The Right Honourable
The Lord Garner
GCMG
Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
In office
1962–1965
High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Canada
In office
1956–1961
Preceded bySir Archibald Nye
Succeeded byThe Viscount Amory
Personal details
Born
Joseph John Saville Garner

(1908-02-14)14 February 1908
Muswell Hill, Middlesex
Died10 December 1983(1983-12-10) (aged 75)
NationalityBritish
Children3
Alma materJesus College, Cambridge

Joseph John Saville Garner, Baron Garner GCMG[1] (14 February 1908 – 10 December 1983) was a British diplomat who served as the British High Commissioner to Canada from 1956 to 1961.

Garner was educated at Highgate School (and was later the school's Chairman of Governors from 1976-83). He won a scholarship to Jesus College, Cambridge, where he read Modern and Mediaeval Languages.[2] He joined the Civil Service in 1930, working in the Dominions Office. J. H. Thomas refused to call him by his customary first name ("What sort of fancy name is that? Ain't you got a plainer name?") and called Garner "Joe" instead, a name which stuck. In June 1954 he was working as Deputy Under-Secretary of State, Commonwealth Relations Office when he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George.[3]

In 1956, he was appointed High Commissioner to Canada and served in that position until 1961. He was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George on 1 January 1965.[4] At the time he was serving as the Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Commonwealth Relations Office. He subsequently served as Head of Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service.[5]

Garner was made a life peer on 21 February 1969, being created Baron Garner, of Chiddingley in the County of Sussex, and assuming his seat in the House of Lords.[6]

References

  1. ^ May, Alex (2009). "Garner, (Joseph John) Saville [Joe]". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/31137. Retrieved 14 July 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ Hughes, Patrick; Davies, Ian. Highgate School Register 1833–1988 (7th ed.). pp. 78, 186.
  3. ^ The London Gazette (10 June 1954)
  4. ^ The London Gazette (1 January 1965)
  5. ^ The London Gazette (20 December 1968)
  6. ^ The London Gazette (20 December 1968)
Government offices Preceded bySir Alexander Clutterbuck Permanent Secretary of theCommonwealth Relations Office 1962–1966 Succeeded byhimselfas Permanent Secretary, Commonwealth Office Preceded byhimselfas Permanent Secretary, Commonwealth Relations Office Permanent Secretary of theCommonwealth Office 1966–1968 Succeeded bySir Morrice James Preceded bySir Hilton Poyntonas Permanent Secretary, Colonial Office
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