Queen’s Birthday Honours: Baldrick outdoes Blackadder with knighthood

Cllr Flick Rea has been awarded an MBE for services to local government. Picture by Dieter Perry (Image: Dieter Perry)

Sir Tony, of Maida Vale, was knighted for his public and political service, while Mr Atkinson was made a CBE.

The Time Team presenter admitted he was “a little gob-smacked”, but vowed to use his title to continue to further the cause he believes.

Having served on the National Executive of the Labour Party for many years, he has also been heavily involved in many campaigns around international justice, as well as raising issues faced by the elderly in his role as an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society.

The newly-knighted 66-year-old, born in Homerton, is best known for his portrayal of turnip-loving manservant Baldrick in hit 1980s television show Blackadder, famed for his frequent use of the phrase “I have a cunning plan”.

He starred opposite Atkinson, the titular character in the long-running series, who was also awarded in the honours, which were revealed tonight.

Sir Tony said: “I’m thrilled, flattered and a little gob-smacked to have received this recognition from my country. I’ll use my new title with abandon to highlight the causes I believe in, particularly the importance of culture, the arts and heritage in our society and the plight of the infirm elderly and their carers.

“I also pledge that from this day on I’ll slaughter all unruly dragons, and rescue any damsels in distress who request my help.”

He was joined on the honours list by GQ editor Dylan Jones, who lives in Paddington.

The 53-year-old is vice president of Hay literary festival, and was chair of the 2012 Menswear Committee by the British Fashion Council, helping to organise Britain’s very first men’s fashion week.

He had stints on i-D magazine, Arena, The Face, The Observer magazine and The Sunday Times before moving to GQ in 1999.

Many of the great and the good in the fields of medicine, the arts, education and public service also received honours.

Camden’s longest serving councillor Flick Rea has been honoured for services to local government and the community with an MBE.

Fortune Green councillor Flick Rea, who has continuously served on Camden Council since 1986, was surprised and overjoyed to receive the honour.

She said: “I’m very, very delighted and sort of surprised. It’s not something I ever worked for or expected, so I’m extremely grateful to those who suggested me.

“I’m very pleased because my father was a military MBE and he would be just so pleased and proud.”

Professor Michael Stratton, director of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, has been honoured with a knighthood for services to medical science for heading a pioneering research project identifying cancer mutations through genome sequencing.

The Kilburn resident said: “My area of work, exploring the genomes of cancer cells, is in an extraordinarily exciting phase, and this honour, as is usually the case in medical research, recognises the generous contributions of the many colleagues I have worked with in my career.”

Fellow medical professional Dr Barbara Bannister, a consultant physician in infectious diseases at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead from 1985 to 2011, was awarded an OBE for services to public health.

Among those recognised for their work in the arts was John Gilhooly, director of Wigmore Hall and chairman of the Royal Philharmonic Society, who was awarded an OBE for services to music.

The 39-year-old, who lives in Camden Road, Kentish Town, said: “It’s an acknowledgement of my hard work and that I love what I do. “This honour isn’t for me, it’s for the music that we are able to give to people from the world’s greatest artists.

“It’s hard for young artists these days so we give them the last push to keep them playing for decades.”

Another Kentish Town local, Dinah Caine, of Torriano Avenue, who is chief executive officer of Creative Skillset, received a CBE for services to the creative industries.

Many educators were also singled out for mention in the birthday honours.

Among them was Naseem Parsons, headteacher of St Mark’s Square Nursery School, in Primrose Hill, who received an OBE for services to early years education.

She said: “I’m totally touched and moved. It’s been a very exciting journey and I am as committed now as I was when I started.”

For more, see this week’s editions of the Ham&High and Wood&Vale. The full list of recipients in the local area is as follows:

Knights Bachelor

–Anthony Robinson

For public and political service. W9

– Prof Michael Rudolf Stratton

FRS, director, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, for services to medical science. NW6

– Prof Peng Tee Khaw

Consultant ophthalmic surgeon and professor, Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL, London. For services to ophthalmology. N6

– Brendan Barber

Lately general secretary, Trades Union Congress. For services to employment relations. N22

Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire

– Prof Anne Mandall Johnson

Professor of infectious disease epidemiology, University College London. For services to the study of infectious diseases. NW5

Companion of the Order of Bath

- Allan Roberts

Counsel to the chairman of committees at the House of Lords. For services to the House of Lords. NW5

Commanders of the Order of the British Empire

– Ms Dinah Elizabeth Caine OBE

Chief executive officer, Creative Skillset. For services to the creative industries. NW5

