Coordinates: 54°59′31″N 1°25′44″W / 54.992°N 1.429°W / 54.992; -1.429

South Shields
King Street is South Shields' main shopping street, which was pedestrianised in the 1980s. The Metro station can be seen above the street.
South Shields  South Shields shown within Tyne and Wear
Population	82,854
OS grid reference	NZ365665
Metropolitan borough	South Tyneside
Metropolitan county	Tyne and Wear
Region	North East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SOUTH SHIELDS
Postcode district	NE33, NE34
Dialling code	0191
Police	Northumbria
Fire	Tyne and Wear
Ambulance	North East
EU Parliament	North East England
UK Parliament	South Shields
List of places: UK • England • Tyne and Wear

South Shields (or locally known just as Shields) is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about 4.84 miles (7.79 km) downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne. The town has a population of 82,854,^[1] the second largest population centre in the Tyneside conurbation after Newcastle. It is part of the metropolitan borough of South Tyneside, which includes the riverside towns of Jarrow and Hebburn and the villages of Boldon, Cleadon and Whitburn. South Shields is represented in parliament by Labour MP David Miliband.

History[link]

The first settlers of the area were the Brigantes, although there is no evidence they built a settlement within the town of South Shields. Earlier Celtic inscriptions were found as evident in CAER URFA, the original name for south Shields. The Romans built a fort here around AD 160, and expanded it around AD 208 to help supply their soldiers along Hadrian's Wall. Divisions living at the fort included Tigris bargemen (from Persia/modern day Iraq), Spanish/French soldiers, and Syrian archers/spearmen. The fort was abandoned as the Roman Empire declined in the fourth century AD. Many ruins still exist today, and some structures have been rebuilt as part of a modern museum.

In the sixth century, northeast England was famed for its centre of religious enlightenment and education, with the holy isle of Lindisfarne, close to Bamburgh and important religious clergy: St Aidan, St Bede, St Cuthbert. This region was known as 'Bernicia' with Bamburgh its capital and forming the Kingdom of Northumbria, with Deira (Yorkshire) forming the southern boundary.

The Vikings raided the area in the ninth century, establishing settlements and controlling most of northern England (and East Anglia) from York (Yorvik) to South Shields. It is said in local folklore that a Viking ship ran aground at herdsands in its attempts to disembark at a cove nearby.

The current town was founded in 1245 and developed as a fishing port. Salt-panning expanded as an industry in 1499. During the Civil War, parliament's Scottish allies captured the town and caused the royalists to flee south, leading to the Boldon Hill battle.

In the Victorian era, coal mining led to a boom in the town. Population increased from 12,000 in 1801 to 75,000 by the 1860s, as the coal industry played a part in creating wealth both regionally and nationally. Due to an ancient Royal Charter, Newcastle administrated the sale of coal on the river Tyne. In 1832, with the Great Reform Act, South Shields and Gateshead got their own MP and became boroughs, resulting in coal mining taxes being paid to the Government instead of the Bishops of Durham. The rapid growth of coal made sanitation a problem as evident in the creation of the Cleadon water tower, still used to this day. In the 1850s, shipbuilding became a prominent industry, but this industry declined over time due to cheaper labour and raw materials in South East Asia.

Zeppelin airships attacked the town in World War I, and Nazi air raids caused damage and death in World War II. Throughout the 20th century, the coal and shipbuilding industries ceased. In the 21st century, most of the town's populace work in the cities of Sunderland and Newcastle upon Tyne in the public sector/service sector; with a small minority working in service industries/retail and the ever increasing role of tourism in the local economy.

Geography[link]

Sandhaven Beach

South Shields is situated in a peninsula setting, where the River Tyne meets the North Sea. It has six miles of coastline and three miles of river frontage, dominated by the massive piers at the mouth of the Tyne. These are best viewed from the Lawe Top, which also houses two replicas of cannon captured from the Russians during the Crimean War (the originals having been melted during World War II).

The town slopes gently from the Cleadon Hills down to the river. The Cleadon Hills are made conspicuous by the Victorian water pumping station (opened in 1860 to improve sanitation) and a now derelict windmill which can be seen from many miles away and also out at sea.

The town has extensive beaches including sand dunes as well as dramatic Magnesian Limestone cliffs with grassy areas above known as The Leas, which cover three miles of this coastline and are a National Trust protected area. Marsden Bay, with its famous Marsden Rock, is home to one of the largest seabird colonies in Britain.

One of the most historic parts of the town is the quaint & beautiful Westoe village, which consists of a quiet street of 1st grade and 2nd grade Georgian and Victorian houses, many of which had been built by Victorian business leaders from the coal or ship industries in the town. Given its beautiful setting, parks and trees, this street was often the setting for a number of books by the novelist Catherine Cookson.^[2] Westoe village was once a separate village about a mile from South Shields but urban sprawl has now consumed it along with the village of Harton slightly further along the road to Sunderland.

Demography[link]

Before 1820, South Shields was a predominantly sparse hamlet and village based rural economy with some small-scale shipbuilding, glass making and salt processing along the riverside. Beyond 1820 and into the Industrial Revolution, South Shields expanded into an urban settlement built around shipbuilding and coal mining. Migration came from up the River Tyne, with other migrants from rural County Durham, Northumberland, Scotland and Ireland. The majority of the people living in South Shields are descendants of those who migrated and settled in the area during the Industrial Revolution in order to work in expanding coalmines and shipyards. Towards the end of the 19th century, with the British Navy needing seamen, Yemeni British sailors settled in the town, this resulted in the first roots of the Yemeni British community in the town.

Irish and Scottish community[link]

The influence of these communities is evident today in the number of Anglian, Baptist, Catholic, Presbyterian and Methodist churches in South Shields. The local boys' brigades often take part in parades in the town during the festival of Easter.

Yemeni community[link]

South Shields has been home to a Yemeni British community since the 1890s. The main reason for the Yemeni arrival was the supply of seamen, such as engine room firemen, to British merchant vessels. Similar communities were founded in Hull, Liverpool and Cardiff.^[3] In 1909, the first Arab Seamen's Boarding House opened in the Holborn riverside district of the town. At the time of the First World War there was a shortage of crews due to the demands of the fighting and many Yemenis were recruited to serve on British ships at the port of Aden, then under British protection. At the end of the war, the Yemeni population of South Shields had swelled to well over 3,000. Shields lost one of the largest proportions of Merchant Navy sailors. Approximately 1 in 4 of these men was of Yemeni background.

