Francis Stronge
Encyclopedia
Sir Francis William Stronge KCMG (22 November 1856 – 20 August 1924), was a senior British diplomat and the second son of Sir John Calvert Stronge and Lady Margaret Stronge. Sir Francis never inherited the baronetcy but was later knighted in his own right.
, he was educated at Dublin University
and joined the British Army
with a commission in the Royal Tyrone Fusiliers
. He served as sub-lieutenant
in the regiment, resigning his commission in 1876.
Stronge joined the Diplomatic Service in 1879 and served in British embassies in Vienna
, Peking, Constantinople
, Rome
and Athens
. He was appointed Consul General for Hungary
in 1903 and in 1904 was promoted to the post of Councillor of Embassy in Constantinople. From 1906 to 1911 he was Minister General and Consul General in Colombia
. He then served as Minister Plenipotentiary in Mexico
from 1911 until 1913.
During this crucial period in Mexican history, Stronge unfortunately showed more attention to ornithology
than to his diplomacy, ceding his authority to the unscrupulous American Ambassador Henry Lane Wilson
at a conference of foreign ambassadors with President Francisco I. Madero
. As a result of Wilson's machinations, Madero was brought down in la decena trágica
, a bloody coup d'état that brought Victoriano Huerta
to power. Huerta favoured Stronge and asked Lord Cowdray
to use his influence to have Sir Francis retained as Ambassador to Mexico, but he was moved to a new post that year.
From 1913 to 1919 he served as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Santiago, Chile
. He was knighted on 3 June 1915 in recognition of his services, the key one being negotiating the purchase from Chile of two battleship
s, the Almirante Latorre and the Admirante Cochrane
that were building in British yards
for the Chilean Navy. Both ships were then used by the Royal Navy
in World War I
.
On 10 November 1909 he married Maria Elizabeth Fraser of Castleconnell
, daughter of General Sir David Macdowall Fraser. The couple lived at Kilbroney House, Rostrevor
, County Down
, where Stronge died in August 1924.
Biography
Born to a distinguished Irish family in Balleskie, FifeFife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, he was educated at Dublin University
University of Dublin
The University of Dublin , corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin , located in Dublin, Ireland, was effectively founded when in 1592 Queen Elizabeth I issued a charter for Trinity College, Dublin, as "the mother of a university" – this date making it...
and joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
with a commission in the Royal Tyrone Fusiliers
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers was a Irish infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 27th Regiment of Foot and the 108th Regiment of Foot...
. He served as sub-lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
in the regiment, resigning his commission in 1876.
Stronge joined the Diplomatic Service in 1879 and served in British embassies in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Peking, Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. He was appointed Consul General for Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
in 1903 and in 1904 was promoted to the post of Councillor of Embassy in Constantinople. From 1906 to 1911 he was Minister General and Consul General in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. He then served as Minister Plenipotentiary in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
from 1911 until 1913.
During this crucial period in Mexican history, Stronge unfortunately showed more attention to ornithology
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
than to his diplomacy, ceding his authority to the unscrupulous American Ambassador Henry Lane Wilson
Henry Lane Wilson
Henry Lane Wilson was an American diplomat.-Biography:He was born in Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana to Indiana congressman James Wilson and his wife, Emma Wilson; he was the younger brother of John L. Wilson, and had been named for Henry Smith Lane...
at a conference of foreign ambassadors with President Francisco I. Madero
Francisco I. Madero
Francisco Ignacio Madero González was a politician, writer and revolutionary who served as President of Mexico from 1911 to 1913. As a respectable upper-class politician, he supplied a center around which opposition to the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz could coalesce...
. As a result of Wilson's machinations, Madero was brought down in la decena trágica
La decena trágica
The Ten Tragic Days was a series of events that took place in Mexico City between February 9 and February 19, 1913, during the Mexican Revolution. They culminated in a coup d'état and the assassination of President Francisco I...
, a bloody coup d'état that brought Victoriano Huerta
Victoriano Huerta
José Victoriano Huerta Márquez was a Mexican military officer and president of Mexico. Huerta's supporters were known as Huertistas during the Mexican Revolution...
to power. Huerta favoured Stronge and asked Lord Cowdray
Weetman Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray
Weetman Dickinson Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray GCVO, PC , known as Sir Weetman Pearson, Bt, between 1894 and 1910 and as The Lord Cowdray between 1910 and 1917, was a British engineer, oil industrialist, benefactor and Liberal politician...
to use his influence to have Sir Francis retained as Ambassador to Mexico, but he was moved to a new post that year.
From 1913 to 1919 he served as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Santiago, Chile
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
. He was knighted on 3 June 1915 in recognition of his services, the key one being negotiating the purchase from Chile of two battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
s, the Almirante Latorre and the Admirante Cochrane
HMS Eagle (1918)
HMS Eagle was an early aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy. Ordered by Chile as the Almirante Cochrane, she was laid down before World War I. In early 1918 she was purchased by Britain for conversion to an aircraft carrier; this work was finished in 1924...
that were building in British yards
Armstrong Whitworth
Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd was a major British manufacturing company of the early years of the 20th century. Headquartered in Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, Armstrong Whitworth engaged in the construction of armaments, ships, locomotives, automobiles, and aircraft.-History:In 1847,...
for the Chilean Navy. Both ships were then used by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
On 10 November 1909 he married Maria Elizabeth Fraser of Castleconnell
Castleconnell
Castleconnell is a scenic village on the banks of the River Shannon, some from Limerick city and within a few minutes walk of the boundaries with counties Clare and Tipperary....
, daughter of General Sir David Macdowall Fraser. The couple lived at Kilbroney House, Rostrevor
Rostrevor
Rostrevor is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is within the Newry and Mourne District Council area. It lies at the foot of Slieve Martin on the coast of Carlingford Lough. The Kilbroney River flows through the village....
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, where Stronge died in August 1924.