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Post by lindenchase on Mar 5, 2010 14:37:14 GMT
James has been awarded a honorary degree from his old University! 
The presenter of Top Gear James May and renowned broadcaster Dame Joan Bakewell DBE are among six people distinguished in their field who are to be awarded honorary degrees at the July degree ceremonies.
Mr James May [DLitt]
James May is an award-winning British television presenter and journalist, and a graduate of Lancaster University. He is best known as co-presenter of the motoring programme Top Gear, and he has also presented a variety of other programmes, including James May on the Moon, James May’s 20th Century and James May’s Big Ideas.
May has written articles for several publications, including CAR Magazine Top Gear Magazine, as well as a weekly column in The Daily Telegraph. In 2000 he won the Guild of Motoring Writers Journalist of the Year award.
A keen flautist and pianist, James May studied music at Lancaster University, where he was a member of Pendle College. domino.lancs.ac.uk/INFO/lunews.nsf/I/9FB3333B5AE07A36802576DD00494371 |
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Post by jacqui on Mar 5, 2010 16:19:33 GMT
Thats brilliant HUGE CONGRATS JAMES ;D Bodes well for all the other awards  Doctor of Letters eh? Excellent ;D |
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Post by eshalda on Mar 5, 2010 17:14:23 GMT
That is wonderful for James. I expect he will feel hugely proud. He will look divine in the robes, I hope there will be a lot of pictures. Next thing we know he and Jeremy will be going into competition as to who can gather the most honarary awards, although I don't think James would be very bothered about this.
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Post by chariset on Mar 5, 2010 18:12:33 GMT
Dr. May!
I'll be disappointed if he doesn't start making Clarkson and Hammond call him that.
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Post by lindenchase on Mar 5, 2010 18:20:26 GMT
Dr. May! I'll be disappointed if he doesn't start making Clarkson and Hammond call him that. Well, Jezza has an honorary degree as well, so it will be poor Hammond who will suffer. The ceremony is in July, so right in time for the next series. ;D |
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Post by chariset on Mar 5, 2010 18:23:00 GMT
Do you think he'll be low key or play it up, do a show in his doctoral robe, etc?
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Post by xjsarah on Mar 5, 2010 18:29:01 GMT
Low key, I should think. He's never struck me as being the type to show off or boast about anything.  Many congratulations, James. Nice one!  ;D |
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Post by eshalda on Mar 5, 2010 19:14:08 GMT
I somehow thought that in receiving an honorary degree, the full regalia was a pre requisite. I would love to see James in the robes. Clarkson wore his.
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Post by lew on Mar 5, 2010 19:20:48 GMT
Not sure about the hat thing ;D though he does have a hat thing. Well done, Mr May and a few more letters |
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Post by xjsarah on Mar 5, 2010 19:45:26 GMT
I somehow thought that in receiving an honorary degree, the full regalia was a pre requisite. I would love to see James in the robes. Clarkson wore his. It's required for the actual ceremony, but I couldn't imagine him wanting to wear them for any other occasion, which is what was being implied. Mind you, I'm prepared to stand corrected! |
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Post by eshalda on Mar 5, 2010 20:39:25 GMT
No, no for the ceremony only. It is not the sort of thing you would bring out to wear, at let's say, an award ceremony. They will probably hang for the rest of their days in James' wardrobe.
My piano teacher always wore his robes when I went for lessons, it made me feel very uncomfortable. My sons robes dutifully hang in the wardrobe, never seening the light of day, mind you, next year he receives another set to join them.
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Post by jacqui on Mar 5, 2010 20:55:37 GMT
I'm sure James will look just the part in his robes I'm intrigued not being an academic do you have to purchase these robes and hat yourself then they are yours to keep obviously  I imagined they were rentals  Is there a set colour for DLitt? sorry to be thick ;D |
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Post by eshalda on Mar 5, 2010 21:25:37 GMT
When you graduate you have a choice of buying new or second hand robes, or you can hire them for the day. Not sure what the protacol is for hohorary degrees, perhaps they provide you with the robes, and maybe let you keep them?
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Post by jacqui on Mar 5, 2010 21:30:28 GMT
Thanks eshalda |
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Post by dit on Mar 5, 2010 23:15:36 GMT
I've thought for a long time that Lancaster uni was missing a shot if they didn't honour him in some way. He'll see tremendous changes in the place when he goes back - at the time he was there it was - well - like a university campus, but now it's like a city; it seems to get bigger every time I drive past.
I used to go up there a lot to the Nuffield Theatre and to gigs at the Great Hall around the time he was there, and it's odd to think I could have been in the same area as him (or even sitting/standing next to him). I do sometimes wonder which places he used to go when he was a student.
And I imagine he will just be hugely, quietly proud at the honour they're bestowing on him.
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Mystik
Filthy Mayhemer
55 MPGiesel
Posts: 776
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Post by Mystik on Mar 6, 2010 0:08:32 GMT
That is awesome. WELL DONE JAMES!!! ;D I've got a feeling it'll be mentioned next season (it better!  ) but that would be it... |
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Post by Jacksgirl on Mar 6, 2010 3:27:24 GMT
WELL DONE JAMES CONGRATULATIONS!! ;D
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Post by lymaze on Mar 6, 2010 10:11:15 GMT
Well done James. He's having a very good year so far.  |
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Post by bogiesandtenders on Mar 6, 2010 17:21:36 GMT
Ahhh me old mate, what took them so long I wonder to realise your an asset to them for furture generations. Not the most academically gifted that we know, but you've done well son from being as you once described a waistrell, to a fine upstanding member of the Lancaster University's Hall of Fame. About bloody time too!!