Disputes over jobs led to riots - also called the Arab Riots - in 1919. Often incorrectly reported as 'race riots', these were in fact trades union disputes involving equal pay protests championed by communist union activists. In fact, the Yemeni had already become a successfully integrated into the wider community. In 1930 a further dispute broke out over working practices, which the Yemeni seamen felt to be discriminatory, and led to more rioting. However, over time, attitudes to Yemenis in the town were softened and there was no significant recurrence of this violence.^[4]

After World War II, the Yemeni population declined, partly due to migrations to other industrial areas such as Birmingham, Liverpool and Sheffield.^[5] However, the main reason for the reduction in numbers was the end of the shipping industry and the need for sailors as coal burning ships decreased in numbers. Today, the Yemeni population of South Shields numbers around 1,000.^[6] Many Yemeni sailors married local women and became integrated with the wider community, resulting with a migrant population less distinct than in other mixed communities across the UK. The Yemeni are the first, settled Muslim community in Britain and have been used to justify multi-culturalism.

There is a mosque at Laygate, including the Yemeni School, which was visited by American boxer Muhammed Ali in 1977. He had his marriage blessed at the Al-Ahzar Mosque, the first purpose-built in the UK. This story is covered in a documentary film, The King of South Shields film website. Throughout April and early May 2008, the BALTIC Arts Centre in Gateshead chronicled the Yemeni community of South Shields, including interviews with the last remaining survivors of the first Yemeni generation. The exhibition depicted the Yemeni story as an example of early successful multi-cultural integration in Britain, as well as showcasing the high-profile 1977 visit by Muhammed Ali.

In 2008, South Shields resident and filmmaker Tina Gharavi unveiled plans for a plaque to mark Ali's visit.^[7]

In 2009, the detective series George Gently, based on the novels by Alan Hunter, portrayed the Yemeni integration in a 1960s setting.^[8]

Economy[link]

Abandoned docks in South Shields' harbour

The last shipbuilder, John Readhead & Sons, closed in 1984 and the last pit, Westoe Colliery, in 1993. Today, the town relies largely on service industries, whilst many residents commute to work in nearby Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside and Sunderland.

Despite a skilled local workforce, for many years South Tyneside had the highest unemployment rate in mainland Britain,^[9] although between December 2002 and December 2008 unemployment in South Shields fell by 17.8%,^[9] and that of South Tyneside by 17.7%,^[9] the best performance in the North East region over that time period.

In January 2011, the Guardian reported the unemployment rate at 6.5%. In October 2011 the Guardian reported the unemployment rate at 7.5%^[10]

The Port of Tyne is one of the UK's most important and is further developing its freight and passenger activities. In 2007, it imported two million tonnes of coal. Manufacturing and ship repair/engineering are other significant sectors.

South Shields benefits from significant public and private sector investment. More recently this has included primarily the town centre, riverside and foreshore areas, given the decline of once-traditional heavy industries with the town's growing importance as a major commercial centre and tourist destination.

Landmarks and tourism[link]

The Customs House Theatre

As well as being the oldest and largest town in South Tyneside, South Shields is also one of the region's most popular seaside resorts. The area markets itself as Catherine Cookson Country, which attracts many visitors. Further improvements and developments to the seafront are planned.^[11]

The town and region include:

• the reconstructed Roman Fort and excavations at Arbeia, which form part of the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site
• the town's museum & art gallery, including a permanent exhibition dedicated to the life and times of Catherine Cookson
• the home to the Barbour headquarters, warehouse and factory
• the Customs House theatre and arts venue and the historic Mill Dam riverside
• traditional, continental and farmers' markets and high street shopping
• seafront complete with promenade, parks, fairground and amusement arcades, crazy golf, skate complex, quasar laser, miniature steam railway and boating lake and live entertainment
• coastal scenery, beaches and dunes at Littlehaven, Sandhaven and Marsden Bay
• the National Trust-owned Souter Lighthouse and The Leas cliff tops
• Temple Park Leisure Centre
• an extensive network of cycle paths and trails, and
• a newly refurbished multi-purpose family friendly complex at the seafront called Dunes Adventure Island, including a bowling alley, a soft play area, a fully licensed bar, Italian restaurant and an arcade. http://www.dunesadventureisland.co.uk
• South Shields is also home of the oldest provincial newspaper in the UK, the Shields Gazette.

There is a good choice of restaurants, cafes, public houses and nightlife as well as hotels, guest houses and caravan parks. South Shields plays host to an annual free summer festival and each autumn the town is the seaside finish to the world-famous Great North Run.

It is also home to the legendary Colman's of South Shields Fish and Chip Restaurant and Takeaway, winners of countless regional and national food awards. Colman's also provided their famous Fish and Chips for the Queens birthday party at the British Embassies in Guatemala and Rome. http://www.colmansfishandchips.com^[12][13][14]

Education[link]

South Shields is home to South Tyneside College, one of the two leading maritime training centres in the UK, with facilities including a marine safety training centre and a simulated ship's bridge for the training of deck officers. The college was also home to the only planetarium in the region, and to an observatory; and in its time was a popular visitor attraction for local schools and visitors in general. The observatory was used for 20 years and in 2008 it was deemed redundant to the future curriculum needs of the college.^[15] The college provides a wide range of other flexible vocational and training courses.^[16]

Local schooling is generally regarded as being very good, which is reflected in continuing improvements to school results and independent inspections.

In 2007, Brinkburn Comprehensive and King George V Comprehensive merged forming South Shields Community School. The new school was built at a cost of £19 million on the King George V School site and is opened in September 2011.^[17][18]

Regional identity[link]

The 1998 sculpture Spirit of South Shields, by Irene Brown, embodies the town's maritime heritage. It overlooks the mouth of the Tyne.

People born in South Shields are considered to be Geordies, a term commonly associated with all residents of Tyneside.^[19][20]

A less commonly used colloquial term is Sandancer. It is presumed to originate from the town's beach and history with the Arabic peoples dating from a 19th Century music hall act of the same name.^{[citation needed]}

Notable people[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2009)

(1892–1915) John Simpson Kirkpatrick. Lost son of the Gallipoli campaign in WWI,^[21] seen with his donkey; Ocean Road, South Shields, Sculpted by Robert Olley

A number of notable people have been associated with South Shields. They include:

