Charles Stirling (diplomat)

Sir Charles Stirling
British Ambassador to Portugal
In office
1955–1960
Preceded bySir Nigel Ronald
Succeeded bySir Archibald Ross
British Ambassador to Chile
In office
1951–1954
Preceded bySir Bertrand Jerram
Succeeded bySir Charles Empson
Personal details
Born19 November 1901
Died5 April 1986 (aged 84)
Children3
Alma materCorpus Christi College, Oxford
OccupationDiplomat

Sir Charles Norman Stirling (19 November 1901 – 5 April 1986) was a British diplomat who served as ambassador to Chile from 1951 to 1954 and ambassador to Portugal from 1955 to 1960.

Early life and education

Stirling was born on 19 November 1901, the eldest son of F. H. Stirling of British Colombia. He was educated at Wellington College and Corpus Christi College, Oxford.[1][2][3]

Career

Stirling joined the Diplomatic Service in 1925,[4] and was posted to Prague as third secretary. He was then transferred to Peking in 1928, and there promoted to second secretary in 1930.[5] After a three year spell at the Foreign Office, he was sent to Sofia in 1936 where he acted as chargé d'affaires in 1936 and 1937, and was promoted to first secretary in 1937.[1][2][3]

After returning to the Foreign Office, Stirling was attached to the Export Credits Guarantee Department in 1938. The following year, he was seconded to the Ministry of Economic Warfare and headed the Neutral Trade department with the rank of assistant secretary.[6] In 1942, he returned to the Foreign Office as acting counsellor heading the French department,[7] and in 1946, was promoted to counsellor and posted to Lisbon where he also served as chargé d'affaires in 1947 and 1948. In 1949, he was appointed consul-general at Tangier.[1][2][3][8]

From 1951 to 1954, Stirling served as ambassador to Chile.[9] In 1955, he was appointed ambassador to Portugal, a post he held until his retirement in 1960.[1][2][3][10]

Personal life and death

Stirling married Ann Moore in 1950 and they had two daughters and a son.[1][3]

Stirling died on 5 April 1986, aged 84.[1]

Honours

  • He was appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 1957.[13]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Sir Charles Stirling". The Times. 10 April 1986. p. 18.
  2. ^ a b c d Great Britain, Foreign Office (1960). The Foreign Office List and Diplomatic and Consular Year Book 1960. 133rd Publication, Great Britain. p. 379.
  3. ^ a b c d e Who was who 1981-1990 : a companion to Who's who. Internet Archive. London : A. & C. Black. 1991. p. 725. ISBN 978-0-7136-3336-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  4. ^ "No. 33100". The London Gazette. 6 November 1925. p. 7266.
  5. ^ "No. 33686". The London Gazette. 3 February 1931. p. 744.
  6. ^ "No. 35029". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1941. p. 6.
  7. ^ "No. 35789". The London Gazette. 17 November 1942. p. 4993.
  8. ^ "No. 38660". The London Gazette. 8 July 1949. p. 3344.
  9. ^ "No. 39446". The London Gazette. 22 January 1952. p. 455.
  10. ^ "No. 40438". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 March 1955. p. 1780.
  11. ^ "No. 35029". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1941. p. 6.
  12. ^ "No. 40366". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1955. p. 5.
  13. ^ "No. 41014". The London Gazette. 1 March 1957. p. 1352.