Oliver Franks, Baron Franks
British Ambassador to the United States | |
---|---|
In office 1948–1952 | |
Monarchs | George VI Elizabeth II |
Prime Minister | Clement Attlee Winston Churchill |
Preceded by | The Lord Inverchapel |
Succeeded by | Roger Makins |
Personal details | |
Born | Oliver Shewell Franks 16 February 1905 Selly Oak, Birmingham, England |
Died | 15 October 1992 Oxford, England | (aged 87)
Spouse | Barbara Franks |
Education | The Queen's College, Oxford |
Occupation | Civil servant and philosopher |
Oliver Shewell Franks, Baron Franks,
Franks was involved in Britain's recovery after the
Lord Franks was often called upon by the government of the day to chair important inquiries, and he is best known for his report in the aftermath of the Falklands War which ultimately exonerated the Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her government from charges of having failed to heed warning signals of an Argentine invasion.
Early life
Franks was educated at
Oliver Shewell Franks married Barbara Tanner on 3 July 1931 at a Quaker meeting in Redland, Bristol. They had two daughters and she died in 1987.[1][2]
World War II
At the beginning of the war he was employed by the Ministry of Supply, where he rose to become Permanent Secretary by 1945. During the war he achieved fame by replacing the supplies after Dunkirk, and also replaced supplies from losses in the Battle of the Atlantic. After the war he became Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Supply, and was involved in a lecture entitled Central Planning and Control in War and Peace.[2]
Post-war activities
Franks was a Liberal and a great supporter of
He was made ambassador to the United States in 1948. According to an urban legend there was one minor embarrassment early in his term. In 1948, a Washington radio station contacted ambassadors in the US capital, asking what each most wished for Christmas. The French ambassador said he would like to see peace throughout the world. The Russian ambassador wanted freedom for all people enslaved by imperialism. Sir Oliver Franks mistook the request, saying: "Well, it’s very kind of you to ask. I’d quite like a box of crystallised fruit."[3]
When he returned to England from Washington he took up the post of Chairman of
Later life
Franks presented the BBC
Aged 77, in 1982 he conducted an enquiry into the events leading to the
Honours
Franks received the following honours and appointments:
- Companion of the Order of the Bath.
- Commander of the Order of the British Empire, 1942.
- Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, 1946.[6]
- Privy Counsellor, 1949.[7]
- International Member of the American Philosophical Society, 1949.[8]
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George, 1952.[9]
- Order of Merit, 1977.[11]
- Deputy Lieutenant for Oxfordshire, 1978.[12]
Arms
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Footnotes
- ^ required.)
- ^ a b c d e Detail taken from the Obituary of Lord Franks dated 16 October 1992 in a British national newspaper.
- ^ Toksvig, Sandi (23 December 2007). "Peace on earth and a box of fruit". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
- Bilderberg Group. Archived from the originalon 10 March 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
- ^ University of Oxford, Commission of Inquiry Evidence; University of Oxford, Hebdomadal Council, Commission of Inquiry; [Chairman, Lord Franks]. 14 vols. 1964-5
- ^ "No. 37598". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 June 1946. p. 2759.
- ^ "No. 38628". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 June 1949. p. 2793.
- ^ "APS Member History". search.amphilsoc.org. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "No. 39421". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1951. p. 5.
- ^ "No. 42670". The London Gazette. 11 May 1962. p. 3765.
- ^ "No. 47362". The London Gazette. 28 October 1977. p. 13613.
- ^ "No. 47541". The London Gazette. 23 May 1978. p. 6302.
References
- Danchev, Alex (2004). "Franks, Oliver Shewell, Baron Franks (1905–1992)". doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/51039. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
External links
- A film clip "Longines Chronoscope with Sir Oliver Franks (1 February 1952)" is available for viewing at the Internet Archive
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Lord Franks
- Newspaper clippings about Oliver Franks, Baron Franks in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW