Donald Campbell "should receive posthumous knighthood"

[Maurice]

Tyne-Tees TV news:



Donald Campbell's daughter, Gina, wants his achievements to be recognised with a posthumous knighthood.



There are campaigns for George Harrison, Bob Paisley and Brian Clough, among others, to be honoured in that way.



Are there precedents? According to Sir Billy Wright.com (campaign for a Posthumous Knighthood for Sir Billy Wright, CBE), "Sir Henry Cotton was knighted after his death in 1988."



Donald Campbell, CBE., broke eight world speed records and is the only person to set both land and water speed records in the same year (1964).



On 4th January, 1967, Campbell, aged 45, was killed when Bluebird K7 "flipped and disintegrated at a speed in excess of 300 mph (480 km/h)" on Coniston Water. source: Wikipedia

[CaptainWaggett]

name='Maurice']

Are there precedents? According to Sir Billy Wright.com (campaign for a Posthumous Knighthood for Sir Billy Wright, CBE), "Sir Henry Cotton was knighted after his death in 1988."

Perhaps Sir Billy Wright.com should check its facts. Henry Cotton accepted a knighthood and, sadly, died before it was announced publicly. The knighthood was declared to be effective from the date of his death ie before the honours list was published, but it wasn't awarded posthumously.

[Maurice]

name='CaptainWaggett']Perhaps Sir Billy Wright.com should check its facts. Henry Cotton accepted a knighthood and, sadly, died before it was announced publicly. The knighthood was declared to be effective from the date of his death ie before the honours list was published, but it wasn't awarded posthumously.

Why wasn't Joyce Grenfell treated similarly?



"It was confirmed after her death that she would have been made a Dame Commander

(DBE) in the 1980 New Year's Honours List." Wikipedia

[narabdela]

Donald Campbell was one of my childhood heroes, but this all seems very silly.

[CaptainWaggett]

name='Maurice']Why wasn't Joyce Grenfell treated similarly?



"It was confirmed after her death that she would have been made a Dame Commander

(DBE) in the 1980 New Year's Honours List." Wikipedia

Perhaps she hadn't actually accepted it by the time of her death.

[batman]

name='narabdela']Donald Campbell was one of my childhood heroes, but this all seems very silly.

Agreed. If Mr Campbell gets one, surely Bob Paisley deserves one .... and how about Cloughie and Bobby Moore ..... what a pity Max was Irish!

[Freddy]

name='narabdela']Donald Campbell was one of my childhood heroes, but this all seems very silly.

I agree, Donald Campbell was a hero of mine, but where would it begin and end if we did give honours out posthumously.



Freddy

[billy bentley]

it would begin with Donald Campbell and never end !

[Freddy]

name='billy bentley']it would begin with Donald Campbell and never end !

Fair point though I had more of the chronological aspect in mind.

[cornershop15]

I found this article, dated 24th September 1958, at the Mirror archives earlier and wanted to know more about the singer. Some videos
of her singing live are on YouTube under the name Tonia Bern-Campbell. Further research revealed she was Donald's wife when he died.



TAWNY-HAIRED singer Tonia Bern is pictured at London Airport yesterday after flying in from Brussels to see a doctor - pro
fessionally. Belgian beauty Miss Bern said:"I have been ill in bed for six weeks. I think I was having a nervous breakdown."

The only other time Tonia's been mentioned at the forum was at this thread. Ironically,
the film she appeared in, The Flaw, was about a racing driver (played by John Bentley):

Watched Last Night (2004-2008) (page 143, post #2848)

Tonia Bern''s biography of her late husband:
My Speed King: Life with Donald Campbell

I vaguely remember her and step-daughter Gina being on TV a few times when the remains of the Bluebird were recovered, many years after the tragedy. He died when I was only two but I've always known who Donald Campbell was and felt terrible for his family. Tonia also made the news when she found love with actor Bill Maynard. Are they still together?

[icetorch]

Hasn't the Palace recently said that knighthoods expire when you die? And how would we know whether the deceased would have wanted one?

Donald Campbell died when I was 9. While watching the news about his fatal accident with my dad, I commented, "Campbell's in the soup!" "THAT wasn't very nice!", said my dad. For years afterwards, he would laughingly remind me of my childish quip.