• Ridley Scott
• William Wouldhave (creator of the lifeboat)
• Eric Idle^[22]
• John N. Gray^[23] (Philosopher)
• Sir Frank Williams^[24] (founder and manager of Williams F1 Formula 1 team)
• Phil Brown (former manager of Preston North End F.C.)
• Elinor Brent-Dyer
• Catherine Cookson
• Dame Flora Robson (Oscar-nominated Actress)
• Claire Rutter (leading operatic soprano)
• Jack Brymer
• Dorfy
• Ginger (Wildhearts singer and guitar)
• Craig Conway (Actor)
• Steve Furst (Comedian)
• Sarah Millican (Comedian)
• Tom Curry former Newcastle United player and Munich air disaster victim
• Joe McElderry winner of X Factor 2009
• Professor David Phillips (chemist)
• John Simpson Kirkpatrick (ANZAC war hero)
• Professor John Erickson (world-renowned historian and UN advisor).^[25]
• Christopher Cooke, Olympic Gold Medallist
• Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirlwall, members of girl band Little Mix (Winners of X Factor 2011)
• Sophie Kasaei from reality TV Show Geordie Shore
• Chris Ramsey (Comedian)
• Scott Barron - Olympic Triple Jump - Bronze 1964
• Robert Olley - Artist and Sculptor. Creator of the world famous painting "The Westoe Netty"

Sport[link]

Football[link]

South Shields FC is the town's main football team. Originally formed during the first decade of the 20th century, the team played in the Football League during the 1920s. As of 2008, the club plays in the Northern League's first division. Most of the townsfolk support either Newcastle United of Sunderland AFC with approximately 50% of the town supporting each team.

Rugby[link]

South Shields is the home of two rugby clubs, Westoe RFC and South Tyneside College RUFC.

South Tyneside College RUFC^[26] have been playing at Grosvenor Road since they were formed.

Westoe RFC, formed in 1875, still play at their original ground, Wood Terrace.^[27][28] In 2005 they had an Intermediate Cup run and got to Twickenham but were beaten by Morley R.F.C. from Yorkshire.^[28][29]

Politics[link]

South Shields is a safe Labour Party Parliamentary seat, currently held by David Miliband, who was Foreign Secretary under Gordon Brown.^[30]

The local authority (South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council) is also controlled by Labour.

The town has a local independent political party, the Progressive Party. This broadly centre-right party was formed in the 1950s to address hostility towards the Conservative Party. The Progressives have no representation beyond South Shields. Having controlled the old County Borough of South Shields council until 1974, they still hold several seats on the borough council and have experienced a resurgence in recent years, sitting in alliance with independent members of the council.^[31]

Public transport[link]

South Shields is bounded by the A19 trunk road to the West and situated close to the Tyne Tunnel at Jarrow. The town is well connected to other areas of Tyne & Wear and to the strategic road network - the A194(M) motorway provides a direct link between the Borough and the A1/A1(M).

The Tyne and Wear Metro light rail system was introduced in the 1980s and replaced British Rail services over the same route. The Metro network serves South Tyneside, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Sunderland and Newcastle Airport. The platform at South Shields Metro Station is situated on a bridge directly above King Street - the town's main shopping area. When Metro services were introduced, the railway line at the former High Shields LNER station at Laygate was re-routed eastwards to the then-new Chichester Metro and bus interchange. The former South Shields LNER station was also closed and the Victorian buildings survived as a secondary entrance to the Metro station until they were demolished in 1998. There are other Metro stations at Tyne Dock and Brockley Whins, while a new station at Simonside opened in early 2008. Long-term plans by Nexus to re-open the former Sunderland to South Shields line between Tyne Dock, Brockley Whins and East Boldon would create a direct rail service between South Shields and Sunderland, without the need for passengers to change trains at Pelaw in Gateshead.

There is a frequent pedestrian ferry service to North Shields on the opposite bank of the Tyne. The Shields Ferry carries tens of thousands of commuters and pleasure trippers each year. There has been a cross-river ferry service between the two towns since 1377.^[32]

The Port of Tyne headquarters and international freight terminal are located at Tyne Dock in South Shields. The Port has a freight rail connection.

Local bus routes are operated by Stagecoach North East and Go North East, which are planned to integrate with Metro services.

There is a National Express coach service direct to London.

The town's extensive network of strategic footpaths and cycle routes includes the Sea to Sea Cycle Route and National Cycle Route 1.

List of Bus Services[link]

The following are the bus services currently using South Shields Interchange, correct to 25 March 2012. ^[33]. ^[34].

Key

• - Route serves a Bus/Coach station.
• - Route serves a Tyne & Wear Metro station.
• - Route serves a Railway station.

Route	To	Via	Operator	Days of Operation (if not 7 days)
1	Circular Service	Westoe, Biddick Hall & Laygate	Nexus	Sat/Sun morning.
2	Circular Service	Laygate, Biddick Hall & Westoe	Nexus	Sat/Sun morning.
3	Circular Service	Chichester , Biddick Hall & Harton Nook	Stagecoach in South Shields
4	Circular Service	Harton Nook, Biddick Hall & Chichester	Stagecoach in South Shields
5	Jarrow Bus Station	Chichester , Whiteleas & Fellgate	Go North East
7	Circular Service	Chichester , Marsden & Westoe	Stagecoach in South Shields
8	Circular Service	Westoe, Marsden & Chichester	Stagecoach in South Shields
10	Jarrow Bus Station	Horsley Hill, Whiteleas & Simonside	Stagecoach in South Shields	One-Way.
12	The Lonnen	Laygate, West Harton & Harton Nook	Stagecoach in South Shields
	South Shields Mile End Road
12A	The Lonnen Watson Avenue	Laygate, West Harton & Harton Nook	Stagecoach in South Shields	Mon-Sat daytime.
	South Shields Mile End Road
Note - Sat service terminates at Harton Nook.
17	Circular Service	Laygate, Whiteleas & West Harton	Stagecoach in South Shields
18	Circular Service	Chichester , West Harton & Brockley Whins	Stagecoach in South Shields	Daytime
18A	Jarrow Bus Station	Chichester , West Harton & Brockley Whins	Stagecoach in South Shields	Evenings
27	Newcastle Market Street	Jarrow , Heworth & Gateshead	Go North East	"The Crusader".
30	Boldon Colliery	Westoe, Cleadon & East Boldon	Stagecoach in South Shields
35	Rainton Bridge Industrial Estate (Mon-Sat) Low Moorsley (Sun)	Sunderland , Silksworth & Herrington Burn	Go North East	"The Laser".
Note - Alternate Mon-Sat evening journeys extended to Low Moorsley or South Hetton, also 1 Sun journey/hour extended to South Hetton.
50	Durham Bus Station	West Boldon, Washington & Chester-le-Street	Go North East	Mon-Sat daytime.
50A	Chester-le-Street	Whiteleas, Sulgrave & Washington	Go North East	Mon-Sat evenings & all-day Sun.
Note - Sun daytime service extended to Durham Bus Station .
88	Lukes Lane Estate	Chichester , South Leam & Jarrow	Go North East	"South Tyne", daytime.
88A	Lukes Lane Estate	Chichester , South Leam & Jarrow	Go North East	"South Tyne", Mon-Sat daytime.
516	South Tyneside General Hospital	Pier Head, Marsden & Harton Nook	Go North East	Mon-Sat daytime.
961	DSS Waterview Park	Chichester , Simonside & Fellgate	Arriva Northumbria	1 journey, Mon-Fri daytime.
E1	Sunderland Interchange	Bents Park, Marsden & Roker	Stagecoach in South Shields
E2	Sunderland Interchange	Chichester , Marsden & Fulwell Grange	Stagecoach in South Shields
E6	Sunderland Interchange	Chichester , Marsden & Roker	Stagecoach in South Shields
TB503	Low Simonside	Laygate, Chichester & Simonside	Eurocab Minibuses	Taxibus, Mon-Sat daytime.
TB504	Horsley Hill Square	Chichester , Tyne Dock & S.Tyneside Gen.Hosp.	Eurocab Minibuses	Taxibus, Mon-Sat evening & all-day Sun.
X20	Fellgate	Chichester , Simonside & Primrose	Stagecoach in South Shields (#)
Note - (#) Mon-Thu/Sun evening service provided by Go North East.

