Sir Geoffrey???

[3sillydogs]

My great uncle has the letters CMG after his name and I have found reference to him in Google books and on Wikipedia, which don't call him a Sir,  but am no closer to confirming his title than I was when I saw it on his grave.

He served in Colonial Administrative Services in Nigeria and I think he was given the CMG for that, but does it make him a Sir??  (this former colonial has no idea how it all works )

[BumbleB]

Not sure either.  My interpretation would be that CMG by itself would not entitle the holder to be either "Sir" or "Dame".

[3sillydogs]

Is there a way that it can be checked to see whether he was Knighted (he has to be doesn't he to be a Sir??)

[BumbleB]

I would think so.  If you let me have his name - e-mail or PM - I'll have another look.

[KGarrad]

If he was a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael & St George, he would be called "Sir".

That's because, in those circumstances he would be a Knight.
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 no equivalent privilege exists for husbands of Dames. Such forms are not used by peers and princes, except when the names of 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".

[3sillydogs]

So if I understand correctly the fact that he had CMG after his name would have made him a Sir?

[StevieSteve]

No, if he had KCMG it would

[3sillydogs]

Ah so he wasn't a Sir then.  I had thought as much when looking at the Wiki article, his name didn't appear with the KCMG but is further down on another list.  All very confusing for this former colonial.

The confusion came in with the grave transcription, they have him as Sir Geoffrey, but looking closely at the grave stone I don't see any indication of it just CMG.

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5903553

[jbml]

The order of St Michael and St George is explained in an episode of "Yes Minister"

Hacker: But hasn't Humphrey got enough decorations already?

Bernard: Well, naturally, he's got his G

Hacker: What's his G?

Bernard: You get your G after your K

Hacker: You speak in riddles, Bernard

Bernard: Oh thank you, Minister

Hacker: That wasn't a compliment!

Bernard: Well, take the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, for example. First you get your CMG - Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George. Then you get your KCMG - Knight Commander of St Michael and St George. Finally you get your GCMG - Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George. In the Service, of course, CMG stands for Call Me God, and KCMG stands for Kindly Call Me God.

Hacker (chuckling): I see. And what does GCMG stand for?

Bernard: God Calls Me God.


But to answer the question - no - a Companion of any order is NOT a knight.

Within the Civil Service there is actually a table of the "appropriate" honour to be awarded to any grade:

Administrative grades: MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire)
Grades 6 & 7: OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire)
SCS1: CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire)
SCS2: CB (Companion of the Order of the Bath)
SCS3: knighthoods

Quite appalling, really, when you think about it ... that the level of honour should be determined by the grade at which they are employed