John Boyd (diplomat)

Sir John Dixon Iklé Boyd KCMG (17 January 1936 – 18 October 2019) was a British ambassador and academic administrator. He was British ambassador to Japan from 1992 to 1996, and subsequently the Master of Churchill College, Cambridge from 1996 to 2006.

Sir John Boyd
KCMG
5th Master of Churchill College, Cambridge
In office
1996–2006
Preceded byAlec Broers, Baron Broers
Succeeded bySir David Wallace
British Ambassador to Japan
In office
1992–1996
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterJohn Major
Preceded bySir John Whitehead
Succeeded bySir David Wright
Personal details
Born(1936-01-17)17 January 1936
Died18 October 2019(2019-10-18) (aged 83)
EducationWestminster School
Alma materClare College, Cambridge
Yale University (MA)

Early life and education

Boyd was born on 17 January 1936 to James Dixon Boyd and Amélie (née Lowenthal).[1] His father would go on to be became Professor of Anatomy at the University of Cambridge.[2] He was educated at Westminster School, an all-boys public school in central London.[1] He attended Clare College, Cambridge, where he initially read medicine before moving to modern languages.[3] He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.[1] He was then awarded a postgraduate scholarship to study in the United States, and attended Yale University to undertake foreign area studies and to study Mandarin.[4] He graduated with a Master of Arts (MA) degree in 1962.[1][5]

Career

Diplomatic career

Boyd was a member of the Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service from 1962 to 1996.[4] He served twice in Hong Kong (on the second occasion as Political Adviser to the Governor) and Beijing twice. Other postings included Bonn, Washington, and the UK Mission to the UN. At home he served as Deputy Under-Secretary for Defence and subsequently Chief Clerk of the FCO before his posting to Japan. His tenure in Tokyo saw a marked expansion in bilateral exchanges on a wide front. He holds the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun.[6]

Other roles

Boyd was Master of Churchill College, Cambridge from 1996 to 2006.[7][8] He was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the British Museum from 2002 to 2006.[9]

Boyd served as Chairman of Asia House from 2010 to 2017.[10]

Personal life

In 1968, Boyd married Gunilla Rönngren, a Swedish diplomat.[1][2] They had two children,[1] before divorcing in the 1970s.[2] In 1977, he married Julia Raynsford.[2] He had three daughters from his second marriage.[3]

Boyd died on 18 October 2019, at the age of 83.[11]

See also

References
  1. "Boyd, Sir John (Dixon Iklé), (17 Jan. 1936–18 Oct. 2019), HM Diplomatic Service, retired; Fellow, Churchill College, Cambridge, since 2006 (Master, 1996–2006); Chairman, Asia House, 2010–17 (Hon. President, since 2018; Member, International Advisory Council, 2001–10)". Who Was Who. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  2. "Sir John Boyd obituary". The Times. 25 October 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  3. "Sir John Boyd, diplomat whose command of the Chinese language proved invaluable during the Cultural Revolution – obituary". The Telegraph. 27 October 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  4. McBain, Malcolm (17 February 1999). "BDOHP Biographical Details and Interview Index: John (Dixon Iklé) BOYD, KCMG 1992 (CMG 1985)" (PDF). British Diplomatic Oral History Programme. Churchil College, Cambridge.
  5. "Sir John Dixon Boyd". Yale Class of 1962. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  6. Japanese Embassy Announcement
  7. "Letters patent appointing Sir John Boyd (1996) and Sir David Wallace (2006) as Masters of Churchill College, Cambridge". Crown Office. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  8. "Churchill College personal listing". Archived from the original on 18 September 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  9. "New chairman for British Museum". BBC News. BBC. 22 May 2001. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  10. FT article
  11. Boyd, Julia (22 October 2019). "Boyd". The Telegraph Announcements. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
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