Gallery[link]

See also[link]

• South Shields (UK Parliament constituency)
• North Shields
• Trolleybuses in South Shields

References[link]

External links[link]

• South Tyneside Council & Community website - Local council website
• South Shields Roman Fort - English Heritage information about Roman Fort
• [1] History website of South Shields
• [2] - Arbeia information website
• [3] St. Hilda's Parish website
• South Shields Sanddancers - Local Information website
• Curly's Corner Shop, the blog! Local commentary
• Photos of South Shields
• South Shields Daily Photo A South Shields or North of England picture every day, comments invited
• Boarding House, a 2009 short documentary film about the Yemeni community in South Shields, by Peter Fryer and David Campbell

George V
Coronation portrait by Sir Luke Fildes, 1911
King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, Emperor of India (more ...)
Reign	6 May 1910 – 20 January 1936
Coronation	22 June 1911
Predecessor	Edward VII
Successor	Edward VIII
Prime Ministers	See list
Imperial Durbar	12 December 1911
Consort	Mary of Teck
Issue
Edward VIII George VI Mary, Princess Royal, Countess of Harewood Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester Prince George, Duke of Kent Prince John
Full name
George Frederick Ernest Albert
House	House of Windsor House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Father	Edward VII
Mother	Alexandra of Denmark
Born	(1865-06-03)3 June 1865 Marlborough House, London
Died	20 January 1936(1936-01-20) (aged 70) Sandringham House, Norfolk, United Kingdom
Burial	29 January 1936 St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
Signature

George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War (1914–1918) until his death in 1936.

George was a grandson of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and the first cousin of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. From 1877 to 1891, he served in the Royal Navy. On the death of Victoria in 1901, George's father became King Edward VII, and George was made Prince of Wales. On his father's death in 1910, he succeeded as King-Emperor of the British Empire. He was the only Emperor of India to be present at his own Delhi Durbar.

As a result of the First World War, other empires in Europe fell while his expanded to its greatest extent. In 1917, he became the first monarch of the House of Windsor, which he renamed from the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha as a result of anti-German public sentiment. His reign saw the rise of socialism, communism, fascism, Irish republicanism, and the Indian independence movement, all of which radically changed the political landscape. The Parliament Act 1911 established the supremacy of the elected House of Commons of the United Kingdom over the unelected House of Lords. In 1924 he appointed the first Labour ministry and in 1931 the Statute of Westminster recognised the dominions of the Empire as separate, independent kingdoms within the Commonwealth of Nations. He was plagued by illness throughout much of his later reign and at his death was succeeded by his eldest son, Edward VIII.

Early life and education[link]

George was born on 3 June 1865, at Marlborough House, London, as the second son of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Albert Edward and Alexandra. His father was the eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. His mother was the eldest daughter of King Christian IX of Denmark. As a son of the Prince of Wales, George was styled His Royal Highness Prince George of Wales at birth. He was baptised in St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, on 7 July 1865 by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Charles Longley.^[1]

George as a young boy, 1870

As a younger son of the Prince of Wales, there was little expectation that George would become King. He was third in line to the throne, after his father and elder brother, Prince Albert Victor. George was only 17 months younger than Albert Victor, and the two princes were educated together. John Neale Dalton was appointed as their tutor in 1871. Neither Albert Victor nor George excelled intellectually.^[2] As their father thought that the navy was "the very best possible training for any boy",^[3] in September 1877, when George was 12 years old, both brothers joined the cadet training ship HMS Britannia at Dartmouth, Devon.^[4]

For three years from 1879, the royal brothers served on HMS Bacchante, accompanied by Dalton. They toured the colonies of the British Empire in the Caribbean, South Africa and Australia, and visited Norfolk, Virginia, as well as South America, the Mediterranean, Egypt, and East Asia. In Japan, George had a local artist tattoo a blue and red dragon on his arm.^[5] Dalton wrote an account of their journey entitled The Cruise of HMS Bacchante.^[6] Between Melbourne and Sydney, Dalton recorded a sighting of the Flying Dutchman, a mythical ghost ship.^[7] When they returned to Britain, Queen Victoria complained that her grandsons could not speak French or German, and so they spent six months in Lausanne in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to learn another language.^[8] After Lausanne, the brothers were separated; Albert Victor attended Trinity College, Cambridge, while George continued in the Royal Navy. He travelled the world, visited many areas of the British Empire, and served actively until his last command in 1891–1892. From then on, his naval rank was largely honorary.^[9]

Marriage[link]

George, 1893

As a young man destined to serve in the navy, Prince George served for many years under the command of his uncle, Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, who was stationed in Malta. There, he grew close to and fell in love with his uncle's daughter, his first cousin, Marie of Edinburgh. His grandmother, father and uncle all approved the match, but the mothers—the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Edinburgh—both opposed it. The Princess of Wales thought the family was too pro-German, and the Duchess of Edinburgh disliked England. Marie's mother was the only daughter of the Tsar of Russia. She resented the fact that, as the wife of a younger son of the British sovereign, she had to yield precedence to George's mother, the Princess of Wales, whose father had been a minor German prince before being called unexpectedly to the throne of Denmark. Guided by her mother, Marie refused George when he proposed to her. She married Ferdinand, the heir to the King of Romania, in 1893.^[10]

In November 1891, George's elder brother Albert Victor became engaged to his second cousin once removed, Princess Victoria Mary of Teck. She was known within the family as "May", nicknamed after her birth month. May's father, Prince Francis, Duke of Teck, belonged to a morganatic, cadet branch of the house of Württemberg. Her mother, Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, was a male-line grand-daughter of King George III and a first cousin of Queen Victoria.

