John de Courcy Ling
Encyclopedia
John de Courcy Ling CBE
(October 14, 1933 – November 10, 2005) was a British
diplomat, farmer, politician and writer. His Roman Catholic faith contributed to making him a strong internationalist who believed in overseas aid.
, and of Veronica de Courcy, of Painestown, County Kildare
, and was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham
followed by Clare College, Cambridge
where he received his BA degree in 1955. Although Cambridge graduates are entitled to proceed to the degree of Master of Arts after passing nine terms, he did not collect his MA until 1981. He married the half-Canadian
Jennifer Rosemary Haynes in 1959; the couple had a son (Adam) and three daughters (Julia, Tricia and Kate). Julia married Michael Iain Wigan Adam married Clare and they have had three children; the Harriet, Mark and Patrick.
as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Ulster Rifles
from 1956, and served as a Lieutenant on active service in Cyprus
from 1957 to 1958. On being demobilised he entered the Diplomatic Service and was the resident Deputy Middle Eastern Secretary at the Foreign Office in 1959. Following the usual Diplomatic Service practice of alternating postings in Whitehall with those in foreign embassies, he was private secretary to Ministers of State for Foreign Affairs, Lord Harlech
and Joseph Godber
from 1961 to 1963, and then Second Secretary at the embassy in Santiago
from 1963 to 1966.
embassy in 1966, Ling served three years before returning to the Rhodesia Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1969. He transferred to the American Department in 1970 and became Assistant Head of the West African Department in 1971. His final postings were as Chargé d'Affaires at Chad
in 1973, and then as Counsellor in Paris
from 1974 to 1977. During this time he also became involved in managing farms at Henley
and later a farm he inherited from his mother at Painestown.
. His experience in Paris and with the Foreign Office had made him a pro-European and he was elected as a Member of the European Parliament
for Midlands Central in 1979. He served as Chief Whip for the Conservative Group for four years and chaired the EU Parliamentary Delegation to Israel
from 1979 to 1983. He was Vice-Chairman of the Development Aid Committee from 1984 until 1987; he was defeated for re-election in 1989.
De Courcy Ling had previously served as a Member of the Council of Lloyds of London from 1986 to 1988, and continued to be a member of the Catholic Bishops' Committee on Europe (to which he had been appointed in 1983) until 2001. He wrote for publications such as The Tablet
and the Sunday Times
, as well as books on the decline of empire and African famine. He was appointed CBE in 1990.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(October 14, 1933 – November 10, 2005) 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, farmer, politician and writer. His Roman Catholic faith contributed to making him a strong internationalist who believed in overseas aid.
Family and personal life
De Courcy Ling was the son of Arthur Norman Ling, of WarwickWarwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
, and of Veronica de Courcy, of Painestown, County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
, and was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham
King Edward's School, Birmingham
King Edward's School is an independent secondary school in Birmingham, England, founded by King Edward VI in 1552. It is part of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham, and is widely regarded as one of the most academically successful schools in the country, according to...
followed by Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...
where he received his BA degree in 1955. Although Cambridge graduates are entitled to proceed to the degree of Master of Arts after passing nine terms, he did not collect his MA until 1981. He married the half-Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Jennifer Rosemary Haynes in 1959; the couple had a son (Adam) and three daughters (Julia, Tricia and Kate). Julia married Michael Iain Wigan Adam married Clare and they have had three children; the Harriet, Mark and Patrick.
Early career
De Courcy Ling served his National ServiceNational service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Ulster Rifles
Royal Ulster Rifles
The Royal Ulster Rifles was a British Army infantry regiment. It saw service in the Second Boer War, Great War, the Second World War and the Korean War, before being amalgamated into the Royal Irish Rangers in 1968.-History:...
from 1956, and served as a Lieutenant on active service in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
from 1957 to 1958. On being demobilised he entered the Diplomatic Service and was the resident Deputy Middle Eastern Secretary at the Foreign Office in 1959. Following the usual Diplomatic Service practice of alternating postings in Whitehall with those in foreign embassies, he was private secretary to Ministers of State for Foreign Affairs, Lord Harlech
David Ormsby-Gore, 5th Baron Harlech
William David Ormsby-Gore, 5th Baron Harlech KCMG PC , known as David Ormsby-Gore until 1964, was a British diplomat and Conservative Party politician.-Early life:...
and Joseph Godber
Joseph Godber
Joseph Bradshaw Godber, Baron Godber of Willington PC was a British Conservative Party politician and cabinet minister.-Background:...
from 1961 to 1963, and then Second Secretary at the embassy in Santiago
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...
from 1963 to 1966.
Senior diplomatic posts
Promoted to First Secretary at the NairobiNairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
embassy in 1966, Ling served three years before returning to the Rhodesia Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1969. He transferred to the American Department in 1970 and became Assistant Head of the West African Department in 1971. His final postings were as Chargé d'Affaires at Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
in 1973, and then as Counsellor in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
from 1974 to 1977. During this time he also became involved in managing farms at Henley
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in South Oxfordshire, England, about 10 miles downstream and north-east from Reading, 10 miles upstream and west from Maidenhead...
and later a farm he inherited from his mother at Painestown.
Political involvement
Following his resignation from the Diplomatic Service, Ling entered politics as a ConservativeConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. His experience in Paris and with the Foreign Office had made him a pro-European and he was elected as a Member of the European Parliament
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
for Midlands Central in 1979. He served as Chief Whip for the Conservative Group for four years and chaired the EU Parliamentary Delegation to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
from 1979 to 1983. He was Vice-Chairman of the Development Aid Committee from 1984 until 1987; he was defeated for re-election in 1989.
De Courcy Ling had previously served as a Member of the Council of Lloyds of London from 1986 to 1988, and continued to be a member of the Catholic Bishops' Committee on Europe (to which he had been appointed in 1983) until 2001. He wrote for publications such as The Tablet
The Tablet
The Tablet is a Catholic international weekly review published in London. Contributors to its pages have included Evelyn Waugh, Graham Greene, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Paul VI ....
and the Sunday Times
The Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
, as well as books on the decline of empire and African famine. He was appointed CBE in 1990.
Source
- The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
: 17 November 2005