John Boyd (diplomat) explained

Sir John Boyd
Birth Date:17 January 1936
Office:5th Master of Churchill College, Cambridge
Term Start:1996
Term End:2006
Predecessor:Alec Broers, Baron Broers
Successor:Sir David Wallace
Office1:British Ambassador to Japan
Term Start1:1992
Term End1:1996
Predecessor1:Sir John Whitehead
Successor1:Sir David Wright
Monarch1:Elizabeth II
Primeminister1:John Major
Education:Westminster School
Alma Mater:Clare College, Cambridge
Yale University (MA)

Sir John Dixon Iklé Boyd (17 January 1936 – 18 October 2019) was a British ambassador and academic administrator. He was British ambassador to Japan from 1992 to 1996, and subsequently the Master of Churchill College, Cambridge from 1996 to 2006.

Early life and education

Boyd was born on 17 January 1936 to James Dixon Boyd and Amélie (Lowenthal).[1] His father would go on to be became Professor of Anatomy at the University of Cambridge.[2] He was educated at Westminster School, an all-boys public school in central London. He attended Clare College, Cambridge, where he initially read medicine before moving to modern languages.[3] He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. He was then awarded a postgraduate scholarship to study in the United States, and attended Yale University to undertake foreign area studies and to study Mandarin.[4] He graduated with a Master of Arts (MA) degree in 1962.[5]

Career

Diplomatic career

Boyd was a member of the Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service from 1962 to 1996. He served twice in Hong Kong (on the second occasion as Political Adviser to the Governor) and Beijing twice. Other postings included Bonn, Washington, and the UK Mission to the UN. At home he served as Deputy Under-Secretary for Defence and subsequently Chief Clerk of the FCO before his posting to Japan. His tenure in Tokyo saw a marked expansion in bilateral exchanges on a wide front. He holds theGrand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun.[6]

Other roles

Boyd was Master of Churchill College, Cambridge from 1996 to 2006.[7] [8] He was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the British Museum from 2002 to 2006.[9]

Boyd served as Chairman of Asia House from 2010 to 2017.[10]

Personal life

In 1968, Boyd married Gunilla Rönngren, a Swedish diplomat. They had two children, before divorcing in the 1970s. In 1977, he married Julia Raynsford. He had three daughters from his second marriage.

Boyd died on 18 October 2019, at the age of 83.[11]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Boyd, Sir John (Dixon Iklé), (17 Jan. 1936–18 Oct. 2019), HM Diplomatic Service, retired; Fellow, Churchill College, Cambridge, since 2006 (Master, 1996–2006); Chairman, Asia House, 2010–17 (Hon. President, since 2018; Member, International Advisory Council, 2001–10) . . 5 March 2021 . en . 1 December 2020.
  2. News: Sir John Boyd obituary . 5 March 2021 . The Times . 25 October 2019 . en.
  3. News: Sir John Boyd, diplomat whose command of the Chinese language proved invaluable during the Cultural Revolution – obituary . 5 March 2021 . The Telegraph . 27 October 2019.
  4. Web site: McBain . Malcolm . BDOHP Biographical Details and Interview Index: John (Dixon Iklé) BOYD, KCMG 1992 (CMG 1985) . British Diplomatic Oral History Programme . Churchill College, Cambridge . 17 February 1999.
  5. Web site: Sir John Dixon Boyd . Yale Class of 1962 . 5 March 2021.
  6. http://www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp/en/japanUK/decoration/070501boyd.html Japanese Embassy Announcement
  7. Web site: Letters patent appointing Sir John Boyd (1996) and Sir David Wallace (2006) as Masters of Churchill College, Cambridge.. Crown Office . 17 August 2022.
  8. Web site: Churchill College personal listing . 18 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180918160803/https://www.chu.cam.ac.uk/people/view/john-boyd/ . 18 September 2018 . dead .
  9. News: New chairman for British Museum. 23 October 2019. BBC News. BBC. 22 May 2001.
  10. https://www.ft.com/content/b4d19d78-a75b-11e6-8b69-02899e8bd9d1 FT article
  11. Web site: Boyd. Julia. Boyd. The Telegraph Announcements. 23 October 2019. 22 October 2019.