The Indian Biographical Dictionary (1915)/Appendix III
APPENDIX III
Formal Modes of Addressing Communications To Persons of Rank and Title
Ambassador. — The title ‘Excellency’ belongs specially to ambassadors, as well as to governors of colonies, and the Lord lieutenant of Ireland. Address letters ‘His Excellency (with name or distinctive title following), His Britannic Majesty’s ambassador and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of — ’ Begin: ‘Sir,’ ‘My Lord’, according as the ambassador possesses title or not. When personal reference is made, say ‘Your Excellency’. An envoy extraordinary or charge d'affaires, though inferior to an ambassador strictly so called, also usually receives the title ‘Excellency’; and the wives of ambassadors are generally addressed similarly during their husband’s tenure of office and while residing abroad.
Archbishop. — Address: ‘His Grace the Lord Archbishop of — ’. Begin: ‘My Lord Archbishop’. Refer to as ‘Your Grace’. The most formal method of addressing the Archbishop of Canterbury is as follows: ‘The Most Reverend Father in God, James (or whatever the Christian name is), by Divine Providence Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of All England and Metropolitan’. The Archbishop of York is addressed as ‘The Most Reverend Father in God, — by Divine Permission Lord Archbishop of York, Primate of England and Metropolitan’. All Metropolitans are styled ‘Most Reverend: — ’ ... ‘The Most Reverend the Lord Bishop of Calcutta, Metropolitan of India’. An Archbishop may be addressed as ‘The Right Honourable and Most Reverend the Archbishop of — ’ if he has a claim to be called ‘Right Hon’. apart from his ecclesiastical position. The wife of an Archbishop has no special title in right of her husband’s official rank but Addressed as ‘Mrs.’ simply.
Archdeacon. — An Archdeacon is styled ‘Venerable’. ‘The Venerable the Archdeacon of — ’. Begin: ‘Venerable Sir‘, or ‘Reverend Sir’, or ‘Mr. Archdeacon’ (especially in speaking).
Baron. — Address: ‘The Right Hon. Lord — ’; less formally ‘The Lord — ’. Begin: ‘My Lord’. Refer to as ‘Your Lordship’. Baron’s Daughter. — Baron’s daughters are all entitled to be called ‘Honourable’. Unmarried: they are addressed as ‘The Hon. A — B — ’, with Christian and surname. They retain the title ‘Hon’. after marriage, the wife of a commoner being ‘The Hon. Mrs’. with husband’s surname, the wife of a knight or baronet being ‘The Hon. Lady, with husband’s surname. Begin ‘Madam’; refer to as ‘Your Ladyship’, if so entitled by marriage. If a higher rank is conferred by the husband, the title of course corresponds. Baron’s Son. — All the sons are ‘Honourable’, with Christian name and surname. In Scotland, the eldest son is addressed as ‘The Hon. the Master of (peerage title)’, or ‘;The Hon. (John), Master of’. Begin: ‘Sir’. The wife of a Baron’s son is ‘The Hon. Mrs’. with husband’s surname or both Christian name and surname. Begin: ‘Madam’. If the daughter of an earl, marquis, or duke, she must be addressed accordingly. Baroness. — Address: ‘The Right Hon. the Baroness — ’, or ‘The Right Hon. Lady — ’, or ‘The Lady — ’, Begin ‘Madam;' refer to as ‘Your Ladyship’.
Baronet. — Address: ‘Sir A — B — ’, Bart., giving Christian name and surname. The Christian name must be given; it is quite wrong to speak, for instance, of ‘Sir Vernon Harcourt’ where ‘Vernon’ is merely one of the surnames. Begin: ‘Sir’. A baronet’s wife is addressed as ‘Lady’ with husband’s surname (her Christian name would also be used if the daughter of a duke, marquis, or earl, and in this case she would also be ‘Right Hon.’). Begin: ‘Madam;' refer to as ‘Your Ladyship’. Bishop of the Churches of England or Ireland. — Address: ‘The Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of — ’. or ‘The Right Rev. A — B — , Lord Bishop of — ’, or simply ‘The Lord Bishop of — ’. Begin; ‘My Lord Bishop;' refer to as ‘Your Lordship’. In formal documents a bishop is styled ‘The Right Reverend Father in God, John, By Divine Permission, Lord Bishop of — ’. The Bishop of Meath and the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church are styled ‘Most Reverend’; The Bishop of Madras is ‘The Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Madras’ but the Bishop of Calcutta being a Metropolitan is ‘The Most Reverend’. A retired Bishop is still addressed as ‘Right Reverend’ and ‘My Lord’. In America, the form of address to a Bishop is generally The “Right Rev. A. B.” Bishop’s wives have no special title in right of their husband’s office.
