John Leahy (diplomat) facts for kids

Sir John Henry Gladstone Leahy (born February 7, 1928 – died November 17, 2015) was an important British diplomat. A diplomat is someone who represents their country in other nations, helping to build good relationships and solve problems. Sir John Leahy served as the Ambassador to South Africa from 1979 to 1982. Later, he was the High Commissioner to Australia from 1984 to 1988. After his time as a diplomat, he became the Chairman of a company called Lonrho.

Early Life and Education

John Leahy went to school at Tonbridge School. He then continued his studies at Clare College, Cambridge in England and Yale University in the United States.

After finishing his education, he joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) for his National Service. In 1952, when he was 24, he started working for the Foreign Office. This is the part of the British government that handles relationships with other countries. His first job was dealing with matters related to East Germany and Austria after World War II.

Becoming a Diplomat

Sir John Leahy worked his way up in the Foreign Office. He became an assistant to Selwyn Lloyd, who was a Minister of State and later became the Foreign Secretary, a very important role in the government. Leahy also worked as a spokesperson for the Foreign Office, explaining the government's views to the public and other nations. For a time, he even worked in the Northern Ireland Office, which deals with affairs in Northern Ireland.

Later, he was appointed as the Ambassador to South Africa. An ambassador is the highest-ranking diplomat representing their country in another nation. After this, he became a Deputy Under-Secretary of State, overseeing diplomatic work for Africa and the Middle East. His final diplomatic job was as the High Commissioner to Australia. A High Commissioner is like an ambassador, but for countries within the Commonwealth of Nations.

Handling Difficult Missions

Sir John Leahy was known for being very reliable and good at handling tough situations. He often dealt with important political leaders. For example, in April 1984, he went to Angola, a country in Africa. His mission was to help free 16 British people who had been taken hostage by a rebel leader named Jonas Savimbi. At that time, Savimbi's group was supported by the apartheid government in South Africa. Sir John Leahy's mission was successful, and he brought the hostages safely back to London.

After His Diplomatic Career

After retiring from his long career as a diplomat, Sir John Leahy took on several other roles. He was a director for The Observer newspaper for a while. In 1993, he joined Lonrho, a large company, as a non-executive director. He became the Chairman of Lonrho in 1994. In 1995, after some changes within the company, the board decided to remove one of the chief executives, Tiny Rowland. Sir John Leahy was later succeeded as Chairman by Sir John Craven in 1997.

His Published Book

Sir John Leahy wrote a book called Life of Spice, which was published in 2006. The book shares details about his life before he became a diplomat. It also talks a lot about his later important jobs and travels as Ambassador to South Africa, his time overseeing work in Africa and the Middle East (including a special chapter about his role in Tehran, Iran), and his time as High Commissioner in Australia. The book includes many original photos and describes his wide travels, covering both his personal and professional experiences. It also explains some of the important operations and conflicts he was involved in around the world.

Personal Life

Sir John Leahy passed away on November 17, 2015, at the age of 87.

He and his wife, Anne, had four children.