James Marjoribanks
Sir James Marjoribanks | |
---|---|
Personal details | |
Born | Colinton, Scotland | 29 May 1911
Died | 29 January 2002 Edinburgh, Scotland | (aged 90)
Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
Sir James Alexander Milne Marjoribanks
Background and family life
James Marjoribanks was born in
In order to prepare for his entrance to the
Marjoribanks passed the British Foreign Service (later called the
Diplomatic life
China (1934–38)
Marjoribanks was first appointed probationary
At a consular cocktail party, he was asked by the first secretary to mix the cocktails beforehand. Since Marjoribanks had grown up in a Scottish manse in the 1920s he knew nothing about mixing cocktails. So he liberally added portions from all the bottles of drinks available into the cocktail bowl. The cocktail was a great success. Afterwards, the first secretary said "Devilishly good cocktail, James!" and asked for the recipe. Marjoribanks replied gravely that the recipe was a "family secret!”[9]
He had become engaged to Sonya Stanley Alder (sister of the portrait painter and author Vera Stanley Alder) in the UK and was allowed to send for her at the end of his two years probationary period. Sonya and James were married in the embassy chapel on 29 December 1936.[10] The British ambassador, Sir Hughe Knatchbull-Hugessen (who later, as ambassador to Turkey, was notorious because of the German spy "Cicero" Elyesa Bazna) gave the bride away.[11] They were married until Sonya's death in 1981.[6]
On 6 March 1938,
Marjoribanks helped several vulnerable Chinese friends escape but the cruelty of the Japanese occupation of Hankou left an indelible memory with him for the rest of his life.
France (1939–40)
On 27 September 1939 in 1940. Marjoribanks was also heavily involved in the evacuation of Marseilles.
USA (1940–44)
Marjoribanks next posting on 30 November 1940
Romania (1944–45)
In July 1944, Marjoribanks was sent as Political Representative and Consul[8] to Bucharest, Romania, where he added the Romanian language to the long list of languages he could speak fluently. At that time, King Michael I of Romania had ousted the pro-Nazi dictator Ion Antonescu and Romania had become one of countries on the Allied side fighting the Axis. The Russians entered the country and imposed their own communist puppet regime under Petru Groza.[7] In 1945, Marjoribanks gave the ousted head of the government, General Nicolae Rădescu sanctuary in the British legation[1] and got him out of the country. Marjoribanks thus acquired knowledge of the way the Soviets work. This helped him in his next posting to the Council of Foreign Ministers, where the new European boundaries were being decided.[7]
Council of Foreign Ministers (1945–1947)
The
Austrian State Treaty (1947–1950)
In November 1947,
Australia (1950–52)
Marjoribanks became ill with blood poisoning, was promoted to Counsellor and seconded to the British Commonwealth Relations Office posted on 12 January 1950[8] to Canberra, Australia. He worked there as Official Secretary to the British High Commission.[2]
Luxembourg (1952–55)
Marjoribanks then had several important European postings, which were the culmination of his diplomatic career.[9] On 31 August 1952[8] he was appointed Deputy Head of the British delegation to the European Coal and Steel Community in Luxembourg.[12] This was the forerunner of the European Economic Community and European Union. The head of the delegation was a fellow Scot, the businessman Sir Cecil Weir.[22] Marjoribanks became convinced here that the future for Europe was in closer integration[7][23] but the political will did not exist in London.[2][24]
Weir and Marjoribanks posed the following question in one of their first messages to London in 1952: "…whether we have determined in our own minds that we want the [European] integration movement to succeed... If we do want it to succeed, we should surely put behind it the full force of our influence. If we want to cut it short and prevent its development to a political authority which might eventually become a federal state, it would surely be better for us not to wish it success".
United Kingdom (1955–57)
On 12 September 1955
Germany (1957–62)
Marjoribanks was next posted to the British Embassy in
United Kingdom (1962–65)
On 17 September 1962 Marjoribanks was transferred for three years to London as Assistant
Belgium (1965–1971)
Marjoribanks was appointed Knight Commander of the
In 1971, he retired at the official Foreign Office retirement age of 60 but made no secret of his regret at having to leave the negotiations a year and a half before their final successful outcome.
Retirement
Marjoribanks retired to Edinburgh where he lived at Regent Terrace,[33] and resumed climbing Scottish mountains as he had done in his youth. He was an expert croquet player,[12] often having discussed tactics with his delegation on the croquet lawn of his Brussels residence.
Marjoribanks was tall and imposing, with a relaxed approach to life.
He was a member of the
Marjoribanks was chairman of the Robert Louis Stevenson Memorial Appeal which raised money to erect a memorial to the author in Edinburgh, and also for children with respiratory disorders.[42][43] He had grown up in Colinton manse, where Robert Louis Stevenson composed his book A Child's Garden of Verses.[7]
Shortly before he died in Edinburgh,[7] his daughter Patricia showed him Euro coins and bank notes.
Notes and references
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r “Sir James Marjoribanks” (Obituary)[dead link], The Independent, 4 February 2002. Retrieved 3 October 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Obituary – Sir James Marjoribanks – Diplomat who handed over Britain's successful application to the EEC", The Times, 8 February 2002.
