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British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

The British Diplomatic Oral History Programme records the recollections of former diplomats. Through these oral histories, which are conserved at the Churchill Archives Centre, the Programme aims to go behind the official documents to explore how diplomats experienced significant events as well as providing valuable insights into the daily workings of diplomacy. Highlighted here are the transcripts of oral history recordings with former diplomats.

Showing 1 - 50 of 242 Records

Transcript of interview: Andrew McHallam

Reference Code:: DOHP 243

Date:: 2025 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Charles Humfrey

Reference Code:: DOHP 235

Date:: 2024 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Sir William Patey

Reference Code:: DOHP 242

Date:: 2024-2025 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: George Fergusson

Reference Code:: DOHP 236

Date:: 2024 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Christopher Segar

Reference Code:: DOHP 241

Date:: 2024 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: John Rankin

Reference Code:: DOHP 234

Date:: 2024 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Robert Culshaw

Reference Code:: DOHP 239

Date:: 2024 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Heather Thomsett

Reference Code:: DOHP 240

Date:: 2024 (creation)

Description:: Interview with Heather Thomsett (née Auchterlonie), on her work in the Foreign Secretary's Private Office from 1943 to 1947, on subjects including: the Foreign Office during wartime; working with [Robert] Anthony Eden, Foreign Secretary [later 1st Lord Avon] and others such as Sir Alexander Cadogan [Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs], 1st Lord Halifax [earlier Edward Wood and Lord Irwin, British Ambassador to the United States] and Ernest Bevin, Foreign Secretary; the Yalta Conference, 1945; the San Francisco Conference [on the United Nations], 1945.

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Gavin Hewitt

Reference Code:: DOHP 231

Date:: 2023 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Sir Geoffrey Adams

Reference Code:: DOHP 228

Date:: 2023 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Sir Laurence Bristow

Reference Code:: DOHP 237

Date:: 2023-2024 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Derek Marsh

Reference Code:: DOHP 229

Date:: 2023 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Sir Michael Arthur

Reference Code:: DOHP 233

Date:: 2023 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Alison Rose

Reference Code:: DOHP 227

Date:: 2023 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Sir Stephen Gomersall

Reference Code:: DOHP 222

Date:: 2023 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Lord Levy

Reference Code:: DOHP 224

Date:: 2023 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Sir Christopher Hum

Reference Code:: DOHP 238

Date:: 2023-2024 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Ian Whitting

Reference Code:: DOHP 221

Date:: 2023 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Vivien Life

Reference Code:: DOHP 230

Date:: 2023 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Sir Stephen Brown

Reference Code:: DOHP 226

Date:: 2023 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Denis Keefe

Reference Code:: DOHP 223

Date:: 2023 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: David Barrie

Reference Code:: DOHP 220

Date:: 2023 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Peter Collecott

Reference Code:: DOHP 232

Date:: 2023 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Sir David Reddaway

Reference Code:: DOHP 213

Date:: 2022 (creation)

Description:: David Reddaway was born 26 April 1953, the son of George Frank Norman Reddaway, CBE and Jean Reddaway, OBE (née Brett). He was educated at Oundle School (Scholar.) and Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge (Exhibitioner; MA History). In 1981 he married (1st), Roshan Taliyeh Firouz (marriage dissolved 2019), having two sons and one daughter; and (2nd), 2020, Gabrielle O’Driscoll. Reddaway joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1975 and his diplomatic career included: language student, SOAS, 1976 and Iran, 1977; Tehran: Third Secretary, later Second Secretary (Commercial), 1977–78; Second Secretary. later First Secretary (Chancery), 1978–80; First Secretary: (Chancery), Madrid [Spain], 1980–84; FCO, 1985–86; Private Secretary to Minister of State, 1986–88; (Chancery), New Delhi [India], 1988–90; Chargé d’Affaires, Tehran, 1990–93 (Counsellor, 1991); Minister, Buenos Aires [Argentina], 1993–97; Head, Southern European Department, FCO, 1997–99; Director, Public Services, FCO, 1999–2001; UK Special Representative for Afghanistan, 2002; Visiting Fellow, Harvard University, 2002–03; High Commissioner, Canada, 2003–06; Ambassador: to Ireland, 2006–09; to Turkey, 2009–14.

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Thorhilda Abbott-Watt

Reference Code:: DOHP 212

Date:: 2022 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Sir Richard Stagg

Reference Code:: DOHP 218

Date:: 2022 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Sheila Lyall Grant

Reference Code:: DOHP 216

Date:: 2022 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Ian Hay-Campbell

Reference Code:: DOHP 217

Date:: 2022 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: James Bowden

Reference Code:: DOHP 219

Date:: 2022 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Pamela Gordon

Reference Code:: DOHP 214

Date:: 2022 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Recollections of Jeremy Varcoe CMG

Reference Code:: DOHP 202

Date:: 2021 (creation)

Description:: This is an edited version of a personal memoir which Jeremy Varcoe wrote for his family.

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Sir Robin Christopher

Reference Code:: DOHP 215

Date:: 2021 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Memoir: Mark Elliott

Reference Code:: DOHP 207

Date:: 2021 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Sir John Grant

Reference Code:: DOHP 209

Date:: 2021 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Robert Gordon

Reference Code:: DOHP 211

Date:: 2021-2022 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Dame Audrey Glover

Reference Code:: DOHP 204

Date:: 2021 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Lord McDonald of Salford

Reference Code:: DOHP 199

Date:: 2021 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Patrick Nixon

Reference Code:: DOHP 203

Date:: 2021 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Edward Chaplin

Reference Code:: DOHP 201

Date:: 2021 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Ann Grant

Reference Code:: DOHP 205

Date:: 2021 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Alan Charlton

Reference Code:: DOHP 210

Date:: 2021 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Edward Glover

Reference Code:: DOHP 208

Date:: 2021 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Sir David Warren

Reference Code:: DOHP 200

Date:: 2020 (creation)

Collection:: British Diplomatic Oral History Programme

Transcript of interview: Dame Denise Holt

Reference Code:: DOHP 198

Date:: 2020 (creation)

Description:: Denise Holt was born on 1 October 1949, the daughter of William Dennis and Mary Joanna Mills; she was educated at New Hall School, Chelmsford [Essex] and the University of Bristol. In 1987 she married David Holt, having one son. She joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1970 and her diplomatic career included: Research Analyst, initially on the Iberian desk, 1970–84; First Secretary, Dublin [Ireland], 1984–87; Head of Section, FCO, 1988–90; First Secretary, Brasilia [Brazil], 1991–93; Deputy Head, Eastern Department, FCO, 1993–94; Assistant Director, Personnel, 1996–98; Deputy Head of Mission, Dublin, 1998–99; Director of Personnel, FCO, 1999–2002; Ambassador to Mexico, 2002–05; Director for Migration and Overseas Territories, FCO, 2005–07; Ambassador to Spain, 2007–09.