Transcript of interview: Sir Mervyn Brown, 1996

File

Reference Code: GBR/0014/DOHP 18

Scope and Contents

From the Fonds:

The programme comprises transcripts of interviews with senior diplomats.

Dates

1996

Creator

Brown, Mervyn, Sir, 1923 (Knight, diplomat) (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for consultation by researchers using Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge.

Material in this collection is open to researchers unless otherwise marked in the catalogue.

Biographical / Historical

Mervyn Brown was born 24 September 1923; he was educated at Ryhope Grammar School, Sunderland and St John’s College, Oxford. In 1949 he married Elizabeth Gittings.

After served in the Royal Artillery, 1942-45, Brown entered the Foreign Service in 1949. His diplomatic career included: Third Secretary, Buenos Aires [Argentina], 1950; Second Secretary, UK Mission to United Nations, New York [United States], 1953; First Secretary, Foreign Office, 1956; Singapore, 1959; Vientiane [Laos], 1960; again in Foreign Office, 1963-67; Ambassador to Madagascar, 1967-70; Inspector, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1970-72; Head of Communications Operations Department, FCO, 1973-74; Assistant Under-Secretary of State (Director of Communications), 1974; High Commissioner in Tanzania, 1975-78, and concurrently Ambassador to Madagascar; Minister and Deputy Permanent Representative to United Nations, 1978; High Commissioner in Nigeria, 1979-83, and concurrently Ambassador to Benin.

He was awarded the KCMG in 1981 (CMG 1975); OBE 1963.