Canon. — address: ‘The Rev. Canon — ’. Begin: ‘Reverend Sir’.
Cardinal. — The special title is ‘His Eminence’. Begin: ‘Your Eminence’. Chargé d’affaires. — See Ambassador.
Clergy. — The general form of address is ‘The Reverend A — B’. Begin: ‘Rev. Sir’, or simply ‘Sir’.
Consul. — There is no special form of address to a person as such. ‘A — B — , Esq., H.B.M.’s Consul-General,’ or as the case may be. In the U.S.A., a Consul is styled ‘Honourable’.
Countess. — Address: ’The Right Honourable the I Countess of — ’. Begin: ‘Madam’; refer to as ‘Your Ladyship’.
Dean. — Address: ‘The Very Reverend the Dean of — ’. Begin: ‘Very Rev. Sir’; more familiarly ‘Mr. Dean’ (used in oral communications).
Doctor. — The initials denoting the particular decree are placed after the usual form of address, whether D.D., LL.D., M.D., D.Sc., &c. ‘The Rev. A — B — , D.D.’; ‘A — B — ,Esq., M.D’. Less formally: ‘The Rev. Doctor B — ’; ‘Doctor A — B — ’.
Dowager. — When the holder of a title marries, the widow of a previous holder of the same title becomes ‘dowager’, this being often inserted in addressing her: ‘The Right Hon. the Dowager Countess of — ’; ‘The Dowager Lady — ’. Instead of ‘Dowager’, to which some ladies object, the Christian name may be used: ‘The Right Hon. Mary, Countess of — ’. Begin: ‘Madam’; refer to as ‘Your Ladyship’.
Duke. — Address: ‘His Grace the Duke of — ’. Begin: ‘My Lord Duke’; refer to as ‘Your Grace’. Royal dukes are different. Duchess. — Address: ‘Her Grace the Duchess of — ’. Begin: ‘Madam’; refer to as ‘Your Grace’. The eldest son of a Duke takes his father’s second title: all the other children of a Duke are styled ‘Lord Edward’, ‘Lady Caroline’, etc. — Their wives take corresponding title. address as ‘The Rt. Hon. Lord, or Lady’. — Begin: ‘Sir’, or ‘Madam’; refer to as ‘Your Lordship’, or ‘Your Ladyship’.
Earl. — Address: ‘The Right Honourable the Earl of — ’, or ‘The Earl of — ’. Begin: ‘My Lord’; refer to as ‘Your Lordship’. The wife of an earl is a countess. Earl’s Children. — The eldest son takes a courtesy title from his father. The younger sons are all called Honourable. The daughters are all addressed as the daughters of a Duke.
Envoy. — See Ambassador.
Executive Council, Members of (in Indian and Colonial Governments). Generally addressed as ‘The Honourable A — B — ’. Governor. — Indian and Colonial Governors have the title of ‘Excellency’, in virtue of their office. address; ‘His Excellency A — B — , Esq.’ (Sir A — B — , The Right Honourable the Earl of, &c.). ‘Governor of — ’. Begin according to rank: refer to as ‘Your Excellency’. A duke holding such a position would, however, be ‘His Grace’, ‘Your Grace’. A Governor’s wife is by courtesy styled ‘Her Excellency’. Lieutenant-Governors, as in India and the Dominion of Canada, are styled ‘Honourable’, ‘His Honour’, ‘Your Honour’.
Governor of State (U.S.A.). Usually addressed as ‘His Excellency’. ‘His Excellency A — B — , Governor of — ’, or ‘His Excellency the Governor of — ’. A Lieutenant-Governor is called ‘Honourable’ or ‘His Honour — ’.
