Hugh Stonehewer Bird
British diplomat (1891–1973)
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Sir Francis Hugh William Stonehewer Bird (13 November 1891 – 7 December 1973) was a British diplomat who served as minister to Saudi Arabia from 1940 to 1943, and ambassador to Iraq from 1945 to 1948.
Sir Hugh Stonehewer Bird | |
|---|---|
| British Ambassador to Iraq | |
| In office 1945–1948 | |
| Preceded by | Sir Kinahan Cornwallis |
| Succeeded by | Sir Henry Mack |
| British Minister to Saudi Arabia | |
| In office 1940–1943 | |
| Preceded by | Sir Reader Bullard |
| Succeeded by | Stanley Jordan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 November 1891 |
| Died | 7 December 1973 (aged 82) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Pembroke College, Cambridge |
| Occupation | Diplomat |
Early life and education
Stonehewer Bird was born on 13 November 1891, the son of Frank Stonehewer Bird. He was educated at Berkhamsted School and Pembroke College, Cambridge.[1][2][3]
Career
Stonehewer Bird was appointed a student interpreter in the Levant Consular Service in 1913, and a consular assistant in 1915.[4] For the next ten years, he served at Jassy, Bucharest, Belgrade, Mogador, and Rabat where he was promoted to vice-consul.[5] In 1927, he was appointed consul and agent at Jedda before he was transferred to Casablanca in 1930,[6] and then to Rabat in 1936.[1][2][3]
In 1937, he was promoted to consul-general at Addis Ababa, and in 1939, served as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, and head of the Legation at Jedda, a post he held until 1943.[7] After serving two years as consul-general in the French zone of Morocco at Rabat,[8] he was appointed ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Iraq in 1945, a post he held until his retirement in 1948.[1][2][3][9]
Personal life and death
Honours
Stonehewer Bird was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1939 New Year Honours,[10] and promoted to Knight Commander (KCMG) in 1945. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1929 Birthday Honours.[2][11]