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Honours list

New Year Honours List 1981

Published 30 December 1980. Celebrating exceptional achievements and distinguished service across the United Kingdom and overseas territories.

What was awarded

How the 1,374 New Year 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: 20 (1%)Companion of the Order of the Bath: 9 (1%)Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George: 3 (0%)Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George: 14 (1%)Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order: 2 (0%)Commander of the Royal Victorian Order: 3 (0%)Member of the Royal Victorian Order: 5 (0%)Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire: 4 (0%)Commander of the Order of the British Empire: 139 (10%)Officer of the Order of the British Empire: 274 (20%)Member of the Order of the British Empire: 435 (32%)British Empire Medal: 304 (22%)Royal Victorian Medal: 4 (0%)Knight Bachelor: 35 (3%)Queen's Fire Service Medal: 55 (4%)Queen's Police Medal: 23 (2%)Other: 45 (3%)

Military honours

Honouring the armed forces

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

Army 48Royal Air Force 33Ministry of Defence 11Cadet Forces 2Indian Army 1
All military honours

Topics

All topics

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

Export23Export — 23Political Service8Political Service — 8Community Service7Community Service — 7Local Gover…5Local Government — 5british-community-abroad11british-community-abroad — 11british-commercial-interests10british-commercial-interests — 10Medicine6Medicine — 6Nursing2Nursing — 2Radiography1Radiography — 1Cricket — 1Rugby League — 1Cycling — 1Hockey1Hockey — 1Angling1Angling — 1Youth2Youth — 2Scholarship — 1English Langua…1English Language Teaching — 1british-intere…4british-interests-overseas — 4Conservation3Conservation — 3YouthYouth — 2Journal…Journalism — 2Magistr…Magistracy — 2Deaf Se…Deaf Services — 1Blindne…Blindness Support — 1Jazz Music1Jazz Music — 1Ballet1Ballet — 1Newspaper …1Newspaper Industry — 1Agricultur…1Agricultural Development — 1Housing1Housing — 1Ballroom D…1Ballroom Dancing — 1Road Safety1Road Safety — 1teaching-o…1teaching-of-english — 1Veterin…Veterinary Science — 1CommerceCommerce — 1Perform…Performing Arts — 1sugar-indust…1sugar-industry — 1accountancy-…1accountancy-profession — 1Freemasonry1Freemasonry — 1Physiotherapy — 1community-affairs — 1Infant Welf…1Infant Welfare — 1BusinessPublic ServiceHealthSportEducationMusicAgricultu…
Topics by number of recipients - show the full list

Topics by number of recipients

Every topic recognised in the New Year 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

1,372 people