Gilbert Laithwaite
Encyclopedia
Sir Gilbert John Laithwaite, GCMG
, KCB
, KCIE
, CSI (5 July 1894 – 21 December 1986) was a civil servant and diplomat.
, Co. Roscommon. Laithwaite was a first cousin of the Irish Republican leader Ernie O'Malley
.
Laithwaite went to Clongowes Wood College
, where he won a scholarship to Trinity College, Oxford
, going on to achieve a second class degree. He received an honorary fellowship from that college in 1955.
, Laithwaite served in the British army in France as a second lieutenant with the 10th Lancashire Fusiliers. He was wounded in 1918. In 1971 he published an account of part of his war experience entitled The 21st March 1918: Memories of an Infantry Officer.
. In 1931 he was attached to Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald
for the second Indian round-table conference in London.
Work in India followed, on Lord Lothian's
Franchise committee, which extended the Indian franchise to 35 million voters. From 1936 to 1943 he was principal private secretary to the Viceroy of India, the second marquess of Linlithgow
.
In 1943 he returned to Britain as assistant under-secretary of state for India. In 1947 he took part in London talks on Burmese independence, also attended by Stafford Cripps
and Aung San
. In 1949 he became United Kingdom representative, and from 1 July 1950 Ambassador, to the Republic of Ireland
(where he was generally regarded as less adept than his predecessor Lord Rugby). In 1951 he became high commissioner to Pakistan
. In this position he became concerned with the implications of US military aid to Pakistan under Iskander Mirza. He became permanent under-secretary of state for Commonwealth relations from 1955 to 1959, visiting Australia
and New Zealand
. From 1963 to 1966 he was vice-chairman of the Commonwealth Institute
.
(1964–9), vice-president of the Royal Central Asian Society (1967) and president of the Royal Geographical Society
(1966–9).
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, KCIE
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
, CSI (5 July 1894 – 21 December 1986) was a civil servant and diplomat.
Early life
Gilbert Laithwaite was the eldest of two sons and two daughters, born in Dublin. His father was John Laithwaite of the Post Office survey. His mother was Mary Kearney whose family hailed from CastlereaCastlerea
Castlerea is located in the west of County Roscommon, Ireland. It is the second largest town in the county with a population of 3,055 . Roughly translated from Irish, Castlerea can mean Brindled Castle or King's Castle...
, Co. Roscommon. Laithwaite was a first cousin of the Irish Republican leader Ernie O'Malley
Ernie O'Malley
Ernie O'Malley was an Irish Republican Army officer during the Irish War of Independence and a commander of the anti-treaty IRA during the Irish Civil War. O'Malley wrote three books, On Another Man's Wound, The Singing Flame, and Raids and Rallies. The first describes his early life and role in...
.
Laithwaite went to Clongowes Wood College
Clongowes Wood College
Clongowes Wood College is a voluntary secondary boarding school for boys, located near Clane in County Kildare, Ireland. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1814, it is one of Ireland's oldest Catholic schools, and featured prominently in James Joyce's semi-autobiographical novel A Portrait of the...
, where he won a scholarship to Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
, going on to achieve a second class degree. He received an honorary fellowship from that college in 1955.
War service
In the First world warWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Laithwaite served in the British army in France as a second lieutenant with the 10th Lancashire Fusiliers. He was wounded in 1918. In 1971 he published an account of part of his war experience entitled The 21st March 1918: Memories of an Infantry Officer.
Career
Following the war Laithwaite joined the India OfficeIndia Office
The India Office was a British government department created in 1858 to oversee the colonial administration of India, i.e. the modern-day nations of Bangladesh, Burma, India, and Pakistan, as well as territories in South-east and Central Asia, the Middle East, and parts of the east coast of Africa...
. In 1931 he was attached to Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
for the second Indian round-table conference in London.
Work in India followed, on Lord Lothian's
Philip Kerr, 11th Marquess of Lothian
Philip Henry Kerr, 11th Marquess of Lothian KT CH PC was a British politician and diplomat.Philip Kerr was the son of Lord Ralph Drury Kerr, the third son of John Kerr, 7th Marquess of Lothian...
Franchise committee, which extended the Indian franchise to 35 million voters. From 1936 to 1943 he was principal private secretary to the Viceroy of India, the second marquess of Linlithgow
Victor Hope, 2nd Marquess of Linlithgow
Victor Alexander John Hope, 2nd Marquess of Linlithgow KG, KT, GCSI, GCIE, OBE, PC was a British statesman who served as Governor-General and Viceroy of India from 1936 to 1943.-Early life and family:...
.
In 1943 he returned to Britain as assistant under-secretary of state for India. In 1947 he took part in London talks on Burmese independence, also attended by Stafford Cripps
Stafford Cripps
Sir Richard Stafford Cripps was a British Labour politician of the first half of the 20th century. During World War II he served in a number of positions in the wartime coalition, including Ambassador to the Soviet Union and Minister of Aircraft Production...
and Aung San
Aung San
Bogyoke Aung San ; 13 February 1915 – 19 July 1947) was a Burmese revolutionary, nationalist, and founder of the modern Burmese army, the Tatmadaw....
. In 1949 he became United Kingdom representative, and from 1 July 1950 Ambassador, to the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
(where he was generally regarded as less adept than his predecessor Lord Rugby). In 1951 he became high commissioner to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. In this position he became concerned with the implications of US military aid to Pakistan under Iskander Mirza. He became permanent under-secretary of state for Commonwealth relations from 1955 to 1959, visiting Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. From 1963 to 1966 he was vice-chairman of the Commonwealth Institute
Commonwealth Institute
The Commonwealth Institute was an educational charity connected with the Commonwealth of Nations, and the name of a building in West London formerly owned by the Institute...
.
Honours
Laithwaite was appointed a CIE in the 1935 New Year Honours appointed a CSI in the 1938 New Year Honours and knighted with the KCIE in 1941. He was further appointed a KCMG in the 1948 New Year Honours, a GCMG in the 1953 Coronation Honours and a KCB in the 1956 New Year Honours. In 1960 he was appointed a Knight of Malta. He was president of the Hakluyt SocietyHakluyt Society
Founded in 1846, the Hakluyt Society is a registered charity based in London, England, which seeks to advance knowledge and education by the publication of scholarly editions of primary records of voyages, travels and other geographical material...
(1964–9), vice-president of the Royal Central Asian Society (1967) and president of the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
(1966–9).