The 1922 Birthday Honours were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of the British Empire. The appointments were made to celebrate the official birthday of The King, and were published in The London Gazette on 2 June 1922.
Controversy from the 1922 Birthday Honours list eventually led to the passage of the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 and creation of the Honours Committee to formally review nominations. Sir Joseph Benjamin Robinson, chairman of the Robinson South African Banking Company and generous contributor to Prime Minister David Lloyd George's Liberal Party, was listed for a barony "for national and imperial services." Robinson quickly declined the honour within weeks after arguments erupted in the House of Lords over the circumstances of his nomination, particularly his residency in South Africa rather than in Great Britain, and that he was not recommended for the honour directly by the South African colonial government as required. "Feeling in the House of Lords ran high," reported The Times on 30 June. The Times praised Robinson's letter to the King asking for permission to decline the honour, and pushed for further questioning into the matter: "..by his action Sir Joseph Robinson has placed himself in the right and has left the Government to explain, if they can, how and why they placed themselves in the wrong. It seems clear from the letter that Sir Joseph Robinson did not in any way seek the honour. Therefore, some person or persons unknown must have sought to induce him to accept it. Who are those persons, what are their functions, and what were their motives?"
The recipients of honours are displayed here as they were styled before their new honour, and arranged by honour, with classes (Knight, Knight Grand Cross, etc.) and then divisions (Military, Civil, etc.) as appropriate.
United Kingdom and British Empire
Baron
Sir Robert Hudson Borwick by the name, style and title of Baron Borwick, of Hawkshead in the County of Lancaster. Senior partner in the firm of George Borwick & Sons, Ltd. Rendered great service. to the Government in providing hospital treatment for the sick and wounded Colonial officers throughout the war. A large contributor to the Officers Families Fund, and a generous supporter of the Red Cross Society. Sir William Vestey by the name, style and title of Baron Vestey, of Kingswood, in the county of Surrey. Managing Director of the Union Cold Storage Company, Ltd. Has devoted his life to the production and preservation of food supplies by refrigeration, and has opened up numerous new sources of supply of refrigerated products from various parts of the world that have materially helped to cheapen the food supply of the people. Rendered immense service during the war to the country, and provided gratuitously the cold storage accommodation required for war purposes at Havre, Boulogne and Dunkirk. Head of the Blue Star Line. Has done much relief work for the poor, both in Liverpool and London, and generously contributes to charities. Sir Samuel James Waring by the name, style and title of Baron Waring, of Foots Cray, in the County of Kent. Director of Waring & Gillow, Ltd. Director of the Duchess of Sutherland's Cripples Guild. High Sheriff of Denbighshire 1907–8. Member of Executive Committee of National Association of Ex-Soldiers. Pioneer of decorative art in furnishing. Active supporter of Boy Scout Movement. Founder of Higher Production Council. Generous supporter of charities. The Rt. Honorary Sir Archibald Williamson by the name, style and title of Baron Forres, of Glenogil, in the county of Forfar. Financial and Parliamentary Secretary to the War Office 1919–21.
Privy Councillor
The King appointed the following to His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council: Lieutenant-Colonel Leopold Charles Maurice Stennett Amery Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty since 1921. Member of Parliament for the Sparkbrook Division of Birmingham since 1918. Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford. Lieutenant-Colonel Leslie Orme Wilson Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury. Member of Parliament for Reading since 1913. The Hon. William Lyon Mackenzie King Prime Minister and Secretary of State for External Affairs, Dominion of Canada