on a straight suspender and gold buckle on the left breast.
Postnominals: CB.
Insignia Manufacture: Insignia presented to Canadians from 1867 to 1946 were manufactured by Garrard & Co.
Number of Appointments of Canadians: 141.
• GCB Military: 0.
• GCB Civil: 1.
• KCB Military: 8.
• KCB Civil: 3.
• CB Military: 113.
• CB Civil: 16.
The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George
Created by King George III in 1818 to recognize services in the Ionian Islands, the Order of St. Michael and St. George was restructured and given a new purpose in 1868 when it was then converted into an order to recognize service in the foreign and colonial services.
From Confederation until the Nickle Resolution, it can be said that this order served as the era’s “Order of Canada,” as it was the premier award available to Canadian politicians, judges, and civil servants. This was partly because of a change in the rules in 1868, which tipped the scales away from the Order of the Bath and toward this order. When first established, the Order consisted of the Sovereign, grand master, seven Knights Grand Cross, twelve Knight Commanders, and twenty-four Knight Companions. In 1832 the lowest class became non-titular and was renamed Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George. The order was enlarged in 1868, 1877, and 1902 to allow for a maximum of 110 Grand Crosses (GCMG), 390 Knight Commanders (KCMG), and 1,775 Companions of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG). For Canadians the order was intended to honour “high political or official services as distinct from judicial, literary, scientific, or artistic eminence.”
From 1868 until 1935, fourteen GCMGs (the award was reserved for governors general, prime ministers, and chief justices) were awarded to Canadians, including three Canadian prime ministers: Sir Charles Tupper, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, and Sir Robert Borden. Many other Canadians keenly sought to become KCMGs, partly because it was the most accessible honour within the reach of eminent senior civil servants, senators, cabinet ministers, provincial premiers, or even wealthy party supporters, and perhaps also because of the splendid insignia involved. Seventy-nine of them were successful: thirty-six politicians, sixteen serving or retired lieutenant governors — who were, in general, former politicians — while the remainder went to people in a variety of occupations ranging from university administrators to engineers.
The CMG was bestowed upon 370 Canadians. Even William Lyon Mackenzie King was awarded this distinction. The last Canadian appointments to the order came in 1946 when forty appointments were made at the level of CMG. This last batch was certainly the most diverse, with such prominent Canadians as the Group of Seven painter A.Y. Jackson and the poet Edwin John Pratt being recognized alongside a variety of deputy ministers and leaders in the transportation industries.
Criteria: Exemplary service in the foreign, dominion, or colonial services.
Insignia: Varies depending on level of appointment.
Ribbon: A watered ribbon of Saxon blue divided in the centre by an equal stripe of red; 38 mm for all levels, save the GCMG sash, which is 102 mm wide.
Knight Grand Cross
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (part of collar also shown.).
Mantle: Saxon blue lined with crimson silk and tied with two cords of blue and crimson silk and gold. The breast star of a Knight Grand Cross is embroidered in wire on the left. There is also a hat of blue satin lined with scarlet and finished with black and white ostrich feathers.
Collar: Gold in colour composed alternatively of twenty-four devices: lions of England crowned, en-amelled Maltese crosses, and the cyphers SM and SG, the centre of the collar having an Imperial Crown flanked on each side by a winged lion passant guardant, each holding in his forepaw a book of seven arrows, At the back where the two halves of the chain are joined there are two similar lions.
Sash Insignia: A fourteen-point gold cross 78 mm wide, enamelled in white with gold edging the entire insignia surmounted by a crown. The centre of the obverse displays a representation of St. Michael trampling on Satan, the entire central device circumscribed by a blue ribbon containing the motto AUSPICIUM MELIORIS ÆVI (“Token of a better age”). The reverse is identical to the obverse, though the centre displays a representation of St. George and the dragon. The sash is worn over the right shoulder with the sash badge resting on the left hip.
Breast Star: A silver breast star composed of seven rays, each ray having in its centre a single gold ray. Superimposed on this is a red enamelled Cross of St. George, edged in gold, the centre displaying a representation of St. Michael trampling on Satan, the entire central device circumscribed by a blue ribbon containing the motto AUSPICIUM MELIORIS ÆVI.
Postnominals: GCMG.
Knight Commander
Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George.
Neck Insignia: The same as the Knight Grand Cross sash insignia, though 52 mm wide. The ribbon passes through a ribbed gold ring.
Breast Star: A silver breast star composed of four rays surmounted by a Maltese cross in saltire. Superimposed on this is a red enamelled Cross of St. George, edged in gold, the centre displaying a representation of St. Michael trampling on Satan, the entire central device circumscribed by a blue ribbon containing the motto AUSPICIUM MELIORIS ÆVI.
Postnominals: KCMG.
Companion
Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George on buckle.
Neck Insignia: Identical to that of a Knight Commander, though 45 mm in width.
Suspender: The ribbon passes through a ribbed gold ring. Until 1917, Companions in both divisions wore their insignia on a straight suspender and gold buckle on the left breast.
Postnominals: CMG.
Insignia Manufacture: Insignia awarded to Canadians were made by Garrard & Co.
Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George neck issue.
Number of Appointments of Canadians: 463.
• GCMG: 14.
• KCMG: 79.
• CMG: 370.
