Honours Board

The Kew Guild Medal and the George Brown Memorial Award honours members of the Kew Guild for their furtherance of horticulture and the Kew Guild.

2025

Recipient Name Award Associated link

2024

Maxine Briggs The George Brown Memorial Award

2023

2022

2021

Professor Mark Chase The Kew Guild Medal
Barry Newman The Kew Guild Medal

2020

Chris Kidd The George Brown Memorial Award

2019

Marcella Corcoran The George Brown Memorial Award

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

Sir David Attenborough The Kew Guild Medal
David Barnes The George Brown Memorial Award

2013

Norman Robson The George Brown Memorial Award

2012

2011

Jim Mitchell The George Brown Memorial Award

2010

2009

Ray Desmond The Kew Guild Medal

2008

Roy Lancaster The Kew Guild Medal

2007

Allan and Joan Hart The George Brown Memorial Award

2006

Jill Cowley The George Brown Memorial Award

2005

Michael Clift The George Brown Memorial Award

2004

2003

Neil and Sheila Gilmore The George Brown Memorial Award

2002

Allen Peterson The George Brown Memorial Award

2001

John Woodhams The George Brown Memorial Award

2000

1999

Patrick Nutt The George Brown Memorial Award

1998

John Simmons The George Brown Memorial Award

1997

Nigel Hepper The George Brown Memorial Award

1996

Ray Desmond The George Brown Memorial Award

1995

Laura Ponsonby The George Brown Memorial Award

1994

Ghillean Prance The George Brown Memorial Award

1993

Martin Sands The George Brown Memorial Award

1992

Tony Schilling The George Brown Memorial Award

1991

Stanley Rawlings The George Brown Memorial Award

1990

Robert Sealy The George Brown Memorial Award

1989

1988

Alan Titchmarsh The George Brown Memorial Award

1987

Thomas Everett The George Brown Memorial Award

1986

Ronald Keay The George Brown Memorial Award

1985

John Lawrence The George Brown Memorial Award

1984

Noel Procter The George Brown Memorial Award

1983

Noel Lothian The George Brown Memorial Award

1982

George Joy The George Brown Memorial Award

Featured

Awards that sustain the spirit of Kew

Through our awards we provide essential financial support to fund research projects and help people expand their horticultural horizons.

The Kew Guild Medal

In 2008 David F. Cutler suggested to the Kew Guild Committee that we should consider having a medal struck to recognise people of outstanding merit in topics close to the interests of the Guild. The Committee set up a small working group to develop the idea. On the basis of their report it was agreed to go ahead because the initiative was seen to ‘raise the profile of the Guild, to recognise personal achievements and spend the money of the Guild in a wise and constructive manner.’

The initial criteria devised by the working group have been revised since they were first set out, and the most recent revision, in 2018, states them as follows:

“The Medal is awarded for outstanding merit in the furtherance of one or more fields of interest of members of the Kew Guild. For example: Scientific or amenity horticulture, Plant systematic research, Plant or habitat conservation and Horticultural Education. Other relevant fields of interest can be considered. The recipient need not be a member of the Guild.”

It was agreed that the Medal should be presented at the Annual Dinner or the Annual General Meeting unless the recipient or their representative is unable to attend, when other arrangements can be made. It was also agreed that normally the Medal should be awarded every two or three years, and exceptionally on consecutive years. However, as you can read below, there was no shortage of suitable candidates and after 2014 a medal has been awarded in each of the following years. Kewite Anthony Ross was invited to design the medal, and although somewhat taken aback by the request, consulted a medal die and engraving specialist company in Twickenham about practical matters and put his considerable skills to producing the exquisite medal. A first batch of ten was struck. The medal is silver gilt, weighs 50g, is 50mm in diameter and 2.5mm thick. The 2006 Journal cover showed the Medal, together with a short article by Anthony Ross on page 78 of same.

Initially the nominations for the medal were made by a Medal Awards Sub-Committee. This consisted of the President of the Guild with John Simmons, John Edmundson, Prof. Gren Lucas, Dr. Thomas S. Elias, David Hardman and David Cutler (Secretary). This functioned very effectively, but in due course the members of the Kew Guild Committee decided that they should take full responsibility for receiving and deciding on the nominations and the Sub-Committee members were thanked for their work and the Sub-Committee was disbanded. I continued to be responsible for seeing the process through the Guild Committee until I retired from this role in 2019.

Nominations are most welcome from all members of the Guild and should be sent to the Kew Guild President. It is very important that when making nominations you shouldn’t tell the nominees! 

The George Brown Award

For more information on the life of George Brown and the commemorative award, click here: