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46-616: Sir Ambrose Shea KCMG (17 September 1815 – 30 July 1905) was a political and business figure in colonial Newfoundland who later served as Governor of the Bahamas . He was one of two Newfoundland delegates to the Quebec Conference that led to Canadian Confederation . Shea was born in St. John's, Newfoundland Colony , the fifth son of Henry Shea and Eleanor Ryan. His father had emigrated from County Tipperary, Ireland . Ambrose Shea worked for

92-760: A GCMG in Skyfall . Daniel Craig , who has portrayed Bond on film, was appointed (CMG) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to film and theatre. The general release on 30 September 2021 of his last appearance as James Bond, in No Time to Die , had been delayed by almost two years due to a change of director and the COVID-19 pandemic. Coinciding with the film's premiere, and matching his fictional character's rank, Craig became an Honorary Commander in Britain's Royal Navy . Following this appointment, he committed to being an ambassador for

138-577: A big tourist attraction in Placentia. Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince of Wales (the future King George IV ), while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III . It is named in honour of two military saints , Michael and George . The Order of St Michael and St George

184-581: A candidate for the Newfoundland House of Assembly in 1842, Shea declined a nomination. In 1848, he ran and won as a Liberal member for Placentia-St. Mary's and supported the campaign for responsible government . He was also the party's spokesman on reciprocity with the United States and was a delegate to negotiations in Washington in 1853. In the first responsible government election in 1855 , Shea

230-458: A depiction of the circlet (a circle bearing the motto) and the collar; the former is shown either outside or on top of the latter. Knights and Dames Commanders and Companions may display the circlet, but not the collar, surrounding their arms. The badge is depicted suspended from the collar or circlet. In the satirical British television programme Yes Minister , Jim Hacker MP is told a joke by his Private Secretary, Bernard Woolley , about what

276-501: A foreign country, and it can also be conferred for important or loyal service in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs. The three classes of appointment to the Order are, from highest grade to lowest grade: It is used to honour individuals who have rendered important services in relation to Commonwealth or foreign nations. People are appointed to the Order rather than awarded it. British Ambassadors to foreign nations are regularly appointed as KCMGs, DCMGs, or CMGs. For example,

322-547: A knighthood in 1883, he began expressing his desire to become governor of Newfoundland. Previous government service had given him a favourable standing with the Colonial Office , which indicated to Shea that his services would be properly rewarded. However, he found himself in competition with Carter for the same position. Although the Colonial Office initially decided to appoint Shea, it was forced to withdraw his name in

368-554: A time on The Newfoundlander , a family-owned newspaper, before going into business for himself. By the 1850s, he was a successful merchant who also dealt in insurance, and acted as the agent for the transatlantic steamer trade. He continued to operate the business during most of his political career. In addition, he helped found the Newfoundland Natives Society in 1840, serving on the management committee in 1842, and as president in 1846. Although he had been suggested as

414-747: A time, but by 1873 was ready to run again. Although he was defeated in St. John's East that year, he was returned unopposed in Harbour Grace in January 1874. When Carter re-assumed the premiership after the fall of the Bennett government in 1873, Shea remained in the Assembly, wielding considerable influence in the Executive Council although he was not a member. Shea was one of the primary supporters of railway construction, and

460-409: Is hung, emblazoned with his or her coat of arms. At a considerably smaller scale, to the back of the stall is affixed a piece of brass (a "stall plate") displaying its occupant's name, arms and date of admission into the Order. Upon the death of a Knight, the banner, helm, mantling and crest are taken down. The stall plates, however, are not removed; rather, they remain permanently affixed somewhere about

506-622: Is mentioned in the novels From Russia, with Love and On Her Majesty's Secret Service , and on-screen in his obituary in Skyfall . He was offered appointment as KCMG (which would have elevated him from Companion to Knight Commander in the Order) in The Man with the Golden Gun , but he rejected the offer as he did not wish to become a public figure. Judi Dench 's character "M" is "offered" early retirement as

