Awards

Description:
Several of Russell's prestigious awards are here displayed together. Among them, the Order of Merit (top left) and the related certificate signed by King George VI (bottom left), the Nobel Prize for Literature (top centre) and the accompanying medallion (at base of certificate). See below for detailed views of these awards.

Archive Box Number: NA


Description: This is the Butler Gold Medal given to Bertrand Russell in 1915 for his contributions to philosophy. The inscription on the left-hand side of the medal case says: "Columbia University in the City of New York Butler Gold Medal awarded to Bertrand Russell 1915". Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler was the same university president who fourteen years later withdrew permission for Russell to lecture at Columbia because of widespread condemnation of Russell's latest book, Marriage and Morals (1929). This image has been reduced to 50% due to its size. Click here to see it at 100%.
Archive Box Number: Library Vault
Date: 1915

	Description: This is the "reverse" or the back of the Butler Gold Medal. The Latin inscription says: "Philosophia virtutis continet et officii et bene vivendi disciplinam." Loosely translated into English this inscription says: "The philosophy of excellence contains the discipline of both duty and living well." Scanned at 100%.
	Archive Box Number: Library Vault
	Date: 1915

	Person(s) in Photograph: Dr. Nicolas Murray Butler
	Description: This is the "obverse" or the front of the Butler Gold Medal. The inscription says" "NICOLAS MURRAY BUTLER PRESIDENT." Dr. Butler was the president of Columbia University. Scanned at 100%.
	Archive Box Number: Library Vault
	Date: 1915

Person(s) in Photograph: Alfred Nobel

Description:
This is the Nobel Award for Literature awarded to Bertrand Russell in 1950. The inscription on the medal says: "ALFR. NOBEL NAT. MDCCCXXXIII OB. MDCCCXCVI". Translated, "Alfred Nobel, born 1833, died 1896." Scanned at 100%.

Archive Box Number: Library Vault

Date: 1950

	Person(s) in Photograph: Alfred Nobel
	Description: This is the "obverse" or front of the medal described above.
	Archive Box Number: Library Vault

	Person(s) in Photograph: Muse, poet
	Description: This is the Nobel Award for Literature awarded to Bertrand Russell in 1950, showing the "reverse" or back of the medal. The inscription is: "INVENTAS VITAM IUVAT EXCOLUISSE PER ARTES". Roughly translated, the inscription is: "Discovery helps to cultivate life through the arts." The scene seems to portray a poet being inspired by a muse. The muse is holding a lyre, while the poet wreathed in laurel sits and writes. Scanned at 100%.
	Archive Box Number: Library Vault
	Date: 1950

	Person(s) in Photograph: Bertrand Russell
	Description: Bertrand Russell after his award of the Nobel prize for literature was announced, Nov. 10, 1950.
	Archive Box Number: 3,13
	Date: Nov. 10, 1950

	Person(s) in Photograph: Bertrand Russell, et al.
	Description: This is a photograph of Bertrand Russell at the Nobel Award dinner. He is wearing the Order of Merit which he received the previous year.
	Archive Box Number: Black Medal Box
	Date: 1950

	Description: This is the left-hand side of the illuminated certificate, a boxed and bound vellum plaque that accompanied Russell's Nobel Award. Scanned at 50%.
	Archive Box Number: Library Vault
	Date: 1950

	Description: This is the right-hand side of the illuminated certificate, a boxed and bound vellum plaque that accompanied Russell's Nobel Award. Scanned at 50%.
	Archive Box Number: Black Medal Box
	Date: 1950

	Description: This is the Order of Merit given Bertrand Russell by King George VI on June 9, 1949. This image has been reduced to 50%. Click here to see it at 100%.
	Archive Box Number: Black Medal Box
	Date: 1949

	Description: This is one side of the Order of Merit award given to Bertrand Russell by King George VI on June 9, 1949. When Russell was told by the King at the ceremony that he had "sometimes behaved in a way which would not do if generally adopted", he suppressed the reply which immediately came to mind: "Like your brother".
	Archive Box Number: Black Medal Box
	Date: 1949

Description:
This is the other side of the Order of Merit award.

Description:
This is a note sent to Bertrand Russell by Sir Alan Lascelles, the King's Private Secretary, on behalf of King George the VI. The note says:

25. iv. 1949.
Personal & Confidential.
My dear Lord Russell,
It would give The King much pleasure to confer on you the Order of Merit, on the occasion of His Majesty's official birthday on June 9th. Would you let me know if this suggestion is agreeable to you?
Yours sincerely
A. Lascelles.

Archive Box Number: Black Medal Box

Date: 1949

Description:
This is the top part of the certificate for the Order of Merit granted to Bertrand Russell on June 9, 1949. This certificate has been reduced to 50% to fit the screen; click here to see this image at 100%. The text says: "George the Sixth by the Grace of God of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith and Sovereign of the Order of Merit to Our Right trusty and Right well-beloved Cousin Bertrand Arthur William Earl Russell Fellow of the Royal Society Greeting" The top right is signed by George VI.

Archive Box Number: Black Medal Box

Date: 1949

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Site created and designed by Paul Barrette, 1997.