John Morgan (diplomat)
Sir John Morgan | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Sir John Morgan, c. 1980 | |
| British Ambassador to Mexico | |
| In office 1986–1989 | |
| Preceded by | Sir Kenneth James |
| Succeeded by | Sir Michael Simpson-Orlebar |
| British Ambassador to Poland | |
| In office 1983–1986 | |
| Preceded by | Sir Kenneth James |
| Succeeded by | Sir Brian Barder |
| British Ambassador to South Korea | |
| In office 1980–1983 | |
| Preceded by | William Bates |
| Succeeded by | Nicholas Spreckley |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Albert Leigh Morgan 21 June 1929 |
| Died | 24 June 2012 (aged 83) |
| Spouse(s) |
Hon. Fionn O'Neill
(m. 1961; div. 1975)Angela Rathbone
(m. 1976; died 2012) |
| Relations | Fred Again (grandson) |
| Children | 5 |
| Parent | John Edward Roland Morgan |
Sir John Albert Leigh Morgan KCMG (21 June 1929 – 24 June 2012) was a British diplomat who served as ambassador to South Korea, Poland and Mexico.[1]
Early life
[edit]Morgan was born on 21 June 1929, the son of John Edward Roland Morgan, of Wylde Green, Warwickshire.[2][3]
He was educated at Chingford County High School and the London School of Economics.[4]
Career
[edit]He served as First secretary of the Foreign Office. He was head of the Far Eastern Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1970 to 1972; and head of Cultural Relations Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1972 to 1980.[5]
His foreign postings included: third secretary to Moscow from 1953 to 1956; at the unstable time of Stalin's death; second secretary to Peking, serving from 1956 to 1958. From 1963 to 1964, he was first secretary to Rio de Janeiro. His senior positions included first secretary and cultural attaché to Moscow from 1965 to 1967; Ambassador to South Korea from 1980 to 1983, and Ambassador to Poland from 1983 to 1986, and Ambassador to Mexico from 1986 to 1989.[6]
Morgan was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1982 and Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1989.[7]
Personal life
[edit]On 26 July 1961, Morgan married The Hon. Fionn Frances Bride O'Neill (b. 1936), the only daughter of Ann Fleming née Charteris and, her first husband, Shane O'Neill, 3rd Baron O'Neill.[1][2] At the time of their wedding, Ann was married to her third husband, James Bond author Ian Fleming.[6][8] Before they divorced in 1975, John and Fiona were the parents of three children:[9]
- Mary Ann Frances Morgan (b. 1962), who married barrister Charles Anthony Warneford Gibson, son of G/Capt. Phillip G. Gibson (members of the Huntingdonshire gentry), in 1989.[9]
- John Edward Rustand Morgan (b. 1964), who married Natasha Clare MacDonnell, daughter of Robert Myles Randal MacDonnell and Elizabeth Clare Newman, in 1996.[9]
- Catherine Martha Annabel Morgan (b. 1966)[9]
After their divorce, he married Angela Mary Eleanor Rathbone in 1976,[7] with whom he had another son and daughter.[10] Lady Morgan has served as President of Greenbank since 2002, inheriting the position from her uncle, Dr. B. L. Rathbone.[11] She is also the grandniece of Eleanor Rathbone, the campaigner for family allowance and for women's rights and MP for Combined English Universities.[12]
Sir John died on 24 June 2012.[4]
Descendants
[edit]Through his daughter Mary Ann, he was a grandfather of Frederick John Philip Gibson (b. 1993), the English record producer, singer, songwriter.[13][14]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Sir John Morgan". The Daily Telegraph. 9 September 2012.
- ^ a b Burke's Peerage, vol. 2, p. 3012
- ^ Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage, Baronetage, and Knightage, Privy Council, and Order of Preference. Burke's Peerage Limited. 1963. p. 1860. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ a b "Sir John Morgan". The Times. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ Who Was Who (1 December 2007). "Morgan, Sir John (Albert Leigh), (21 June 1929–24 June 2012), HM Diplomatic Service, retired; Chairman: Celtic Development Co. (formerly East European Development Trust), since 1994; Ceiba Investments Ltd (formerly Beta Gran Caribe, then Ceiba Finance Ltd), Cuba, since 2002". ukwhoswho.com. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u28062. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ a b "Sir John Morgan". The Times. 3 July 2012.
- ^ a b "Sir John Morgan". The Telegraph. 9 September 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ "5". The Diplomatic Service List. 1970. p. 206.
- ^ a b c d Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003, volume 2, page 3012.
- ^ Office, Great Britain Diplomatic Service Administration (1987). The Diplomatic Service List. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 254. ISBN 978-0-11-591677-9. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ "President - Greenbank Disability Charity". www.greenbank.org.uk. Greenbank Disability Charity. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ Evans, Jack (26 August 2022). "Changing Our World For The Better: Eleanor Rathbone at 150 - Somerville College Oxford". www.some.ox.ac.uk. Somerville College, Oxford. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ Cragg, Michael (17 October 2022). "In-demand producer Fred again.. : 'I was fortunate not to be good at anything else'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
- ^ "Fred Gibson (B1 2006–11)". Malburian Club. 25 February 2020. Archived from the original on 23 September 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.