Francis Hamilton Stuart (20 July 1912 – 1 February 2007) was a former Australian public servant and diplomat.
Francis Stuart | |
|---|---|
| Born | Francis Hamilton Stuart 20 July 1912 Melbourne, Victoria |
| Died | 1 February 2007 (aged 94) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Alma mater | University of Oxford |
| Occupation(s) | Public servant, diplomat |
| Spouse |
Guinevere Dingley (m. 1938) |
Early life and education
editStuart was born in Melbourne on 20 July 1912. His parents separated when he was 8 years old and he went to live in Sydney with his mother as a child.[1] He later boarded at Geelong Grammar School and went on to higher education at Oxford University.
Career
editHe began his career in the 1930s as a consular officer in the British Legation in Bangkok.[2] He shifted to the Australian Department of External Affairs in 1941.[2] In 1942, he enlisted in the Australian Army to serve during World War II.[3]
Between 1964 and 1957 Stuart was chief of protocol in the external affairs department in Canberra.[4]
In May 1957, Stuart, along with his wife and children, left Canberra for Phnom Penh to take up his appointment as Australian Minister to Cambodia.[5] His nomination had been approved by King Norodom Suramarit in April that year.[6] The Australian Legation in Phnom Penh was raised to Embassy status in 1959 and Stuart became Ambassador.[7]
Prime Minister Robert Menzies announced Stuart's appointment as Ambassador to the United Arab Republic in November 1961.[8]
In May 1970 Stuart was appointed High Commissioner to Pakistan, with concurrent accreditation to Afghanistan.[9] He left the Philippines in July 1970 to take up the post.[10] Whilst resident in Pakistan, Stuart saw the partition of Pakistan.[2]
In 1973, Stuart became the first resident Australian Ambassador to Poland.[11]
Retirement and later life
editIn December 1989 Stuart's book Towards Coming of Age was published by Griffith University.[2]
In his retirement, Stuart advocated for Australia to become a republic.[1]
Stuart died on 1 February 2007.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c Bilney, Gordon (17 March 2007). "Diplomat served with style". The Canberra Times. p. B13.
- ^ a b c d "Diplomat's story captures sense of singularity". The Canberra Times. ACT. 20 December 1989. p. 8.
- ^ STUART, Francis Hamilton: Service Details, ACT Government, archived from the original on 1 February 2016
- ^ "New Minister to Cambodia". The Canberra Times. ACT. 18 April 1957. p. 2.
- ^ "Canberra Diary". The Canberra Times. ACT. 22 May 1957. p. 5.
- ^ "King Suramarit approves new Minister". The Canberra Times. ACT. 20 April 1957. p. 1.
- ^ CA 2770: Australian Embassy, Cambodia [Phnom Penh], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 1 February 2016
- ^ "New Ambassador". The Canberra Times. ACT. 4 November 1961. p. 29.
- ^ "Diplomats posted". The Canberra Times. ACT. 29 May 1970. p. 7.
- ^ "Ambassador". The Canberra Times. ACT. 22 June 1970. p. 4.
- ^ "Ambassador from Poland due next week". The Canberra Times. 27 October 1973. p. 9.