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Post by From Afar on Mar 7, 2010 10:35:31 GMT
I'm intrigued not being an academic do you have to purchase these robes and hat yourself then they are yours to keep obviously I imagined they were rentals Is there a set colour for DLitt? sorry to be thick ;D Not being thick Jacqui.... I was wondering the same thing |
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Post by jacqui on Mar 7, 2010 11:43:04 GMT
I'm intrigued not being an academic do you have to purchase these robes and hat yourself then they are yours to keep obviously I imagined they were rentals Is there a set colour for DLitt? sorry to be thick ;D Not being thick Jacqui.... I was wondering the same thing Thanks for the back up Afar ;D |
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Post by From Afar on Mar 7, 2010 12:42:50 GMT
Not being thick Jacqui.... I was wondering the same thing Thanks for the back up Afar ;D Anytime hunny |
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Post by beckstar on Mar 7, 2010 13:26:45 GMT
I suspect the academic dress will be on hire - virtually no-one actually buys their academic gowns unless they're Oxbridge types who wear it for a lot of ceremonial stuff / exams / dinner. I still have my mortar board, but my gown (which was 2nd hand in the first place) went back to the shop once I ceased to need it.
Jezza's honorary degree was at Oxford Brookes, so his would probably have come from Ede and Ravenscroft, who are the academic wear specialists in Oxford - I expect he had to pay a large fine for dry cleaning when he returned the gown covered in the cream pie he had chucked at him after the ceremony. James's will come from Wippels in Lancaster, I expect, and very smart he'll look in them too!
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Post by eshalda on Mar 7, 2010 16:24:21 GMT
Sorry Beckstar, I do have an Oxbridge type at home (son.) He bought his graduation gown (Cambridge don't do motar boards for graduation ceremonies,)at Ryder and Amies, which is the other academic suppliers. His undergraduate gown came from Ede and Ravenscroft. Next year he is trading in his graduation gown for his Masters gown - and yes he does have to wear gowns to lots of the functions he goes to. I dread to think what has been dropped down it, suffice it to say it has regular visits to the dry cleaners. James will look divine in his robes and I'm sure he will be very proud to wear them. I wonder which guests he will invite to his ceremony?
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Post by beckstar on Mar 7, 2010 16:29:47 GMT
Sorry Beckstar, I do have an Oxbridge type at home (son.) He bought his graduation gown (Cambridge don't do motar boards for graduation ceremonies,)at Ryder and Amies, which is the other academic suppliers. His undergraduate gown came from Ede and Ravenscroft. Next year he is trading in his graduation gown for his Masters gown - and yes he does have to wear gowns to lots of the functions he goes to. I dread to think what has been dropped down it, suffice it to say it has regular visits to the dry cleaners. James will look divine in his robes and I'm sure he will be very proud to wear them. I wonder which guests he will invite to his ceremony? Why are you apologising when you are agreeing with my point??? |
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Post by eshalda on Mar 7, 2010 17:28:49 GMT
Yes, sorry was a daft word to open with, I should be proud. I suppose it is because there is still a certain amount of snobbery associated with Oxbridge. My son is state school through and through plus 'bog standard' comprehensive educated, who just happens to be bright ,and we are just ordinary working people. Some people still think Oxbridge means wealth and priviledge. We encountered some of the predjudice when we went down for an intitial visit. We were walking down the street admiring King's College, when a couple walking past, out of the blue made a sweeping comment that Cambridge let anyone in these days and that 'education' (meaning private education, )and connection should be the highest factors taken into consideration. I always thought it should be merit. It took a very restraining arm from the man to stop me making a reply to their sweeping comment
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Post by nobody on Mar 7, 2010 20:09:55 GMT
Yes, sorry was a daft word to open with, I should be proud. I suppose it is because there is still a certain amount of snobbery associated with Oxbridge. My son is state school through and through plus 'bog standard' comprehensive educated, who just happens to be bright ,and we are just ordinary working people. Some people still think Oxbridge means wealth and priviledge. We encountered some of the predjudice when we went down for an intitial visit. We were walking down the street admiring King's College, when a couple walking past, out of the blue made a sweeping comment that Cambridge let anyone in these days and that 'education' (meaning private education, )and connection should be the highest factors taken into consideration. I always thought it should be merit. It took a very restraining arm from the man to stop me making a reply to their sweeping comment It should be about what you know not who who know. I was talking to someone who used to be a very highly paid civil servant at white hall on another broad and he believed only the Eton lot should only be allowed to lead the country. I do hope your son one day becomes their bosses. |
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Post by flatin5th - Knight of the NC on Mar 7, 2010 21:42:16 GMT
I wasnt bothered about all the robes and mortar boards rubbish when I got my degree. All I wanted was the bit of paper, and the other stuff was just pretentious bollox. However, Mrs W had supported me for 2 years and she said I had to go through with it all - and who was I to argue! Robes hired for the day, photos taken, then quickly returned, never to be worn by me again!
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Post by chariset on Mar 8, 2010 4:17:16 GMT
I hope this goes through, because if it does, that means James and I will get a degree in the same year. (come on, thesis committee, hurry up and confirm my greatness...)
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Post by Shortie on Mar 8, 2010 10:23:35 GMT
Not that I am in the least superficial, obviously, but I wonder if he will wear a dark suit and tie under the gown ... I just thought it would be nice Here's a nice thought. Joan Bakewell was the original Thinking Man's Crumpet, James is definitely the Thinking Woman's Crumpet, so all bases will be covered on the same stage at the ceremony. |
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Doctor of Letters eh? Excellent ;D
I love a man who can handle a gun 
;D
I imagined they were rentals 
Is there a set colour for DLitt?
) but that would be it...
