Percy Cradock was born 26 October 1923; he was educated at St John’s College, Cambridge (Honorary Fellow, 1982), and in 1953 married Birthe Marie Dyrlund.

Cradock began his diplomatic career serving in the Foreign Office, 1954-57. Subsequently he served as: First Secretary, Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], 1957-61, Hong Kong, 1961, Peking [China], 1962; Foreign Office, 1963-66; Counsellor and Head of Chancery, Peking, 1966-68; Chargé d’Affaires, Peking, 1968-69; Head of Planning Staff, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1969-71; Under-Secretary, Cabinet Office, 1971-75; Ambassador to German Democratic Republic, 1976-78; Leader, UK Delegation to Comprehensive Test Ban Discussions at Geneva [Switzerland], 1977-78; Ambassador to People’s Republic of China, 1978-83; Leader of UK team in negotiations over Hong Kong, 1983; Deputy Under Secretary of State, FCO, supervising Hong Kong negotiations, 1984; the Prime Minister’s Foreign Policy Adviser, 1984-92.

He was awarded the GCMG in 1983 (KCMG 1980; CMG 1968); PC 1993. He died on 22 January 2010.