- ^ Marjoribanks, Roger (Editor). The Marjoribanks Journal Number 2, January 1994. Retrieved 26 October 2009
- ^ Clan Marjoribanks web site accessed 29 April 2010
- ^ Distillers Company
- ^ a b c d e "James Marjoribanks" (Obituary), The Herald (Glasgow), 1 February 2002.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m “Sir James Marjoribanks” (Obituary), The Scotsman, 4 February 2002. Retrieved 3 October 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "The Foreign Office List and Diplomatic and Consular Year Book 1965", Page 310, Warrison and Sons Ltd., London
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Denman, Roy. “Sir James Marjoribanks – British diplomat with an early vision of his country's role in Europe” (Obituary), The Guardian, 5 February 2002. Retrieved 3 October 2008.
- ^ Copy "Cons. KA 4735/ Application Number P.A.S.101622/67/F" of Marriage Certificate in the District of the British Consul at Peking. Copy obtained from General Register House, Somerset House, London, UK
- ^ ”At Yesterday’s Wedding", The Peiping Chronicle, 30 December 1936, description of the wedding of James Marjoribanks and Sonya Stanley-Alder at the British Embassy in Peking.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i “Sir James Marjoribanks” (Obituary), The Daily Telegraph, 1 February 2002. Retrieved 3 October 2008.
- ^ "Meade Greets His Successor As British Consul in Jax", Jacksonville Journal, 30 November 1940 Marjoribanks takes over his new consular post
- ^ ”British Won’t Give Up, Says New Consul", Jacksonville Journal, 20 November 1940
- ^ ”No Defeatism in Britain Today Consul from Jacksonville Says", The Valdosta Times, 10 March 1941 Marjoribanks Interview in Valdosta, Georgia
- ^ ”Windsors Drop in on Miami – Royal Couple Welcome", Miami Daily News, 23 September 1941. Marjoribanks welcomes the Duke and Duchess of Windsor
- ISBN 0297779478.
- ^ ”The Meeting of Foreign Ministers in London", The Times , page 1, 26 November 1947
- ^ "Austrian Treaty Nearer – Compromise on Oil", The Times, 6 May 1948, Marjoribanks offered to meet Soviet proposals on oil exploration rights and production but hopes of completing the Treaty in 1948 were later dashed
- ^ "Big Four’s No. 2s Meet", The Star (London), Page 1, 9 February 1949, Marjoribanks, Zarubin (Russia), Reber (USA) and Berthelot (France) meet in London.
- ^ Cullis, Michael: "The Austrian Treaty settlement", Review of International Studies, Vol.7, p161, 1981
- ^ ISBN 0-575-40087-0
- ISBN 0-00-216517-1
- ISBN 0-297-82172-5, Weir and Marjoribanks had secret talks with Monnet, Spierenberg and others on a possible association with Britain but this came to nought
- ^ ”In Leeds to Explode an Export Myth", Yorkshire Evening News, 17 April 1959
- ^ Daniels, Leslie F. "W. German Trade Chances 'Vast'”; Sheffield Telegraph, 17 April 1959
- ^ Anglo-German Trade Campaign Enters New Phase – Federal Republic Britain’s Fastest Growing Market", The Times. 24 November 1959
- ^ Marjoribanks, James. "Selling More To Germany – Competitor turns customer", The Guardian , 17 November 1959
- ^ "England um Exportchancen besorgt – Bundesrepublik stand 1960 als Abnehmer an 4. Stelle", p. 4. Koelnische Rundschau, 20 January 1961
- ^ "Exports To Germany Leap to £200m", Daily Mail, 13 July 1962
- ^ Prittie, Terence. ”UK doubles export trade with Germany", The Guardian ', 13 July 1962
- ^ "The United Kingdom hereby applies…”, Financial Times, 12 May 1967
- Accessed 8 December 2009
- ISBN 0-9504923-3-7
- ^ Bauer, Chris: "Former envoy named to lead Scotland’s Market Group", p. 5. The Scotsman, 27 August 1971 Sir James Marjoribanks heads Scottish Council committee
- ^ "Scots EEC committee chairman hits at pessimism over future", The Scotsman, 3 September 1971
- ^ Baggott, Maurice. "Scottish Council go for devolution", p. 13. The Scotsman, 27 July 1973, p. 13, Article on the Scottish Council committee headed by Sir James Marjoribanks
- ^ The Scottish Council (development and Industry): Ä Scottish View on Membership of the European Economic Community"’ Macdonald Printers (Edinburgh), 24 June 1974, Paper based on a report submitted by Sir James' EEC Committee to the Scottish Council Executive Committee and accepted by them.
- Daily Telegraph, 8 January 1973
- ^ Inveresk Research International merged with Charles River in 2004 Retrieved on 3 October 2008
- ^ The Edinburgh University Court Retrieved on 3 October 2008
- ^ Wright, Allen: "Greene Chips in for Memorial to Stevenson", The Scotsman, 25 November 1985, Sir James Marjoribanks chairman of Robert Louis Stevenson Appeal accepts Graham Greene’s donation of his manuscript "A Weed among Flowers".
- ^ The Robert Louis Stevenson Appeal Retrieved 3 October 2008
Further reading
- "Marjoribanks, Sir James Alexander Milne" from Who's Who 1969–1970, A & C Black Ltd., London:
- "Marjoribanks, Sir James Alexander Milne KCMG", In De Laroque, Lucinda (Editor) Debrett's PeerageLtd., London
- Unpublished memoirs by Sir James Marjoribanks. In the possession of his daughter Patricia Marjoribanks