Six weeks after the formal engagement, Albert Victor died of pneumonia, leaving George second in line to the throne, and likely to succeed after his father. Queen Victoria still regarded Princess May as a suitable match for her grandson, and George and May grew close during their shared period of mourning.^[11] A year after Albert Victor's death, George duly proposed to May and was accepted. They married on 6 July 1893 at the Chapel Royal in St. James's Palace, London. Throughout their lives, they remained devoted to each other. George was, on his own admission, unable to express his feelings easily in speech, but they often exchanged loving letters and notes of endearment.^[12]

Duke of York[link]

York Cottage at Sandringham House: George and May lived here from 1893 to 1926.

The death of his elder brother effectively ended George's naval career, as he was now directly in the line of succession.^[13] George was created Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killarney by Queen Victoria on 24 May 1892,^[14] and received lessons in constitutional history from J. R. Tanner.^[15] After George's marriage to May, she was styled Her Royal Highness The Duchess of York.

The Duke and Duchess of York lived mainly at York Cottage,^[16] a relatively small house in Sandringham, Norfolk, where their way of life mirrored that of a comfortable middle-class family rather than royalty.^[17] George preferred a simple, almost quiet, life in marked contrast to the lively social life pursued by his father. His official biographer, Harold Nicolson, later despaired of George's time as Duke of York, writing: "He may be all right as a young midshipman and a wise old king, but when he was Duke of York ... he did nothing at all but kill [i.e. shoot] animals and stick in stamps."^[18] George was a well-known stamp collector, which Nicolson denigrated,^[19] but George played a large role in building the Royal Philatelic Collection into the most comprehensive collection of United Kingdom and Commonwealth stamps in the world, in some cases setting record purchase prices for items.^[20]

George and May had five sons and a daughter. Randolph Churchill claimed that George was a strict father, to the extent that his children were terrified of him, and that George had remarked to Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby: "My father was frightened of his mother, I was frightened of my father, and I am damned well going to see to it that my children are frightened of me." In reality, there is no direct source for the quotation and it is likely that George's parenting style was little different from that adopted by most people at the time.^[21]

Prince of Wales[link]

George at Montreal and Quebec, 1901

As Duke and Duchess of York, George and May carried out a wide variety of public duties. On the death of Queen Victoria on 22 January 1901, George's father ascended the throne as King Edward VII. George inherited the titles of Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay, and for much of the rest of that year, he was styled His Royal Highness The Duke of Cornwall and York.

In 1901, George and May toured the British Empire. Their tour included South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the Colony of Newfoundland. The tour was designed by Colonial Secretary Joseph Chamberlain with the support of Prime Minister Lord Salisbury. Its primary goal was to reward the dominions for their participation in the South African War of 1899–1902. George ceremoniously presented thousands of specially designed South African War medals to colonial troops. In South Africa, the royal party was greeted by elaborate decorations, expensive gifts, and fireworks displays, and met with civic leaders, African leaders, and Boer prisoners. Despite this outward display, not all residents responded favourably to the tour. Many white Cape Afrikaners resented the display and expense, the war having weakened their capacity to reconcile their Afrikaner-Dutch culture with their status as British subjects. Critics in the English-language press decried the enormous cost at a time when families faced severe hardship.^[22] In Australia the Duke opened the first session of the Australian Parliament upon the creation of the Commonwealth of Australia.^[23] The tour gave New Zealand a chance to show off its progress, especially in its adoption of up-to-date British standards in communications and the processing industries, and the Duke praised the military values, bravery, loyalty, and obedience to duty of New Zealanders. The implicit goal was to advertise New Zealand's attractiveness to tourists and potential immigrants, while avoiding news of growing social tensions. The visit to New Zealand focused the attention of the British press on a land few knew about.^[24] On his return to Britain, in a speech at London's Guildhall, George warned of "the impression which seemed to prevail among [our] brethren across the seas, that the Old Country must wake up if she intends to maintain her old position of pre-eminence in her colonial trade against foreign competitors."^[25]

On 9 November 1901, George was created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester.^[26] King Edward VII wished to prepare his son for his future role as King. In contrast to Edward himself, whom Queen Victoria had deliberately excluded from state affairs, George was given wide access to state documents by his father.^[13] George in turn allowed his wife access to his papers,^[27] as he valued her counsel and she often helped write her husband's speeches.^[28]

From November 1905 to March 1906, George and May toured British India, where he was disgusted by racial discrimination and campaigned for greater involvement of Indians in the government of the country.^[29] The tour was almost immediately followed by a trip to Spain for the wedding of King Alfonso XIII to Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, at which the bride and groom narrowly avoided assassination.^[30] A week after returning to Britain, George and May travelled to Norway for the coronation of King Haakon VII and Queen Maud, George's sister.^[31]

King and Emperor[link]

A half-sovereign minted during George's reign (Bertram Mackennal, sculptor)

On 6 May 1910, King Edward VII died, and George became King. He wrote in his diary, "I have lost my best friend and the best of fathers ... I never had a [cross] word with him in my life. I am heart-broken and overwhelmed with grief but God will help me in my responsibilities and darling May will be my comfort as she has always been. May God give me strength and guidance in the heavy task which has fallen on me".^[32]

George had never liked his wife's habit of signing official documents and letters as "Victoria Mary" and insisted she drop one of those names. They both thought she should not be called Queen Victoria, and so she became Queen Mary.^[33] Later that year, a radical propagandist, Edward Mylius, published a lie that George had secretly married in Malta as a young man, and that consequently his marriage to Queen Mary was bigamous. The lie had first surfaced in print in 1893 but George had shrugged it off as a joke. In an effort to kill off rumours, Mylius was arrested, tried and found guilty of criminal libel, and was sentenced to a year in prison.^[34]

The new King and Queen's coronation took place at Westminster Abbey on 22 June 1911,^[13] and was celebrated by the Festival of Empire in London. Later in 1911, the King and Queen travelled to India for the Delhi Durbar, where they were presented to an assembled audience of Indian dignitaries and princes as the Emperor and Empress of India on 12 December 1911. George wore the newly-created Imperial Crown of India at the ceremony, and declared the shifting of the capital of India from Calcutta to Delhi. On 15 December, he laid the foundation stone of New Delhi with Queen Mary.^[35] They travelled throughout the sub-continent, and George took the opportunity to indulge in big game hunting in Nepal, shooting 21 tigers, 8 rhinoceroses and a bear over 10 days.^[36] He was a keen and expert marksman.^[37] On 18 December 1913, he shot over a thousand pheasants in six hours^[38] at the home of Lord Burnham, although even he had to acknowledge that "we went a little too far" that day.^[39]