Judge. — In England and Ireland the Judges of the Supreme Courts are called Lords Justices and Justices; in Scotland the Judges are the Lords of Session. (See Justice, Lord Justice, Lords of Session.) In England, the County Court Judges however, are regularly called ‘Judge’. ‘His Honour Judge — (surname)’; on the bench referred to as ‘Your Honour’. In the Punjab and Burma and in many British colonies, the members of the higher courts are called Judges and addressed as ‘Honourable’, ‘Your Honour’. In the U. S. A., the term ‘Judge’ is regularly applied to all such functionaries; and all are addressed in the same way.
Justice. — Judges of the High Court of Justice in England, in the Chancery and other Divisions, and of the High Courts of Calcutta, Madras, Bombay and Allahabad in India, are called ‘Justices’. Address: ‘The Honourable Mr. Justice — ’; or if a knight, ‘The Hon. Sir A — B — ’. Begin in both cases, ‘Sir’. On the bench he is addressed as ‘My Lord’; and referred to as ‘Your Lordship’.
Justice of Peace. — (J.P.) In England is formally addressed in documents as, ‘The Worshipful’, and on the bench is referred to as ‘Your Worship’.
King. — To be addressed as ‘The King’s Most Excellent Majesty’. Begin: ‘Sire’, or ‘May it please Your Majesty’; refer to as ‘Your Majesty’ or in the third person as the “Rt. Hon, Mr. — presents his duty to Your Majesty”.
King’s Counsel. — Ordinary address with the addition of ‘K.C.’.
Knight Bachelor. — Treated as a baronet, but ‘Kt’. is not usually appended to the name in addressing a letter. As in the case of a baronet, carefully avoid using a surname instead of a Christian name. Knight of the Bath, St. Michael and St. George, Star of India, Indian Empire, Victorian Order, etc. — Address: ‘Sir A — B — , G.C.B.’, or K.C.B., K.C.M.G., or G.C.S.I., as the case may be. Begin: ‘Sir’.
Knight of the Garter, Thistle, St. Patrick. — As above, with the initials K.G., K.T., K.P., respectively following the name.
Knight’s Wife (of any class). — As baronet’s wife.
Legislative Council, Members of. — Those under the Indian and Colonial Governments are generally addressed as the ‘Honourable A — B — ’.
Lieutenant-Governor. — See Governor.
Lord Advocate of Scotland. — Address: ‘The Right Honourable the Lord Advocate’. Begin: ‘My Lord’; refer to as ‘Your Lordship’.
Lord Chancellor. — Address: ‘The Right Hon. the Lord High Chancellor’: or ‘The Right Hon. Earl — (or as the case may be). Lord High Chancellor’. Begin: ‘My Lord’, etc.: refer to as ‘Your Lordship’.
Lord Chief Justice. — (England). Address: ‘The Right Honourable the Lord Chief Justice’, or ‘The Right Honourable Sir A — B — , Lord Chief Justice’. Begin: ‘My Lord’ or ‘Sir’, as the case may be. In India, ‘The Honourable the Chief Justice’.
Lord Justice. — (English Supreme Court of Appeal). Address: ‘The Right Honourable the Lord Justice — ’, or ‘The Right Honourable Sir A — B — ’. Begin: ‘Sir’. When on the bench they are addressed ‘My Lord’, ‘Your Lordship’.
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. — Address: ‘His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant’, or if a Duke. ‘His Grace the Lord-Lieutenant’. How to begin and refer will also be determined by rank (‘My Lord Duke’, ‘My Lord Marquis’).
Lord Mayor. — Only London, York, and a few other cities have a Lord Mayor. Address: ‘The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of — ’, or ‘the Right Hon. A — B — , Lord Mayor of — ’, Begin: ‘My Lord’; refer to as ‘Your Lordship’.
The Lord Mayor’s wife is addressed: ‘The Right Honourable the Lady Mayoress of — ’. Begin: ‘My Lady’ refer to as ‘Your Ladyship’.
Lord Provost. — Address: ‘The Right Hon. the Lord Provost of Edinburgh’; ‘Hon. the Lord Provost of Glasgow’; ‘The Lord Provost of Aberdeen’. ‘Perth’, ‘Dundee’. Begin: ‘My Lord’, or ‘My Lord Provost’; refer to as ‘Your Lordship’. The Lord Provost’s wife has no share in the title.
Lords of Appeal. — (in Ordinary). These are judicial members of the House of Lords, who rank as barons and are so addressed. Their wives are baronesses; their children are not specially distinguished.
