Leonard Appleyard
Sir Leonard Vincent Appleyard KCMG (2 September 1938 – 7 February 2020)[1] was a British diplomat.[2]
Sir Leonard Appleyard | |
|---|---|
| British Ambassador to China | |
| In office 1994–1997 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| President | Jiang Zemin |
| Prime Minister | John Major |
| Preceded by | Sir Robin McLaren |
| Succeeded by | Sir Anthony Galsworthy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 September 1938 |
| Died | 7 February 2020 (aged 81) |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth West (m. 1964–1994)Joan Jefferson (m. 1994–2020) |
| Education | Read School, Drax |
| Alma mater | Queens' College, Cambridge |
| Occupation | Diplomat |
Education
Born in 1938, Appleyard was educated at The Read School, an independent school for boys (now co-educational) in the village of Drax in North Yorkshire, followed by Queens' College at the University of Cambridge, from which he gained a degree (with Honours) in Classical Chinese. He spoke Mandarin, Russian, Hungarian and French.[2]
Career
Appleyard served at the British Embassy in the People's Republic of China between 1966 and 1968 (during the country's Cultural Revolution). He served as First Secretary in the British High Commission in India from 1971–1974,[3] and later returned to China as ambassador in 1994 until 1997, a period which witnessed the Taiwan Strait Crisis (1995–96) and also the 'handover' of Hong Kong from UK rule to the People's Republic of China.
Appleyard also served as the UK's ambassador to Hungary, in the Treasury, in the Cabinet Office as Deputy Cabinet Secretary, as Secretary of the Gulf War Cabinet, and as Financial Counsellor in Paris.
Following his departure from the diplomatic service, Appleyard took up a position as vice-chairman of Barclays Capital.
Appleyard also served as joint-Chairman on the Nuffield Languages Programme Steering Group along with Sir Trevor McDonald.[4]
He was Pro-Chancellor of Bournemouth University.[5]
He died on 7 February 2020 at the age of 81.[6]
References
- "Birthdays". The Guardian. Guardian News & Media. 2 September 2014. p. 37.
- A & C Black (2012). "APPLEYARD, Sir Leonard (Vincent)". Who's Who 2012, online edition. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
- "RSA - Appleyard KCMG, Sir Leonard". Archived from the original on 30 March 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
- http://languages.nuffieldfoundation.org/languages/programme/steering.asp; accessed 2 April 2010
- http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/about/people_at_bu/key_people/pro_chancellors.html; accessed 2 April 2010
- "APPLEYARD - Deaths Announcements - Telegraph Announcements". announcements.telegraph.co.uk.
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Brian Fall |
Principal Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary 1984–1986 |
Succeeded by Sir Anthony Galsworthy |
| Preceded by Peter Unwin |
British Ambassador to Hungary 1986–1989 |
Succeeded by Sir John Birch |
| Preceded by Sir John Weston |
Director, Political of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office 1991–1994 |
Succeeded by Pauline, The Baroness Neville-Jones |
| Preceded by Sir Robin McLaren |
British Ambassador to China 1994–1997 |
Succeeded by Sir Anthony Galsworthy |