Benson Medal Explained

The Benson Medal is a medal awarded by the Royal Society of Literature in the UK.^[1]

It was founded in 1916 by A. C. Benson who was a Fellow of the Society, to honour those who produce "meritorious works in poetry, fiction, history, and belles-lettres". The medal has been awarded several times to writers in other languages, and is occasionally awarded those who are not writers, but who have done conspicuous service to literature.

The medal is awarded at irregular intervals for lifelong achievement. Recipients include:Edmund Blunden,Anita Desai,Maureen Duffy,E. M. Forster,^[2] Christopher Fry,John Gawsworth,^[3] Nadine Gordimer,Philip Larkin,R. K. Narayan^[4] A. L. Rowse,^[5] George Santayana,Wole Soyinka,^[6] Lytton Strachey,J. R. R. Tolkien, andHelen Waddell.^[7]

In November 2020, the new design for the medal by Linda Crook was unveiled. The design includes books on one side, and people on the other.^[8]

Recent recipients

2022

• Sandra Agard^[9]

2021

• Alastair Niven^[10]

2020

• Boyd Tonkin^[11]

2019

• Susheila Nasta^[12]

2018

• Liz Calder^[13]

2017

• Margaret Busby
• Carmen Callil
• Mary-Kay Wilmers

2016

• Christopher MacLehose^[14]

2015

• Nancy Sladek

2014

• Deirdre Le Faye
• Valentina Polukhina

2013

• Wm. Roger Louis

2012

• David Pease
• Jenny Uglow

2011

• Diana Athill
• Francis King

Earlier recipients

• 2010: Al Alvarez
• 2009: Mark Le Fanu; Kay Dunbar
• 2008: John Saumarez Smith; Douglas Matthews
• 2007: Nadine Gordimer
• 2006: Ronald Blythe; Joan Winterkorn – manuscript expert
• 2005: Edward Upward
• 2004: Maureen Duffy;^[15] James Parker^[16]
• 2003: Anita Desai ;^[17] David Sutton^[18]
• 2000: Christopher Fry^[19]
• 1996: Shusaku Endo^[20]
• 1993: Julien Green^[21]
• 1990: Wole Soyinka ;
• 1989: Anthony Burgess ; Nadine Gordimer
• 1982: A. L. Rowse
• 1981: Sir Sacheverell Sitwell ; Odysseas Elytis
• 1979: R. K. Narayan^[22]
• 1975: Philip Larkin^[23]
• 1969: Cecil Woodham-Smith
• 1966: J. R. R. Tolkien ;^[24] Rebecca West ; E. V. Rieu
• 1952: Frederick S. Boas
• 1941: Christopher La Farge
• 1940: Christopher Hassall ;^[25] John Gawsworth^[26]
• 1939: F. L. Lucas ; Andrew Young ;
• 1938: E. M. Forster ;^[27] G. M. Young
• 1934: Edith Sitwell
• 1931: Stella Benson ; Siegfried Sassoon^[28]
• 1930: Edmund Blunden
• 1927: Frederick Arthur Simpson ; Helen Waddell
• 1926: Percy Lubbock ; Robert Wilson Lynd ; Harold Nicolson
• 1925: Gordon Bottomley ; George Santayana
• 1923: Lytton Strachey
• 1917: Gabriele d'Annunzio ; Benito Pérez Galdós ; Maurice Barres

External links

• "The Benson Medal" at The Royal Society of Literature website.

Notes and References

1. http://rsliterature.org/award/the-benson-medal/ "The Benson Medal"
2. http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0001381.html E. M. Forster
3. http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/spec-coll/Bai/wynne.htm Two Kings of Redonda: M. P. Shiel and John Gawsworth
4. http://www.penguin.co.uk/nf/Author/AuthorPage/0,,1000011671,00.html Narayan's author biography
5. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2242/is_1631_279/ai_81764842/print A. L. Rowse: Historian and friend - Obituary
6. http://www.echofoundation.org/Past%20Projects%20II/Soyinka/Biography.htm Biography of Wole Soyinka
7. http://www.ulsterbiography.co.uk/biogsW.htm Biography of Helen Waddell
8. Web site: Royal Society of Literature » Boyd Tonkin Awarded newly-designed Benson Medal. 2020-11-30. rsliterature.org.
9. Web site: 2022 Fellows, Honorary Fellows and Benson Medal. rsliterature.org. The Royal Society of Literature. 12 July 2022. 25 July 2022.
10. Web site: Alastair Niven Awarded 2021 Benson Medal. rsliterature.org. The Royal Society of Literature. 6 July 2021. 25 July 2022.
11. Web site: Royal Society of Literature » The Benson Medal. 2020-11-30. rsliterature.org.
12. https://www.qmul.ac.uk/media/news/2019/hss/queen-mary-academic-receives-prestigious-royal-society-of-literature-award.html "Queen Mary academic receives prestigious Royal Society of Literature Award"
13. Web site: Royal Society of Literature » The Benson Medal. rsliterature.org. 2019-03-27.
14. Web site: The Benson Medal. The Royal Society of Literature. 4 January 2017.
15. Web site: Ms. Maureen Duffy . Debretts . 10 August 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120731142205/http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/browse/d/14761/Maureen%20Patricia%2BDUFFY.aspx . 31 July 2012 . dead .
16. i.e. Dr James Parker, Co-ordinator of the International Public Lending Right Network (IPLR).
17. Encyclopedia: Desai, Anita 1937– . encyclopedia.com . 30 April 2018.
18. https://www.reading.ac.uk/news-and-events/releases/PR3908.aspx "University archivist wins top international prize"
19. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=9drlYR0YUgAC&q=Benson+medal+fry&pg=PA571. Fry, Christopher. International Who's Who. 9781857432176. 10 August 2010. Publications. Europa. 2003.
20. Book: Silence. Shusaku Endo. May 1996. 9780140249521.
21. Web site: The Benson Medal. Royal Society of Literature. 9 May 2016.
22. Web site: R K Narayan. Penguin India. 30 April 2018.
23. Philip Larkin. Experience Literature Poetry. 10 August 2010.
24. Web site: Facts and History about Professor Tolkien and his books. Skies of Rohan. 11 August 2010.
25. Dictionary of National Biography.
26. https://rsliterature.org/library-article/benson-and-hedging-james-fergusson-reveals-a-high-profile-dispute-over-the-rsl-benson-medal/ "Benson and hedging: James Fergusson reveals a high profile dispute over the RSL Benson Medal"
27. Web site: E(dward) M(organ) Forster . 11 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080907125312/http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0001381.html . 7 September 2008.
28. News: London's Book Market. 20 February 2018. The Argus. 4 April 1931.