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Honours list

Birthday Honours List 1981

Published 14 June 1981. Celebrating exceptional achievements and distinguished service across the United Kingdom and overseas territories.

What was awarded

How the 1,305 Birthday Honours 1981 honours break down - from the British Empire Medal to knighthoods and damehoods. Select an award to see its recipients.

Hover an award to see its full name and count - select an award for more.

Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath: 3 (0%)Companion of the Order of the Bath: 22 (2%)Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George: 4 (0%)Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George: 16 (1%)Commander of the Royal Victorian Order: 2 (0%)Member of the Royal Victorian Order: 8 (1%)Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire: 3 (0%)Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire: 6 (0%)Commander of the Order of the British Empire: 123 (9%)Officer of the Order of the British Empire: 259 (20%)Member of the Order of the British Empire: 446 (34%)British Empire Medal: 300 (23%)Royal Victorian Medal: 4 (0%)Knight Bachelor: 34 (3%)Queen's Fire Service Medal: 43 (3%)Queen's Police Medal: 19 (1%)Other: 13 (1%)

Military honours

Honouring the armed forces

90 sailors, marines, soldiers and aircrew were recognised in the Birthday Honours 1981, gazetted with their rank and service branch. Explore the recipients by service.

Army 41Royal Air Force 31Ministry of Defence 16Indian Army 2
All military honours

Topics

All topics

The topics most recognised across the Birthday Honours List 1981, sized by the number of recipients. Click a tile to explore.

Political Service11Political Service — 11Community Service11Community Service — 11Local Go…4Local Government — 4Export24Export — 24Community Service11Community Service — 11Charitable Service — 1british-commercial-interests10british-commercial-interests — 10Music5Music — 5Entertainment — 1Performing Arts — 1Photography1Photography — 1Cricket2Cricket — 2Football2Football — 2Horse Racing — 1Squash — 1Modern Pe…1Modern Pentathlon — 1british-communit…5british-community-abroad — 5Magistracy3Magistracy — 3Youth2Youth — 2Medical Educat…Medical Education — 1Youth2Youth — 2british-intere…2british-interests-overseas — 2Nursing2Nursing — 2Hortic…Horticulture — 1Wine I…Wine Industry — 1Chemistry2Chemistry — 2Retail — 1Architecture — 1Otology1Otology — 1Forestry1Forestry — 1Afghanistan1Afghanistan — 1Refugees — 1Meat Industry — 1Blindness Su…1Blindness Support — 1Public ServiceCharityArtsSportEducationCommunityAgricultureScience and…
Topics by number of recipients - show the full list

Topics by number of recipients

Every topic recognised in the Birthday Honours List 1981, by the number of recipients. Scroll for the full list; click a topic for its recipients in this round.

The recipients

Explore all recipients

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