radio 2 following the departure of Sarah Kennedy , a role he occasionally covered in the years leading up to her departure. Jones covered this slot for six weeks until the beginning of his UK tour. Jones is mentoring Isabel Suckling , the youngest classical recording artist signed by Decca Records and first choirgirl to sign
10088-469: Was made a substantive member and subsequently styled as Sir Terry Wogan). Although initially intended to recognise meritorious service, the order began to also be awarded for gallantry. There were an increased number of cases in the Second World War for service personnel and civilians including the merchant navy, police, emergency services and civil defence, mostly MBEs but with a small number of OBEs and CBEs. Such awards were for gallantry that did not reach
10192-508: Was open to both women and men; provision was also made for conferring honorary awards on foreign recipients. At the same time, alongside the order, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire was instituted, to serve as a lower award granting recipients affiliation but not membership. The first investiture took place at Ibrox Stadium , as part of a royal visit to the Glasgow shipyards, with the appointment of Alexander Ure, 1st Baron Strathclyde as
10296-620: Was recommended in Sir Hayden Phillips ' review of the honours system in 2004. The Chapel of the Order of the British Empire is in St Paul's Cathedral . It occupies the far eastern end of the cathedral crypt and was dedicated in 1960. The only heraldic banners normally on display in the chapel are those of the Sovereign of the Order of the British Empire and of the Grand Master of the Order of
10400-460: Was shortlisted for Regional Theatre of the Year in The Stage Awards, and won the UK Theatre Award for Best Presentation of Touring Theatre. In 2016 the venue won the UK Theatre Award for Best Touring Production. The Royal & Derngate host many events across the year, with touring and regional plays & musicals being some of the most popular at the box office. Made in Northampton is
10504-570: Was shortlisted for the Regional Theatre of the Year Award again in 2016, and also nominated for Theatre of the Year in The Stage 2022 Awards. In addition to staging and producing entertainment, Royal & Derngate also provide a programme of creative projects in its Underground space. This is the site of its Youth Theatre. It also presented chances for the local community to get involved in performing, writing and finding out more about what goes on behind
10608-400: Was spent on making the theatres "more comfortable for the audiences"; new seats and air conditioning were installed, and other building systems upgraded. The 1980s orange décor of Derngate was replaced with lighting techniques allowing changes to the colour of the interior. The Royal was restored to its original Victorian splendour. Other improvements included the creation of a joint foyer with
10712-526: Was to be given for services rendered in the UK and overseas. Today the majority of recipients are UK citizens, though a number of Commonwealth realms outside the UK continue to make appointments to the order. Honorary awards may be made to citizens of other nations of which the order's sovereign is not the head of state. The five classes of appointment to the Order are, from highest grade to lowest grade: The senior two ranks of Knight or Dame Grand Cross and Knight or Dame Commander entitle their members to use
10816-461: Was widened in 1889. In the theatre's first four decades, productions of George Edwardes 's musical comedies, operas, pantomimes, burlesques and melodramas were most popular. In 1927 the theatre became the home to the Northampton Repertory Players, and it has been run since as a producing house. It is supported by a workshop and wardrobe. Since 1976, The Royal has been designated a Grade II listed building . Actor Errol Flynn made early appearances on
#880119