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552-714: Is not a member of the College of Arms , like many other heraldic officers. The Usher of the Order is known as the Gentleman or Lady Usher of the Blue Rod . Blue Rod does not, unlike the usher of the Order of the Garter , perform any duties related to the House of Lords . Members of the Order wear elaborate regalia on important occasions (such as coronations ), which vary by rank: At less important occasions, simpler insignia are used: Prior to 2011,

598-593: The Liberal government of Sir Robert Bond . In 1924, the Liberal-Conservative-Progressive Party was formed by members of the LLP Party who were largely conservatives and discontented members of the ruling Liberal Reform Party. This new party won the 1924 general election , making its leader Walter Stanley Monroe the new prime minister. In practice, the party was essentially a Tory party. The party

644-743: The Mediterranean ". In 1864, however, the protectorate ended and the Ionian Islands became part of Greece . A revision of the basis of the Order in 1868, saw membership granted to those who "hold high and confidential offices within Her Majesty 's colonial possessions, and in reward for services rendered to the Crown in relation to the foreign affairs of the Empire". Accordingly, nowadays, almost all Governors-General and Governors feature as recipients of awards in

690-646: The Orange Order ), while the Liberals were the Catholic party. Under Sir Frederick Carter , the Conservatives supported joining Canadian confederation , and campaigned on the proposal in the 1869 general election . The party was badly defeated by Charles Fox Bennett 's Anti-Confederation Party . The Conservatives returned to power in 1874 , but never proposed joining Canada again. The Conservative party later absorbed

736-587: The lift bridge in Placentia which helps transport pedestrians and boats through the passage of water separating the communities of Placentia and Jerseyside . There have been two iterations of the Sir Ambrose Shea Lift Bridge , the first being built in 1961 after the MV Ambrose Shea ferry service had been in service for a number of years. The second bridge was finished in 2016, and stands tall as

782-606: The Bath , and The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India . The third of the aforementioned Orders—which relates to Ireland, no longer fully a part of the United Kingdom—still exists but is in disuse; no appointments have been made to it since 1936. The last of the Orders on the list, related to India, has also been in disuse since that country's independence in 1947. The Prince Regent founded

828-555: The Ionian Islands ; now, however, Grand Masters are chosen by the Sovereign. Grand Masters include: The Order originally included 15 Knights Grand Cross, 20 Knights Commanders, and 25 Companions but has since been expanded and the current limits on membership are 125, 375, and 1,750 respectively. Members of the royal family who are appointed to the Order do not count towards the limit, nor do foreign members appointed as "honorary members". The Order has six officers. The Order's King of Arms

874-588: The Order to commemorate the British amical protectorate over the Ionian Islands , which had come under British control in 1814 and had been granted their own constitution as the United States of the Ionian Islands in 1817. It was intended to reward "natives of the Ionian Islands and of the island of Malta and its dependencies, and for such other subjects of His Majesty as may hold high and confidential situations in

920-716: The Order's chapel has been in St Paul's Cathedral in London. (The cathedral also serves as home to the chapels of the Order of the British Empire and the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor .) Religious services for the whole Order are held quadrennially; new Knights and Dames Grand Cross are installed at these services. The Sovereign and the Knights and Dames Grand Cross are allotted stalls in

966-510: The Royal Navy, particularly in its international role, and to the welfare of its service families. Long-time Doctor Who companion Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart wore the ribbon of the order as the highest of his decorations. See List of current honorary knights and dames of the Order of St Michael and St George . Conservative parties in Newfoundland (pre-Confederation) The party

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1012-673: The badge is suspended from the collar. All collars which have been awarded since 1948 must be returned to the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood . The other insignia may be retained. The original home of the Order was the Palace of St. Michael and St. George in Corfu , the residence of the Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands and the seat of the Ionian Senate. Since 1906,

1058-413: The choir of the chapel, above which their heraldic devices are displayed. Perched on the pinnacle of a knight's stall is his helm, decorated with a mantling and topped by his crest. Under English heraldic law, women other than monarchs do not bear helms or crests; instead, the coronet appropriate to the dame's rank, if there is one, is used. Above the crest or coronet, the stall's occupant's heraldic banner

