John Jordan (diplomat)
Encyclopedia
Sir John Newell Jordan GCMG
GCIE
KCB
PC
(5 September 1852 – 14 September 1925) was a British
diplomat
.
Jordan was born in Balloo, County Down
, Ireland
, the son of a wealthy Presbyterian farmer. He apparently never lost his Irish accent. He was educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution
, Queen's College, Belfast and Queen's College, Cork. In 1876 he joined the Chinese Consular Service as a student interpreter. He held various posts in South China
before being appointed Chinese Secretary at the British Legation
in Peking in 1891. In 1896 he was appointed Consul-General at Seoul
, Korea
, becoming Chargé d'affaires
in 1898 and Minister-Resident in 1901. He remained there until November 1905, being appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
(KCMG) in 1904.
In 1906 he was appointed HM Envoy Extraordinary
and Minister Plenipotentiary to China
as the successor to Sir Ernest Satow and remained in the post until his retirement in 1920. He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
(KCB) in 1909, Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire
(GCIE) in 1911, and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) in the 1920 Birthday Honours shortly after his retirement. He was also appointed to the Privy Council
in 1915, entitling him to the style "The Right Honourable".
Jordan, despite his retirement, was a delegate to the Washington Naval Conference
of 1921–1922.
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....
GCIE
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
PC
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(5 September 1852 – 14 September 1925) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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...
.
Jordan was born in Balloo, County Down
Balloo, County Down
Balloo is a small village and townland near Killinchy in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is 5 miles south of Comber on the A22 road to Downpatrick. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 159 people...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the son of a wealthy Presbyterian farmer. He apparently never lost his Irish accent. He was educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution
Royal Belfast Academical Institution
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution, is a Grammar School in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Locally referred to as Inst, the school educates boys from ages 11–18...
, Queen's College, Belfast and Queen's College, Cork. In 1876 he joined the Chinese Consular Service as a student interpreter. He held various posts in South China
Northern and southern China
Northern China and southern China are two approximate regions within China. The exact boundary between these two regions has never been precisely defined...
before being appointed Chinese Secretary at the British Legation
Legation
A legation was the term used in diplomacy to denote a diplomatic representative office lower than an embassy. Where an embassy was headed by an Ambassador, a legation was headed by a Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary....
in Peking in 1891. In 1896 he was appointed Consul-General at Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, becoming Chargé d'affaires
Chargé d'affaires
In diplomacy, chargé d’affaires , often shortened to simply chargé, is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents who head a diplomatic mission, either on a temporary basis or when no more senior diplomat has been accredited.-Chargés d’affaires:Chargés d’affaires , who were...
in 1898 and Minister-Resident in 1901. He remained there until November 1905, being appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
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....
(KCMG) in 1904.
In 1906 he was appointed HM Envoy Extraordinary
Envoy (title)
In diplomacy, an Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary is, under the terms of the Congress of Vienna of 1815, a diplomat of the second class, ranking between an Ambassador and a Minister Resident....
and Minister Plenipotentiary to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
as the successor to Sir Ernest Satow and remained in the post until his retirement in 1920. He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(KCB) in 1909, Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
(GCIE) in 1911, and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) in the 1920 Birthday Honours shortly after his retirement. He was also appointed to the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
in 1915, entitling him to the style "The Right Honourable".
Jordan, despite his retirement, was a delegate to the Washington Naval Conference
Washington Naval Conference
The Washington Naval Conference also called the Washington Arms Conference, was a military conference called by President Warren G. Harding and held in Washington from 12 November 1921 to 6 February 1922. Conducted outside the auspices of the League of Nations, it was attended by nine nations...
of 1921–1922.