John Balfour (diplomat) facts for kids

Sir John Balfour (1894–1983) was an important British diplomat. A diplomat is someone who represents their country in other nations. They help keep peace and good relationships between countries. Sir John received high honors for his work, including the Order of St Michael and St George and the Order of the British Empire.

Early Life and Family

John Balfour was born in 1894. His father, Charles Balfour, was a politician in the United Kingdom. His grandfather was the 5th Earl of Antrim. In 1933, John Balfour married Frances van Millingen. Her father was a professor in Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey).

World War I Experience

When World War I began in 1914, John Balfour was a student at the University of Oxford. He was studying German in a city called Freiberg in Germany. Because he was British, he was held in a special camp during the war. This camp was called the Ruhleben internment camp. He stayed there for the entire war.

A Career in Diplomacy

After the war, John Balfour began his career as a diplomat. He worked for the Foreign Office, which is the part of the British government that handles relationships with other countries.

He worked in many different places around the world. These included Portugal, Argentina, Moscow (Russia), and Washington, D.C. (United States).

From 1951 to 1954, he served in Spain. John Balfour really loved Spanish culture and history. He was known for being against the government of Francisco Franco, who ruled Spain at that time.

In 1983, Sir John Balfour wrote a book about his life and experiences as a diplomat. It was called Not Too Correct an Aureole: Recollections of a Diplomat.