George inherited the throne at a politically turbulent time. The Liberal Prime Minister, H. H. Asquith, led a minority government dependent upon the support of Irish Nationalists. Asquith's reforming People's Budget had been rejected the previous year by the Conservative-dominated House of Lords. Asquith had asked the previous King to give an undertaking that he would create sufficient Liberal peers to force the budget through the House if it was rejected again. Edward had reluctantly agreed, with conditions, and after a general election in January 1910 and fearing the mass creation, the Conservative peers let the budget through. Asquith attempted to curtail the power of the Lords through constitutional reforms, which were again blocked by the Upper House. Like his father, George reluctantly agreed to Asquith's request to create sufficient Liberal peers after a general election if the Lords blocked the legislation. After the December 1910 election, the Lords once again let the bill pass on hearing of the threat to swamp the house with new peers. The subsequent Parliament Act 1911 permanently removed the power of the Lords to veto money bills. As part of his Irish policy, Asquith introduced legislation that would give Ireland Home Rule, but the Conservatives and Unionists opposed it. Desperate to avoid the prospect of Civil War in Ireland between Unionists and Nationalists, George called a meeting of all parties at Buckingham Palace in July 1914 in an attempt to negotiate a settlement. After four days the Conference ended without an agreement. On 18 September 1914, the King gave his assent to the Home Rule Bill, but its implementation was postponed by a Suspensory Act due to the outbreak of the First World War.^[40]

First World War[link]

From 1914 to 1918, Britain was at war with Germany. The German Kaiser Wilhelm II, who for the British public came to symbolise all the horrors of the war, was the King's first cousin. The King's paternal grandfather was Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha; consequently, the King and his children bore the titles Prince and Princess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Duke and Duchess of Saxony. Queen Mary, although British like her mother, was the daughter of the Duke of Teck, a descendant of the German Dukes of Württemberg. The King had brothers-in-law and cousins who were British subjects but who bore German titles such as Duke and Duchess of Teck, Prince and Princess of Battenberg, and Prince and Princess of Schleswig-Holstein. When H. G. Wells wrote about Britain's "alien and uninspiring court", George famously replied: "I may be uninspiring, but I'll be damned if I'm alien."^[41]

On 17 July 1917, George appeased British nationalist feelings by issuing a royal proclamation that changed the name of the British Royal House from the German-sounding House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the House of Windsor.^[42] He and all his British relatives relinquished their German titles and styles, and adopted British-sounding surnames. George compensated his male relatives by creating them British peers. His cousin, Prince Louis of Battenberg, who earlier in the war had been forced to resign as First Sea Lord through anti-German feeling, became Louis Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Milford Haven, while Queen Mary's brothers became Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge, and Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone. George's cousins Princess Marie Louise and Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein dropped their territorial designations.

In Letters Patent gazetted on 11 December 1917, the King restricted the style "His (or Her) Royal Highness" and the titular dignity of "Prince (or Princess) of Great Britain and Ireland" to the children of the Sovereign, the children of the sons of the Sovereign and the eldest living son of the eldest living son of a Prince of Wales.^[44] The Letters Patent also stated that "the titles of Royal Highness, Highness or Serene Highness, and the titular dignity of Prince and Princess shall cease except those titles already granted and remaining unrevoked". Relatives of the British Royal Family who fought on the German side, such as Prince Ernst August of Hanover, 3rd Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale (the senior male-line great grandson of George III) and Prince Carl Eduard, Duke of Albany and reigning Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (a male-line grandson of Queen Victoria), were cut off; their British peerages were suspended by a 1919 Order in Council under the provisions of the Titles Deprivation Act 1917. Under pressure from his mother, Queen Alexandra, George also removed the Garter flags of his German relations from St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.^[45]

When Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, George's first cousin (their mothers were sisters), was overthrown in the Russian Revolution of 1917, the British Government offered asylum to the Tsar and his family, but worsening conditions for the British people, and fears that revolution might come to the British Isles, led George to think that the presence of the Russian royals might seem inappropriate under the circumstances.^[46] Despite the later claims of Lord Mountbatten of Burma that David Lloyd George, the Prime Minister, was opposed to the rescue of the Russian imperial family, the letters of the King's private secretary, Lord Stamfordham, suggest that it was George V who opposed the rescue against the advice of the government.^[47] Advanced planning for a rescue was undertaken by MI1, a branch of the British secret service,^[48] but because of the strengthening position of the Bolshevik revolutionaries and wider difficulties with the conduct of the war, the plan was never put into operation.^[49] The Tsar and his immediate family remained in Russia, where they were murdered by Bolsheviks in 1918. The following year, Nicholas's mother (George's aunt) Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark) and other members of the extended Russian imperial family were rescued from the Crimea by British ships.

Two months after the end of the war, the King's youngest son, John, died at the age of 13 after a lifetime of ill health. George was informed of his death by Queen Mary, who wrote, "[John] had been a great anxiety to us for many years ... The first break in the family circle is hard to bear but people have been so kind & sympathetic & this has helped us much."^[50]

In May 1922, the King toured Belgium and northern France, visiting the First World War cemeteries and memorials being constructed by the Imperial War Graves Commission. The event was described in a poem, The King's Pilgrimage by Rudyard Kipling.^[51] The tour, and one short visit to Italy in 1923, were the only times George agreed to leave the United Kingdom on official business after the end of the war.^[52]

Later life[link]

King George V in 1923

Before the First World War, most of Europe was ruled by monarchs related to George, but during and after the war, the monarchies of Austria, Germany, Greece, and Spain, like Russia, fell to revolution and war. In March 1919 Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Lisle Strutt was dispatched on the personal authority of the King to escort the former Emperor Charles I of Austria and his family to safety in Switzerland.^[53] In 1922, a Royal Navy ship was sent to Greece to rescue his cousins, Prince and Princess Andrew. Prince Andrew was a nephew of Queen Alexandra through her brother King George I of Greece, and Princess Andrew was a daughter of Prince Louis of Battenberg, one of the German princes granted a British peerage in 1917. Their children included Prince Philip, who would later marry George's granddaughter, Elizabeth II. The Greek monarchy was restored again shortly before George's death.

Political turmoil in Ireland continued as the Nationalists fought for independence; George expressed his horror at government-sanctioned killings and reprisals to Prime Minister David Lloyd George.^[54] At the opening session of the Parliament of Northern Ireland on 22 June 1921, the King, in a speech part drafted by Lloyd George and General Jan Smuts, appealed for conciliation. A few days later, a truce was agreed. Negotiations between Britain and the Irish secessionists led to the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty. By the end of 1922, Ireland was partitioned, the Irish Free State was established, and Lloyd George was out of office.

