Rear Admiral Roy Clare CBE Awarded Honorary Degree
Rear Admiral Roy Clare, Chief Executive of the Museums. Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and former Director of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters (HonDLitt) by the University of Greenwich on Monday, October 22, 2007.
At the museum, Roy Clare was credited with building new audiences and creating wider partnerships (including instigating the ‘Sea Britain 2005’ initiative to commemorate the bicentennial of Nelson’s victory at Trafalgar). He shaped the £16m project to modernise services and facilities at the Royal Observatory and oversaw a succession of successful exhibitions and programmes in the National Maritime Museum and Queens House.
Formerly a Rear Admiral in the Royal Navy, he commanded the Aircraft Carrier Invincible and the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. For ten years he was the trustee of the historic vessel Bronington and also created the Britannia Museum of Officer training in Dartmouth. He is a board member of the Creative and Cultural Skills Council.
Roy Clare was awarded a CBE for services to museums in June 2007.
His honorary doctorate was presented by the Baroness Blackstone, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Greenwich.The eulogist was Dr Jane Longmore, representing the School of Humanities & Social Sciences at the university. Roy Clare wore a gown of blue and gold damask silk and a Tudor-style academic bonnet.
Roy Clare was joined by over 120 graduating students from the School of Humanities & Social Sciences at the ceremony in the Chapel of St Peter and St Paul at the Old Royal Naval College.
Honorary degrees are awarded to individuals of distinction who have made a major contribution to the work of the university, or who have earned prominence for activities associated more widely with education, business, culture, creative work and public service.
A jpeg photo is available on request from the Press Office.
For further information, contact:
Nick Davison
Public Relations Unit
University of Greenwich
Tel: 020 8331 8092
Email: n.a.p.davison@gre.ac.uk