But to be blunt: who was Lord Curzon?

This explains it:

https://history.blog.gov.uk/2018/06/06/a-very-british-catast...

Some British official. Probably best known as a namesake for the current eastern border of Poland (known as Curzon's line), of which he wasn't an architect or proponent.

In popular culture "Curzon" is probably most familiar to StarTrek:DS9 fans as Curzon Dax, the predecessor of the Jadzia Dax. https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Curzon_Dax

(The character - a diplomat - was very clearly inspired by Lord Curzon.)

The British ideal of the noble defeat being better than the pragmatic victory is rather strange.

Almost any custom which seems strange when you take one encounter turns out to be perfectly reasonable when you take it in a context of repeated encounters with the same vis-a-vis. Having reputation for being noble, even in defeat, can have unique advantages.

Both Scott and Gordon died at arguably the peak of British global power. Such a power can afford to venerate losers.

In a previous time, when Britain's place in the world stage was not as assured, it could be less lenient to them:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Byng

Pragmatic victory is for the upper classes.