Charles Webster
Encyclopedia
Sir Charles Kingsley Webster KCMG
(25 July 1886 – 1961) was a British historian and diplomat
.
He was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby
and King's College, Cambridge
.
While Professor of International Relations at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth
he wrote his two major books on the foreign policy of Lord Castlereagh
, the first (published in 1925) covering the period 1815–1822, the second (published in 1931) that from 1812–1815. In 1932 Webster moved to the newly established Stevenson chair of international relations at the London School of Economics
(LSE).
During World War II, he worked extensively in the Foreign Office
, especially in the United States, and was a leading supporter of the new United Nations
, as he had been of the League of Nations
. He attended the first meetings of both the General Assembly and the Security Council in January 1946 and the final meeting of the League of Nations in April. He was made KCMG
in the new year's honours list in 1946.
In 1948, Webster gave the Ford Lectures
in the University of Oxford
. In 1951, his biography of Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston was finally published. He was President of the British Academy
in 1950. He was awarded honorary degrees from Oxford
, Wales, Rome, and Williams College
, Massachusetts, as well as an honorary fellowship at King's College, Cambridge
. He retired from his chair at the LSE in 1953.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(25 July 1886 – 1961) was a British historian and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
.
He was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby
Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby
Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby is a British independent school for day pupils, located in Great Crosby on Merseyside....
and King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
.
Career
- Professor of Modern History, Liverpool University, 1914–1922
- Subaltern in the Royal Army Service Corps, 1915–1917
- General Staff of the War Office, 1917–1918
- Secretary, Military Section, British Delegation to the Conference of Paris, 1918–1919
- Wilson Professor of International Politics, University of Wales, 1922–1932
- Außerordentlicher (=Associate) Professor, University of Vienna, 1926
- Nobel Lecturer, Oslo, 1926
- Reader, University of Calcutta, India, 1927
- Professor of History, Harvard University, USA, 1928–1932
- Stevenson Professor of International History, London School of Economics and Political Science, 1932–1953
- Foreign Research and Press Service, 1939–1941
- Director, British School of Information, New York, 1941–1942
- Foreign Office, 1943–1946
- Member of British Delegation, Dumbarton Oaks and San Francisco Conferences, 1944–1945
- Member, Preparatory Commission and General Assembly, United Nations, 1945–1946
- Ford Lecturer, Oxford University, 1948
- President, 1950–1954, and Foreign Secretary, 1955–1958, British Academy
While Professor of International Relations at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth University is a university located in Aberystwyth, Wales. Aberystwyth was a founding Member Institution of the former federal University of Wales. As of late 2006, the university had over 12,000 students spread across seventeen academic departments.The university was founded in 1872 as...
he wrote his two major books on the foreign policy of Lord Castlereagh
Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh
Robert Stewart, 2nd Marquess of Londonderry, KG, GCH, PC, PC , usually known as Lord CastlereaghThe name Castlereagh derives from the baronies of Castlereagh and Ards, in which the manors of Newtownards and Comber were located...
, the first (published in 1925) covering the period 1815–1822, the second (published in 1931) that from 1812–1815. In 1932 Webster moved to the newly established Stevenson chair of international relations at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
(LSE).
During World War II, he worked extensively in the Foreign Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
, especially in the United States, and was a leading supporter of the new United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, as he had been of the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
. He attended the first meetings of both the General Assembly and the Security Council in January 1946 and the final meeting of the League of Nations in April. He was made KCMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
in the new year's honours list in 1946.
In 1948, Webster gave the Ford Lectures
Ford Lectures
The Ford Lectures are a prestigious series of public lectures given annually in English or British History by a distinguished historian. Known commonly as "The Ford Lectures," they are properly titled "Ford's Lectures in British History" and they are given by a scholar elected to be "Ford's...
in the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. In 1951, his biography of Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston was finally published. He was President of the British Academy
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
in 1950. He was awarded honorary degrees from Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, Wales, Rome, and Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
, Massachusetts, as well as an honorary fellowship at King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
. He retired from his chair at the LSE in 1953.
Works
- The Congress of Vienna, OUP, 1919 (Revd. ed. 1934)
- The European alliance, 1815-1825 (University of Calcutta, 1929)
- The Congress of Vienna, 1814-1815 (Foreign Office Historical Section, London, 1919)
- Editor of Britain and the independence of Latin America, 1812-1830 (Ibero-American Institute of Great Britain, London, 1938)
- The art and practice of diplomacy (LSE, London, 1952) online edition
- British Diplomacy, 1813-1815 (G Bell and Sons, London, 1921)
- British Foreign Policy since the Second World War
- The Congress of Vienna, 1814-15, and the Conference of Paris, 1919 (London, 1923)
- The foreign policy of Castlereagh, 1815-1822 (G Bell and Sons, London, 1925)
- The Foreign Policy of Palmerston (1951) online edition
- The founder of the national home (Weizmann Science Press of Israel, 1955)
- The League of Nations in theory and practice (Allen and Unwin, London, 1933)
- The pacification of Europe, 1813-1815 (1922)
- Palmerston, Metternich and the European system, 1830-1841 (Humphrey Milford, London, 1934)
- Sanctions: the use of force in an international organisation (London, 1956)
- Some problems of international organisation (University of Leeds, 1943)
- What the world owes to President Wilson (League of Nations Union, London, 1930)
- The strategic air offensive against Germany, 1939-1945 (HMSO, London, 1961)
- Editor of British diplomatic representatives, 1789-1852 (London, 1934)
- Editor of Some letters of the Duke of Wellington to his brother, William Wellesley-Pole (London, 1948).
External links
- Catalogue of the Webster papers at the Archives Division of the London School of EconomicsLondon School of EconomicsThe London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
.