Marlborough’s Nick Fogg, awarded the MBE for a lifetime’s service to the community in the New Year honours, received the accolade from the Queen herself at Windsor Castle yesterday (Friday).
It was a great day for the father of six children – 18 members of the family celebrated the event – who has twice been Mayor of Marlborough, a town and county councillor, creator of Marlborough’s international jazz festival and a Shakespearian scholar.
And 72-year-old Nick found Her Majesty in good form.
“She said she had never heard of the Marlborough jazz festival and then asked, ‘Do you make money?’” he told Marlborough News Online.
“She was absolutely charming and on the ball. I said, ‘Only rarely Ma’am’.
“It was a wonderful occasion. I’ve been to Windsor Castle before but only on the periphery. The State rooms inside are incredible. It was really was a great occasion, terrific.”
He did don a top hat for the occasion.
“The choice is that you can either wear morning dress or a normal suit or national costume,” said Nick. “I thought I might go in Morris dancing gear and all those bells.”
“But I went in just a suit. And about two-thirds of those receiving honours wore suits actually.”
Afterwards Nick, his wife Edwina, also a former Mayor of Marlborough, enjoyed a family celebration party, held at a Tapas Bar on London’s Edgware Road, within easy reach of a train home from Paddington station.
He has yet to decide where he will keep his MBE decoration – “Probably in the bottom drawer,” he joked — but will be displaying it on appropriate public occasions such as Marlborough’s annual Remembrance Day parade and service.