Lords of Session. — These are the Judges of the Supreme Court of Scotland. Some of these Lords decide to retain their surname when elevated to the bench (‘Lord Young’), others substitute the name of an estate. address: ‘The Honourable Lord — ’. Begin: ‘My Lord’; refer to as ‘Your Lordship’. Their wives take no title.
Maid of Honour. — Address: ‘The Honourable Miss — ’. Begin: ‘Madam’.
Marquis. — Address: ‘The Most Hon. the Marquis of — ’. Begin: ‘My Lord Marquis’; refer to as ‘Your Lordship’.
Marchioness. — Address: ‘The Most Honourable the Mar chioness of — ’. Begin: ‘Madam’; refer to as ‘Your Ladyship’.
Marquis’s Children. — All are ‘Right Honourable’ like those of a Duke. The eldest son takes a courtesy title like the eldest son of a Duke, and is similarly addressed. Younger sons and daughters are like those of a Duke.
Mayor. — Address: ‘The Mayor of — ’, or in formal documents ‘The Right Worshipful the Mayor of — ’. address: ‘Sir’; refer to as ‘Your Worship’. In the United States Mayors are usually styled ‘Honourable’; ‘The Hon. A — B — , Mayor of — ’.
Member of Parliament. — Not specially recognized except by adding ‘M.P.’. to ordinary address: ‘A — E — , Esq., M.P.;’ ‘Sir A — B — , Bart., M.P.’.
Minister. — See Ambassador, Clergy.
Moderator of General Assembly (Scotland). — ‘The Right Rev’; the assembly itself is ‘The Venerable’.
Officers, Military and Naval. — Their professional rank is always prefixed to any other title they may independently possess: ‘General’ or ‘Admiral the Right Hon. The Earl of —’; ‘Colonel the Honourable A — B — ’.
Premier. — No special title or address as such.
President (U.S.A.) — Address: ‘His Excellency the President of the United States’; ‘His Excellency A — B — , President of the United States’. The Vice-President and ex-Presidents are ‘Hon.’, ‘The Hon. the Vice-President’; ‘The Honourable A — B — ’. Prince. — Address: ‘His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales; ‘His Royal Highness Prince A — (Christian name)’. If a royal duke: ‘His Royal Highness the Duke of — ’. Begin in any case: ‘Sir’; refer to as ‘Your Royal Highness’.
Princess. — Address: ‘Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales’; ‘Her Royal Highness the Princess A — (Christian name)’; or if a duchess: ‘Her Royal Highness the Duchess of — ’. Begin: ‘Madam’; refer to as ‘Your Royal Highness’.
Privy Councillor. — All members of the Privy Council are: entitled to be addressed as ‘Right Honourable’; ‘The Right Honourable A — B — , P.C.’(omit ‘Esq’.). Otherwise according to rank.
Queen. — Address: ‘The Queen’Most Excellent Majesty’. Begin: ‘Madam’ or ‘May it please Your Majesty’; refer to as ’Your Majesty’.
Recorder. — Addressed as ‘The Worshipful’; in London ‘The Right Worshipful’. Begin: ‘Sir’; refer to as ‘Your Worship’.
Senators (Canada and U.S.) — Addressed as ‘The Honourable A — B — ’.
Serjeant-at-law. — Address: ‘Serjeant — ’,or ‘Mr. Serjeant — ’. (Title is now extinct.)
Sheriff. — Address as ‘Mr. Sheriff’.
Sheriff of London. — As Recorder of London.
Viscount. — Address: ‘The Right Hon. the Lord Viscount — ’, or ‘The Right Hon. Lord — ’ or ‘The Lord Viscount — ’. Begin: ‘My Lord’; refer to as ‘Your Lordship’.
Viscountess. — Address: ‘The Right Honourable the Viscountess — ’, or ‘The Viscountess — ’; ‘The Right Hon. Lady — ’. Begin: ‘Madam’; refer to as ‘Your Ladyship’.
Viscount’s Children. — Are addressed in the same way as those of a Baron.
Viceroy and Governor-General of India. — Address: ‘His Excellency’, ‘May it please your Excellency’, ‘to His Excellency the Right Honourable, — Viceroy and Governor General of India’.