How to Write
a Letter of Recommendation
for a Peerage Award

The Laurels and Pelicans of the Inlands Send Greetings: In the early years of An Tir almost everyone knew the majority of the peerage and had a good idea what their contributions to the Kingdom "weal" were. Not only that, but most of the peers knew the "class" behind them and helped that group make its mark.

Because of the growth spurt that An Tir has sustained, the peers work hard to keep track of the talented, the hardworking and the leaders that their respective Regions and Principalities produce. To gather the quality and quantity of information on a candidate for peerage that is now required to convince the majority of the Laurel or Pelican Councils to accept a candidate's recommendation from any of the less populated areas of An Tir is difficult. It requires help from those who know the candidate best. While the peerage gets an occasional verbal recommendation from the populace and local officers, we need much more than the emphatic generalities that are usually presented to us.

While we do articulate what that detailed information should include (the latest being the posting on the Wealdsmere list by Mistress Morgaina of the Woodlands), the overwhelming majority of sponsors do not follow through with a detailed recommendation touching on the items required.

The following is a list of suggested areas to be addressed when recommending a Pelican or Laurel candidate. A copy of the written recommendation should be sent to the Region or Principality Laurel or Pelican representative, the Secretary of the Order and one each to the King and Queen and Crown Prince and Crown Princess if applicable.

General Information Required

The following should be submitted for any peerage recommendation:
First, the mundane name and the SCA name(s) of the candidate should be listed. Next, how long the candidate has been in the SCA and An Tir. Then list all of the groups to which the candidate has been a member. If any are outside of An Tir, a contact from the other areas would be helpful. Note if the candidate has a device and name submitted or approved.

Laurel Recommendation
Membership in local or Kingdom Guilds should be listed, also, Arts and/or Sciences Offices held, when and for how long.
Is your candidate a merchant?
Articles written for the Complete Anachronist, TI, or local newsletters are important. Entry, single or Championship, in local and/or Kingdom Arts and Sciences Competitions need to be listed.
Record the local and Kingdom awards received. A list of classes taught, where, and approximately when, and lastly for whom helps make your case.
Mention if they were taught at the local level for Canton, Shire or Barony members or for the University of Ithra, a Guild, or Symposium. Did your candidate contribute his or her art work as prizes for tournaments and competitions?
Describe the area of the Arts or Sciences excellence in which your candidate has displayed mastery, and include photos. If possible, include examples of their documentation.
A description of the peer-like qualities such as courtesy, diplomacy, encouragement to newcomers and helpfulness is essential.
Finally, introduce your candidate to the local peerage.

Pelican Recommendations
List the offices, local and Kingdom the candidate has held, with approximate start and end dates of the term. Also address how successfully the candidate acquitted him or her self in the office.
Enumerate leadership positions in Guilds, newsletter publication participation, efforts to recruit new members and integrate them into the culture of the SCA.
Describe the events autocratted or feastocratted both at local and Kingdom level. List the event names and approximate dates.
If your candidate has repeatedly volunteered to help herald, marshal, chirurgeon or aid the constabulary please expand on the topic.
A delineation of the candidate's peer like qualities such as courtesy, helpfulness, diplomacy and fostering of leadership qualities in others and timeliness is very important. The corpora states that peerage candidates must "set an example of courteous and noble behavior suitable to a peer of the realm."
Introduce your candidate to the local peerage.

When you recommend someone for a peerage, please consider that you are really writing an SCA resume. Don't be intimidated by the quantity of information. Make it the best you can and get help from members who may know some facet of your candidate that is unfamiliar to you.

It is the local peers' responsibility to integrate the various recommendations and meld the result with their own research and when deemed appropriate, submit and champion the presentation to the appropriate Kingdom peerage council. Even if the Peerage council decides to wait and watch your candidate, your information helps to bring them to the attention of the peers and is kept on file. Be aware that the process of moving a candidate through the council discussions is a long one, complicated by the change in royalty every six months and the time required for responses from members of the royalty who lead understandably busy lives.

We as Inlands peers probably need to push ourselves to travel more to meet worthy citizens in outlying areas, but the members of the populace also need to do their part to bring detailed recommendations to the peers. We welcome your input.

Please send Pelican recommendations to:
Mistress Catriona of Rathcroghan (mka: Susan Painter)
1436 Rimrock Ave., Richland, WA 99352
(509) 627-0142 or email

Send Laurel recommendations to:
Mistress Morgaina of the Woodlands (mka: Jeanne Wood)
3406 Hwy. 8 E., Moscow, ID 83843
(208) 882-1135 or email

Read more about it:
How to write a letter of recommendation by Eric de Dragonslaire
Baronial Awards of Wealdsmere

Available at the An Tir web site:
Writing Award Recommendations by Duchess Lao Khatun
Award Descriptions from the An Tir Handbook
Award Recommendation Form (electronic submission)
Award Recommendation forms for a Peerage award (elec. submission)