John Wilson, 2nd Baron Moran
Encyclopedia
Richard John McMoran Moran Wilson, 2nd Baron Moran KCMG
(born 22 September 1924), known as John Wilson, is a British
soldier and diplomat. He is one of the ninety elected hereditary peer
s in the House of Lords
, remaining after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999
. In 1977, he succeeded to his father's barony.
in Berkshire
and King's College, Cambridge
, where he received a Bachelor of Arts
in history. Wilson served in the Royal Naval Reserve
from 1943 to 1945. He was first Ordinary Seaman on HMS Belfast, later Sub-Lieutenant
on Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB 684) and Destroyer HMS Oribi.http://www.unithistories.com/officers/RNVR_officersW.html
and held various minor offices in Ankara
, Tel Aviv
, Rio de Janeiro
, Washington, D.C.
and South Africa
. From 1968 to 1973, he was Head of West African Department in the Foreign Office and from 1970 to 1973 concurrently non-resident British Ambassador to Chad. Wilson was British Ambassador to Hungary between 1973 and 1976 and British Ambassador to Portugal between 1976 and 1981. In 1981, he became High Commissioner to Canada and held this post until 1984. On leaving his post of High Commissioner to Canada
in 1984, Moran penned a frank final telegram to the British Foreign Minister
in which he was critical of Canadian politicians and public policies. The telegram became public in October 2009 after a BBC
columnist, Matthew Parris
, made a freedom of information request for the foreign office's valedictory despatches.
, from 1988 to 1995 vice-chairman of the Atlantic Salmon Trust and from 1989 to 1994 chairman of the National Rivers Authority Regional Fisheries Advisory Committee for the Welsh Region. For RSPB, he was council member between 1992 and 1994 and vice-president between 1996 and 1997. Since 1994, he is president of the Radnorshire Wildlife Trust, since 1997 chair of the Fisheries Policy and Legislation Working Group named the Moran Committee. In 1997 he became also chair of the Salmon and Trout Association, which he was until 2000, when he was made instead its executive vice-president. Having been president of the Welsh Salmon and Trout Angling Association
from 1988 to 1995, he again became president in 2000.
. Having been made a Commander of Order of St Michael and St George
in 1970, he was raised to a Knight Commander in 1981. In 1978, he received also the Grand Cross of the Portuguese
Order of Infante D. Henrique.
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....
(born 22 September 1924), known as John Wilson, is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
soldier and diplomat. He is one of the ninety elected hereditary peer
Hereditary peer
Hereditary peers form part of the Peerage in the United Kingdom. There are over seven hundred peers who hold titles that may be inherited. Formerly, most of them were entitled to sit in the House of Lords, but since the House of Lords Act 1999 only ninety-two are permitted to do so...
s in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, remaining after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999
House of Lords Act 1999
The House of Lords Act 1999 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that was given Royal Assent on 11 November 1999. The Act reformed the House of Lords, one of the chambers of Parliament. For centuries, the House of Lords had included several hundred members who inherited their seats;...
. In 1977, he succeeded to his father's barony.
Background and early life
The son of the 1st Baron Moran and Dorothy Dufton, he was educated at Eton CollegeEton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
and King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
, where he received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in history. Wilson served in the Royal Naval Reserve
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
from 1943 to 1945. He was first Ordinary Seaman on HMS Belfast, later Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
on Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB 684) and Destroyer HMS Oribi.http://www.unithistories.com/officers/RNVR_officersW.html
Diplomatic career
In 1945, Wilson entered the Foreign and Commonwealth OfficeForeign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
and held various minor offices in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
, Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
, Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. From 1968 to 1973, he was Head of West African Department in the Foreign Office and from 1970 to 1973 concurrently non-resident British Ambassador to Chad. Wilson was British Ambassador to Hungary between 1973 and 1976 and British Ambassador to Portugal between 1976 and 1981. In 1981, he became High Commissioner to Canada and held this post until 1984. On leaving his post of High Commissioner to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1984, Moran penned a frank final telegram to the British Foreign Minister
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a senior member of Her Majesty's Government heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and regarded as one of the Great Offices of State...
in which he was critical of Canadian politicians and public policies. The telegram became public in October 2009 after a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
columnist, Matthew Parris
Matthew Parris
Matthew Francis Parris is a UK-based journalist and former Conservative politician.-Early life and family:...
, made a freedom of information request for the foreign office's valedictory despatches.
Other public appointments
From 1990 to 1995, Wilson was chair of the Wildlife and Countryside LinkWildlife and Countryside Link
Wildlife and Countryside Link brings together voluntary organisations in the UK to protect and enhance wildlife, landscape and the marine environment and to further the quiet enjoyment and appreciation of the countryside...
, from 1988 to 1995 vice-chairman of the Atlantic Salmon Trust and from 1989 to 1994 chairman of the National Rivers Authority Regional Fisheries Advisory Committee for the Welsh Region. For RSPB, he was council member between 1992 and 1994 and vice-president between 1996 and 1997. Since 1994, he is president of the Radnorshire Wildlife Trust, since 1997 chair of the Fisheries Policy and Legislation Working Group named the Moran Committee. In 1997 he became also chair of the Salmon and Trout Association, which he was until 2000, when he was made instead its executive vice-president. Having been president of the Welsh Salmon and Trout Angling Association
Welsh Salmon and Trout Angling Association
The Welsh Salmon and Trout Angling Association is the governing body for game angling in Wales. It has about one hundred member clubs. Founded as the Welsh Fly Fishing Association in 1952, the WSTAA organises national and international angling competitions, including two major World Fly Fishing...
from 1988 to 1995, he again became president in 2000.
Writings
In 1973, Wilson wrote a biography about Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, for which he received the Whitbread Award for BiographyCosta Book Awards
The Costa Book Awards are a series of literary awards given to books by authors based in Great Britain and Ireland. They were known as the Whitbread Book Awards until 2005, after which Costa Coffee, a subsidiary of Whitbread, took over sponsorship....
. Having been made a Commander of Order of St Michael and St George
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....
in 1970, he was raised to a Knight Commander in 1981. In 1978, he received also the Grand Cross of the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
Order of Infante D. Henrique.