The King and his top advisers were concerned about the rise of socialism and the growing labour movement, which they associated with republicanism. Their concerns, although exaggerated, resulted in a redesign of the monarchy's social role to be more inclusive of the working class and its representatives—a dramatic change for George, who was most comfortable with naval officers and landed gentry. In fact the socialists no longer believed in their anti-monarchical slogans and were ready to come to terms with the monarchy if it took the first step. George took that step, adopting a more democratic stance that crossed class lines and brought the monarchy closer to the public. The King also cultivated friendly relations with moderate Labour party politicians and trade union officials. George V's abandonment of social aloofness conditioned the royal family's behaviour and enhanced its popularity during the economic crises of the 1920s and for over two generations thereafter. The years between 1922 and 1929 saw frequent changes in government. In 1924, George appointed the first Labour Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald, in the absence of a clear majority for any one of the three parties. George's tactful and understanding reception of the first Labour government (which lasted less than a year) allayed the suspicions of the party's sympathisers.^[55] During the General Strike of 1926 the King advised the Government of Conservative Stanley Baldwin against taking inflammatory action,^[56] and took exception to suggestions that the strikers were "revolutionaries" saying, "Try living on their wages before you judge them."^[57]

1926 Imperial Conference: George V and the prime ministers of the Commonwealth. Clockwise from centre front: George V, Baldwin (United Kingdom), Monroe (Newfoundland), Coates (New Zealand), Bruce (Australia), Hertzog (South Africa), Cosgrave (Irish Free State), King (Canada).

In 1926, George hosted an Imperial Conference in London at which the Balfour Declaration accepted the growth of the British Dominions into self-governing "autonomous Communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate one to another". In 1931, the Statute of Westminster formalised George's position as "the symbol of the free association of the members of the British Commonwealth of Nations". The Statute established "that any alteration in the law touching the Succession to the Throne or the Royal Style and Titles" would require the assent of the Parliaments of the Dominions as well as Parliament at Westminster, which could not legislate for the Dominions, except by consent.

In the wake of a world financial crisis, the King encouraged the formation of a National Government in 1931 led by MacDonald and Baldwin,^[58][59] and volunteered to reduce the civil list to help balance the budget.^[58]

In 1932, George agreed to deliver a Royal Christmas speech on the radio, an event which became annual thereafter. He was not in favour of the innovation originally but was persuaded by the argument that it was what his people wanted.^[60]

He was concerned by the coming to power in 1933 of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis in Germany. In 1934 the king bluntly told the German ambassador Leopold von Hoesch that Germany was now the peril of the world, and that, if she went on at the present rate, there was bound to be a war within ten years; he warned his ambassador in Berlin Eric Phipps to be suspicious of the Nazis.^[61] By the silver jubilee of his reign in 1935, he had become a well-loved king, saying in response to the crowd's adulation, "I cannot understand it, after all I am only a very ordinary sort of fellow."^[62]

George's relationship with his eldest son and heir, Edward, deteriorated in these later years. George was disappointed in Edward's failure to settle down in life and appalled by his many affairs with married women.^[13] In contrast, he was fond of his second eldest son, Prince Albert (later George VI), and doted on his eldest granddaughter, Princess Elizabeth; he nicknamed her "Lilibet", and she affectionately called him "Grandpa England".^[63] In 1935 George said of his son Edward: "After I am dead, the boy will ruin himself within 12 months", and of Albert and Lilibet: "I pray to God my eldest son will never marry and have children, and that nothing will come between Bertie and Lilibet and the throne."^[64][65]

Declining health and death[link]

The First World War took a toll on George's health: he was seriously injured on 28 October 1915 when thrown by his horse at a troop review in France, and his heavy smoking exacerbated recurring breathing problems. He suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pleurisy. In 1925, on the instruction of his doctors, he was reluctantly sent on a recuperative private cruise in the Mediterranean; it was his third trip abroad since the war, and his last.^[66] In November 1928, he fell seriously ill with septicaemia, and for the next two years his son Edward took over many of his duties.^[67] In 1929, the suggestion of a further rest abroad was rejected by the King "in rather strong language".^[68] Instead, he retired for three months to Craigweil House, Aldwick, in the seaside resort of Bognor, Sussex.^[69] As a result of his stay, the town acquired the name of "Bognor Regis", which is Latin for "Royal Bognor". A myth later grew that his last words, upon being told that he would soon be well enough to revisit the town, were "Bugger Bognor!"^[70][71][72]

George never fully recovered. In his final year, he was occasionally administered oxygen.^[73] On the evening of 15 January 1936, the King took to his bedroom at Sandringham House complaining of a cold; he would never again leave the room alive.^[74] He became gradually weaker, drifting in and out of consciousness. Prime Minister Baldwin later said,

each time he became conscious it was some kind inquiry or kind observation of someone, some words of gratitude for kindness shown. But he did say to his secretary when he sent for him: "How is the Empire?" An unusual phrase in that form, and the secretary said: "All is well, sir, with the Empire", and the King gave him a smile and relapsed once more into unconsciousness.^[75]

By 20 January, he was close to death. His physicians, led by Lord Dawson of Penn, issued a bulletin with words that became famous: "The King's life is moving peacefully towards its close."^[76] Dawson's private diary, unearthed after his death and made public in 1986, reveals that the King's last words, a mumbled "God damn you!",^[77] were addressed to his nurse when she gave him a sedative on the night of 20 January. Dawson wrote that he had ended the King's life by giving him a lethal injection of cocaine and morphine. Dawson noted he acted to preserve the King's dignity, to prevent strain on the family and so that the King's death at 11:55 pm could be announced in the morning edition of The Times newspaper rather than "less appropriate ... evening journals".^[77][78]

The German composer Paul Hindemith went to a BBC studio on the morning after the King's death and in six hours wrote Trauermusik (Mourning Music). It was performed that same evening in a live broadcast by the BBC, with Adrian Boult conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the composer as soloist.^[79]

At the procession to George's Lying in State in Westminster Hall, part of the Imperial State Crown fell from on top of the coffin and landed in the gutter as the cortège turned into New Palace Yard. The new king, Edward VIII, saw it fall and wondered whether it was a bad omen for his new reign.^[80][81] Edward would abdicate before the year was out, leaving Albert, Duke of York, to ascend the throne (taking the title George VI).

