Weidenfeld and MacLehose lauded in New Year's Honours list

The Bookseller - 04.01.11 - Graeme Neill

Lord Weidenfeld and Christopher MacLehose are among the publishing figures recognised in the New Years honours list.

Weidenfeld, who founded the Weidenfeld & Nicolson publishing house in 1949 and remains its chairman, was appointed a Knights Grand Cross of the Order for the British Empire for his public service. Weidenfeld's first employee was Antonia Fraser, appointed a dame in the honours list. Speaking to the Bookseller in 2009, Weidenfeld said of her: "Point a gun to my head and ask who is your number one star author I would say her, for the quality, the loyalty, the decency, in the good times and bad."

Another well-known publishing figure, former Harvill publisher Christopher MacLehose, was appointed as a Commander of the British Empire for his services to the publishing industry. He is responsible for bringing the likes of Haruki Murakami and Henning Mankel to the UK and his Quercus imprint publishes Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy.

Peter Usborne, managing director and co-founder of Usborne Books, was also awarded an MBE for his services to publishing. Usborne, a co-founder of Private Eye, set up the publishing company in 1975.

Former Jonathan Cape senior editor Ellah Allfrey was awarded an OBE for her publishing work. Allfrey, who is now deputy editor of Granta, worked with authors including Tracy Borman, Allan Massie and Fatima Bhutto at Cape.

Also noted for her services to publishing was Becky Ayebia, founder of Ayebia Clarke Publishing, who was given an honorary MBE.

Gaye Thomas, a librarian at Barking and Dagenham, was awarded an MBE for services to local government. Andrew Stephens, head of international engagement at the British Library, was awarded an OBE.