1104-664: The collapse of the Reform Party. Members of the Orange Order formed a new Tory Party , which formed two short-lived administrations in the 1890s before disappearing. Individual Conservatives were elected as Opposition or United Opposition MHAs before being subsumed into the Newfoundland People's Party (later the Liberal-Labour-Progressive Party) formed by Edward Patrick Morris in 1907 after he resigned from

1150-410: The devil was portrayed with black skin while St Michael was shown as being white; this was changed that year to show both with same skin colour, although St Michael's wings were changed from being multi-colour to being pure white. The alleged racism of this imagery has resulted in the government of Jamaica suspending the use of the badge entirely. In June 2020, calls were made for a complete redesign of

1196-521: The election. He was absent much of the time from the fall session of 1860, and many believed that he was organizing a covert campaign against Kent. When the Kent government collapsed, and Hugh Hoyles was invited to form a minority Conservative government in 1861, Shea was offered a cabinet post but declined. In the election held that year, Shea was elected in Placentia. The Liberals were soundly defeated. After Kent's departure, Shea became party leader. When

1242-409: The face of protests organized by Carter. The experience soured Shea's opinion of Newfoundland and its government. Despite efforts to placate Shea, many in the Newfoundland government felt he was an embarrassment, and wished to see him employed elsewhere. When the governorship of the Bahamas became available, it was agreed to give Shea the position. He served there from October 1887 to December 1894, and

1288-584: The former British Ambassador to the United States, Sir David Manning , was appointed a CMG when he worked for the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), and then after his appointment as British Ambassador to the US, he was promoted to a Knight Commander (KCMG). It is the traditional award for members of the FCO. The Order's motto is Auspicium melioris ævi ( Latin for "Token of a better age"). Its patron saints, as

1334-484: The former are written out in their fullest forms. Furthermore, honorary (foreign) members and clergymen do not receive the accolade and thus are not entitled to use the prefix "Sir" or "Dame". Knights and Dames Grand Cross use the post-nominal "GCMG"; Knights Commanders and Dames Commanders use "KCMG" and "DCMG" respectively; Companions use "CMG". Knights and Dames Grand Cross are also entitled to receive heraldic supporters . They may, furthermore, encircle their arms with

1380-410: The general rule of honours, that a husband never derives any style or title from his wife.) Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commanders prefix "Sir", and Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commanders prefix "Dame", to their forenames. Wives of Knights may prefix "Lady" to their surnames, but husbands of Dames derive no title from their wives. Such forms are not used by peers and princes, except when the names of

1426-623: The insignia, including from Sir Michael Palin of Monty Python fame, a Knight Commander of the Order In July, the Cabinet Office announced that officers of the Order who were unhappy with their insignia could exchange them for one of the newer models. On certain collar days designated by the Sovereign, members attending formal events may wear the Order's collar over their military uniform or morning wear. When collars are worn (either on collar days or on formal occasions such as coronations),

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1472-611: The invitation to the Quebec Conference arrived in 1864, Shea acted as one of two delegates, along with F. B. T. Carter . He was an enthusiastic supporter of the Quebec Resolutions , giving a speech in their favour at a dinner in Montreal. Upon his return to Newfoundland, however, he found that his enthusiasm was not shared by much of the population. Once again, Shea found himself in the minority of political opinion during debates on

1518-603: The name suggests, are St. Michael the Archangel, and St. George , patron saint of England and of soldiers . One of its primary symbols is that of St Michael trampling over and subduing Satan in battle. The Order is the sixth-most senior in the British honours system , after The Most Noble Order of the Garter , The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle , The Most Illustrious Order of St Patrick , The Most Honourable Order of

1564-590: The order, typically as Knights or Dames Grand Cross. In 1965 the order was opened to women, with Evelyn Bark becoming the first female CMG in 1967. The British sovereign is the Sovereign of the Order and appoints all other members of the Order (by convention, on the advice of the Government). The next-most senior member is the Grand Master. The office was formerly filled by the Lord High Commissioner of

1610-399: The rival Liberals , putting an end to sectarian divisions with a 'denominational compromise'. The united party collapsed in the 1880s when members of the Orange Order abandoned the government of William Whiteway , and formed a new Reform Party under Robert Thorburn . The Reform Party won the 1885 election on a platform of 'Protestant Rights'. Whiteway founded a new Liberal Party after

1656-728: The stall, so that the stalls of the chapel are festooned with a colourful record of the Order's Knights and Dames Grand Cross since 1906. The reredos within the chapel was commissioned from Henry Poole in 1927. Members of the Order of St Michael are assigned positions in the order of precedence in England and Wales . Wives of male members also feature on the order of precedence, as do sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commanders; relatives of female members, however, are not assigned any special precedence. (Individuals can derive precedence from their fathers or husbands, but not from their mothers or wives. This follows

1702-482: The subject in 1865. As one of the few Catholic supporters of the idea, Shea was invited to join a coalition cabinet under Carter. However, his presence there drew much criticism and provoked many anti-Confederation attacks, to the point where he was unable to sway even Catholic opinion in favour of union. His plan to promote union by employing Newfoundlanders on the construction of the Intercolonial Railway (ICR)

1748-527: The various post-nominals stand for. From Series 2, Episode 2 "Doing the Honours": Woolley : In the service, CMG stands for "Call Me God". And KCMG for "Kindly Call Me God". Hacker : What does GCMG stand for? Woolley (deadpan): "God Calls Me God". Ian Fleming's spy, James Bond , a commander in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (RNVR), was fictionally decorated as a CMG in 1953. This

1794-484: Was a member of the joint committee that recommended establishment of a line in 1880. He fought the 1885 election as leader of the Liberal Party, quietly negotiating with members of the new Reform Party to ensure a Reform victory, and laying the groundwork for a future coalition. Although Shea retained his seat in the 1882 election, he began campaigning for employment with the British imperial government. After receiving

1840-745: Was by all accounts a popular and respected figure. However, he maintained an interest in Newfoundland's affairs, even attempting to participate in the 1888 Confederation negotiations (though his efforts were ignored). He also seemingly never lost his desire for the Newfoundland governorship. As late as 1894, he was still campaigning for appointment to the post. After his term as governor of the Bahamas ended, Shea retired to London. Shea married first wife, Isabella Nixon in New York City in 1851. In 1878, he married second wife Louisa Bouchette Hart in Quebec City. Hart

1886-590: Was defeated in 1928 under new leader Frederick C. Alderdice , but returned to power in 1932 as the United Newfoundland Party (UNP). The UNP ruled for two years until the suspension of responsible government . When responsible government was suspended, Newfoundland's status as an independent dominion within the British Empire was brought to an end. The Government of the United Kingdom appointed

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1932-503: Was elected to the House of Assembly from St. John's West, and was appointed Speaker . However, tensions soon arose between those members who were immigrants to Newfoundland, and those, including Shea, who were born there. There were also difficulties between Shea and Prime Minister John Kent , who took office in 1858. Despite the conflicts, the Liberals retained power after the 1859 election. Shea won elected from Burin and remained Speaker after

1978-540: Was formed by members and supporters of the establishment around 1832. In the 1840s, they opposed the proposal for responsible government which was finally granted in 1855. Since the concept was opposed generally by members of the Anglican establishment, the early party was almost entirely Protestant . As politics in Newfoundland developed along sectarian lines, the Conservatives became the Protestant party (with strong links to

2024-520: Was originally awarded to those holding commands or high position in the Mediterranean territories acquired in the Napoleonic Wars , and it was subsequently extended to holders of similar office or position in other territories of the British Empire . It is at present awarded to men and women who hold high office or who render extraordinary or important non-military service to the United Kingdom in

2070-404: Was the daughter of Joseph Bouchette , Deputy Surveyor-General of Lower Canada, and granddaughter of Colonel Joseph Bouchette, topographer. Hart was a widow who had been previously married, in 1851, to Alexander Hart. Shea died in 1905 in London. His body was repatriated to St John's where it lay in state in the Legislative Council before a state funeral. Sir Ambrose Shea was the naming basis for

2116-402: Was unsuccessful, as many men either failed find work on the line, or drifted away without returning to the island. In the 1869 election, Shea was forced to campaign in Placentia against Charles Fox Bennett , the anti-Confederation leader, and an electorate strongly opposed to union. He and Carter's pro-union coalition government were defeated. Following the defeat, Shea avoided public life for

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