– Peter William Mead

Co-founder Abbott Mead Vickers. For services to the creative industries. NW1

– Dr Jennifer Dixon

Chief executive, Nuffield Trust, London. For services to public health. NW11

– Anthony Tomei

Lately director, the Nuffield Foundation. For services to education. N6

– Mrs Pamela Joy Chesters

Lately chair, Action for Children. For services to vulnerable children. NW3

– Ms Susan Lloyd-Roberts, MBE

Journalist. For services to Journalism. N10

–Iain Benjamin King

Stability adviser, Department for International Development. For services to governance in Libya, Afghanistan and Kosovo. NW8

–Dr Leonard Selwyn Polonsky

Philanthropist. For charitable services. W1B

Officers of the Order of the British Empire

– Dylan Jones

Editor, GQ. For services to the publishing and British fashion industry. W2

– Mrs Naseem Sheema Parsons

Headmistress, St Mark’s Square Nursery School, Regent’s Park, London. For services to early years education. NW1

– John Gilhooly

Director, Wigmore Hall. For services to music. NW5

– Dr Barbara Ann Bannister

Consultant physician, Royal Free Hospital, London. For services to Public Health. (London)

– Dr Lorna Ann Marie Bennett

Clinical services manager and haemoglobinopathy counsellor, Camden and Islington Primary Care Trust. For services to people with blood disorders. (London)

– Mrs Celia Louise Ingham Clark

Medical director, Whittington Hospital NHS Trust, London. For services to the NHS. (London)

– Mrs Naseem Sheema Parsons

Headmistress, St Mark’s Square Nursery School, Regent’s Park, London. For services to early years education. NW1

– Mrs Brenda Mary Wallace

Lately headteacher, Gumley House Convent School, Isleworth. For services to education. NW1

– Anthony James Heaton

Chief executive, Shape Arts. For services to the arts and disability arts movement. NW3

– Richard David Regan

For services to City of London Corporation and for voluntary services in London. Farnborough, Hampshire

– Ms Wendy Hallett

Entrepreneur, Hallet Retail, London. For services to Diversity in the Retail Sector. N2

– Ms Anna Maira Wojtowicz

Grade 7, Olympics and legacy team, Department for Communities and Local Government. For services to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. N4

– Anthony Tomei

Lately director, the Nuffield Foundation. For services to Education. N6

– Ms Joanne Rule

Co-chair, National Cancer Equality Initiative. For services to Promoting Health Equalities in Cancer Treatment. N6

– Dr Anne Teresa Tate

Medical adviser, Marie Curie Cancer Care, and deputy national clinical director for end of life care. For services to palliative care. N8

– Prof Wendy Shelia Atkin

Professor in gastrointestinal epidemiology, Imperial College London. For services to Bowel Cancer Prevention. N10

– Ms Julia Mary Fownes Somerville

Chair, Government Art Collection Advisory Committee. For services to Art. N10

Members of the Order of the British Empire

– Ms Wendy Hallett

Entrepreneur, Hallet Retail, London. For services to diversity in the retail sector. N2

– Richard Thomas Rainbow

Lately deputy headteacher, Malorees Junior School, Brent. For services to education. NW6

– Ms Mary Rimington

Deputy principal for curriculum, City of Islington College. For services to further education, NW5

– Prof Neil McNeill Alford

Head, department of materials and vice-dean (research), faculty of engineering, Imperial College London. For services to engineering. NW3

– Ms Joanne Rule

Co-chair, National Cancer Equality Initiative. For services to promoting health equalities in cancer treatment. N6

– Cllr Flick Rea

Camden Council member. For services to local government and to the community in London. NW6

– Martin Gerard Brophy

Founder, Sing Out and Various Voices London. For services to music and the community. N10

– Ms Rebecca Astley Clarke

Founder, Astley Clarke. For services to the jewellery industry. W2

– Richard Glasstone

Ballet choreographer and author. For services to classical ballet. W2

– Richard Andrew West

Founder, Inspired Services. For services to the arts and disabled people. W2

– Wasim Gulzar Khan

Director of operations, The Cricket Foundation, and leader, Chance To Shine. For services to cricket and the community. NW8

– Ms Suzanne Bull

Chief executive officer, Attitude Is Everything. For services to music, the arts and disabled people. W10

Companion of the Order of the Bath

– Allan Deverell Roberts

Lately counsel to the chairman of committees, House of Lords. For services to the House of Lords. NW5

Medallist of the Order of the British Empire

– Rabindranauth Sukhdeo

Owner and manager, Albert Road Recreation Ground. For services to sport and the community in Haringey. N10