As a mark of respect to their father, George's four surviving sons, Edward, Albert, Henry and George, mounted the guard, known as the Vigil of the Princes, at the catafalque on the night before the funeral.^[82] The vigil was not repeated until the death of George's daughter-in-law, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, in 2002. He was interred at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, on 28 January 1936.^[83]

Legacy[link]

Statue of King George V in King George Square outside Brisbane City Hall

Trilingual plaque commemorating the opening of King George V Avenue, Jerusalem, by Herbert Samuel, High Commissioner of Palestine, 1924

George V Canada 1 cent stamp 1930

George preferred to stay at home pursuing his hobbies of stamp collecting and game shooting, and lived a life that later biographers would consider dull because of its conventionality.^[84] He was anti-intellectual and lacked the sophistication of his two royal predecessors: on returning from one evening at the opera he wrote, "Went to Covent Garden and saw Fidelio and damned dull it was."^[85] Nonetheless, he was earnestly devoted to Britain and its Commonwealth^[86] and understood the British Empire better than most of his ministers; as he explained, "it has always been my dream to identify myself with the great idea of Empire."^[87] He appeared hard working and became widely admired by the people of Britain and the Empire, as well as "The Establishment".^[88] Historian David Cannadine portrays George V and Queen Mary as an "inseparably devoted couple" who did so much to uphold "character" and "family values".^[89] George established a standard of conduct for British royalty that reflected the values and virtues of the upper middle-class rather than upper-class lifestyles or vices.^[90] He was by temperament a traditionalist who never fully appreciated or approved the revolutionary changes underway in British society. Nevertheless, he invariably wielded his influence as a force of neutrality and moderation, seeing his role as mediator rather than final decision maker.^[91]

Statues of King George V include those in Hobart, Canberra, Brisbane and Adelaide in Australia, and one by William Reid Dick outside Westminster Abbey, London. The King George V Playing Fields in the United Kingdom were created as a memorial. The many places named after him include King George V Park in St. John's, Newfoundland; Stade George V in Curepipe, Mauritius; major thoroughfares in both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv; an avenue, a hotel and an underground station in Paris; King George V School, Seremban, Malaysia; and King George V School and King George V Memorial Park in Hong Kong.

Two Royal Navy battleships, HMS King George V in 1911 and her namesake in 1939, were named in his honour. George V gave both his name and donations to many charities, including King George's Fund for Sailors (later known as Seafarers UK).

On-screen portrayals[link]

On screen, George has been portrayed by:

• Henry Warwick in the 1918 silent film Why America Will Win
• William Gaffney in the 1919 silent film The Great Victory, Wilson or the Kaiser? The Fall of the Hohenzollerns
• Derek Erskine in the 1925 silent film The Scarlet Woman: An Ecclesiastical Melodrama
• Carleton Hobbs in the 1965 film A King's Story
• Michael Osborne in the 1975 ATV drama series Edward the Seventh
• Marius Goring in the 1978 Thames Television series Edward & Mrs. Simpson
• Keith Varnier in the 1978 LWT drama series Lillie
• Rene Aranda in the 1980 film The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu
• Andrew Gilmour in the 1985 Australian miniseries A Thousand Skies
• David Ravenswood in the 1990 Australian TV miniseries The Great Air Race
• John Warner in the 1991 RTE TV drama The Treaty
• David Troughton in the 1999 BBC TV drama All the King's Men
• Rupert Frazer in the 2002 TV miniseries Shackleton
• Alan Bates in the 2002 Carlton Television drama Bertie and Elizabeth
• Tom Hollander in the 2003 BBC miniseries The Lost Prince
• Clifford Rose in the 2005 TV drama Wallis & Edward
• Andrew Pritchard in the 2005 British TV drama documentary The First Black Britons
• Julian Wadham in the 2007 TV drama My Boy Jack
• Michael Gambon in the 2010 film The King's Speech
• James Fox in the 2011 film W.E.

Titles, styles, honours and arms[link]

Titles and styles[link]

• 3 June 1865 – 24 May 1892: His Royal Highness Prince George of Wales
• 24 May 1892 – 22 January 1901: His Royal Highness The Duke of York
• 22 January 1901 – 9 November 1901: His Royal Highness The Duke of Cornwall and York
• 9 November 1901 – 6 May 1910: His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales
  • in Scotland: His Royal Highness The Duke of Rothesay
• 6 May 1910 – 20 January 1936: His Majesty The King
  • and, occasionally, outside of the United Kingdom, and with regard to India: His Imperial Majesty The King-Emperor

His full style as king was "His Majesty George V, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India", until 1927, when it was changed to "His Majesty George V, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India".

Honours[link]

• KG: Knight of the Garter, 4 August 1884
• KT: Knight of the Thistle, 5 July 1893
• KP: Knight of St Patrick, 20 August 1897
• GCSI: Knight Grand Commander of the Star of India, 28 September 1905
• GCMG: Knight Grand Cross of St Michael and St George, 9 March 1901
• GCIE: Knight Grand Commander of the Indian Empire, 28 September 1905
• GCVO: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, 30 June 1897
• ISO: Imperial Service Order, 31 March 1903
• Royal Victorian Chain, 1902
• PC: Privy Counsellor, 18 July 1894
  • Privy Counsellor (Ireland), 20 August 1897
• FRS: Royal Fellow of the Royal Society, 8 June 1893

Military appointments[link]

• Cdt, September 1877: Cadet, HMS Britannia
• Mid, 8 January 1880: Midshipman, HMS Bacchante and the corvette Canada
• SLt, 3 June 1884: Sub-Lieutenant, Royal Navy
• Lt, 8 October 1885: Lieutenant, HMS Thunderer; HMS Dreadnought; HMS Alexandra; HMS Northumberland
• Personal Aide-de-Camp to the Queen, 21 June 1887^[92]
• July 1889 I/C HMS Torpedo Boat 79^[93]
• By May 1890 I/C the gunboat HMS Thrush^[94]
• Cdr, 24 August 1891: Commander, I/C HMS Melampus
• Capt, 2 January 1893: Captain, Royal Navy^[95]
• RAdm, 1 January 1901: Rear-Admiral, Royal Navy^[95]
• VAdm, 26 June 1903: Vice-Admiral, Royal Navy^[95]
• Adm, 1 March 1907: Admiral, Royal Navy^[95]
• 1910: Admiral of the Fleet, Royal Navy^[95][96]
• 1910: Field Marshal, British Army^[96]
• 1918: Field Marshal, Imperial Japanese Army
• 1919: Chief of the Royal Air Force (title not rank)^[97]

Arms[link]

As Duke of York, George's arms were the royal arms, with an inescutcheon of the arms of Saxony, all differenced with a label of three points argent, the centre point bearing an anchor azure. As Prince of Wales the centre label lost its anchor. As King, he bore the royal arms. In 1917, he removed, by warrant, the Saxony inescutcheon from the arms of all descendants of the Prince Consort (although the royal arms themselves had never borne the shield).^[98]

Coat of arms of George as Duke of York   Coat of arms of George as Prince of Wales   Coat of arms of George V in the United Kingdom (except Scotland)   Coat of arms of George V in Scotland

Issue[link]

Ancestry[link]

Notes and sources[link]