Oliver Wright (diplomat)
Sir Oliver Wright Sir Antony Acland | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 March 1922 Hammersmith |
| Died | 1 September 2009 (aged 87) England |
| Spouse | Marjory Osborne |
| Alma mater | Solihull School Christ's College, Cambridge |
Sir John Oliver Wright British Ambassador to the United States from 1982 to 1986.
Early life
Wright was born on 6 March 1921 in
modern languages and specialised in German and French.[2] Following graduation, he joined the military for service during World War II.[4]
His studies were interrupted by
Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service
.
Military service
In 1941, having completed his university degree, Wright joined the
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.[4]
Diplomatic career
Wright's career as a Diplomat was a highly distinguished one:
- New York City (1946–47)
- Bucharest (1948–50)
- Singapore (1950–51)
- Foreign and Commonwealth Office(1952–54)
- Berlin (1954–56)
- Pretoria (1957–58)
- Imperial Defence College(1959)
- Assistant Private Secretary to Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1960)
- Counsellor and Private Secretary for Foreign Affairs (1963)
- Private Secretary to the Prime Minister (1964–66) (to Rt Hon. Sir Alec Douglas-Home and subsequently to Rt Hon. Harold Wilson)
- Ambassador to Denmark (1966–69)
- Deputy Home Office Representative to Northern Irish Government (Aug 1969 – Mar 1970)
- Chief Clerk, Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service(1970–72)
- Deputy Under-Secretary of State, FCO (1972–75)
- Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany (1975–81)
- Retired from Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service
- Re-appointed, Ambassador to Washington DC(1982–86)
Having retired from the Diplomatic Service in 1981, he was elected
Master of Christ's College, Cambridge. He would have become the new Master in 1982, but was recalled to the Diplomatic Service to become British Ambassador to the United States and therefore never took up the appointment.[5]
Later life
On 1 January 1987, Wright was appointed King of Arms of the Order of St Michael and St George. This appointment is the herald, one of six officers, of the Order of St Michael and St George.[6] In July 1996, he was succeeded in the appointment by Sir Ewen Fergusson.[7]
Honours and decorations
On 1 December 1964, he was appointed a
Queen Elizabeth II
to West Germany between 22 and 26 May 1978.
- Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) (1944)
- Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) (1974)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) (1981)
Offices held
References
- ^ A & C Black (2009). "WRIGHT, Sir (John) Oliver". Who Was Who, online edition. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
- ^ a b Whitehead, John (January 2013). "Wright, Sir (John) Oliver (1921–2009)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
- ^ Palliser, Sir Michael (22 September 2009). "Sir Oliver Wright: Diplomat who served under two Prime Ministers in Downing Street and as ambassador to the US". The Independent. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
- ^ a b "Sir Oliver Wright". The Daily Telegraph. 6 September 2009. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
- ^ "Sir Oliver Wright GCMG GCVO DSC". Christ's College, Cambridge. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
- ^ "No. 50791". The London Gazette. 2 January 1987. p. 16959.
- ^ "No. 54471". The London Gazette. 19 July 1996. p. 9759.
- ^ "No. 43502". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 November 1964. p. 10229.
- ^ "No. 47567". The London Gazette. 13 June 1978. p. 7147.
External links
- Interview with Sir John Oliver Wright & transcript, British Diplomatic Oral History Programme, Churchill College, Cambridge, 1996
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