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Walter Ralph Durie Beckett

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British diplomat (1864-1917)
Walter Ralph Durie BeckettCMG
Beckett ca.1905
Born24 August 1864
Agra
Died19 September 1917 (aged 53)
Batavia
NationalityBritish
OccupationDiplomat
Years active1886-1917

Walter Ralph Durie Beckett CMG (24 August 1864 – 19 September 1917) was a British diplomat who served in Siam and the Dutch East Indies.

Early life and education

Son of W. H. Beckett, who served in the Indian Military Works, Walter Ralph Durie Beckett was born on 24 August 1864 in Agra, India. He was educated at Tonbridge School and Scoones's in London. After competitive examination, he was appointed Student Interpreter in Siam.

Career

In 1886, Beckett went to Siam as a Student Interpreter in the consular service, was promoted to Second Assistant in 1888, and to First Assistant in 1891. In 1893, he was appointed Vice-Consul, Bangkok, and for three years directed the affairs of the Consulate, acting on several occasions between 1894 and 1896 as Consul. In 1899, he was appointed Acting Consul at Chiang Mai, and a year later was promoted to Consul of Chiang Mai District.

In 1895, he was sent by the British government on a mission to Trengganu and Kelantan after the British government asked Siam to help capture Malay rebels from Pahang who had fled and were seeking refuge in the states. After meeting with the rulers of the two states with Hugh Clifford, British Resident of Pahang, they agreed to provide assistance, and as a result many of the rebels were captured.

In 1903, he was transferred to Bangkok with the appointment of First Secretary at the Embassy, and on several occasions acted as Chargé d'Affaires. He was involved in the implementation of the terms of the Anglo-Siamese Treaty (1909) which affected the status of British nationals in the kingdom. On 1 July 1913, he was appointed Consul-General. Later that year, he was transferred to Batavia as Consul-General for the Dutch East Indies, where he died while in service on 19 September 1917.

Personal life

Beckett married twice, first to Ivy Nina Goring in London in 1911, and then to Ellen Margaret Terry in Batavia in 1914. He was a founder member of the Siam Society established in 1904, serving as its first president, and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. He was a keen sportsman who regularly played cricket for Bangkok.

Honours

Beckett was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1909 Birthday Honours.

References

  1. "The London Gazette 2 March 1886" (PDF). www.gbps.org.uk.
  2. ^ Wright, Arnold; Breakspear, Oliver T. (1908). Twentieth century impressions of Siam: its history, people, commerce, industries, and resources. University of California Libraries. London Lloyds Greater Britain Publishing Company, Ltd. p. 102.
  3. ^ "The Late Mr. W. R. D. Beckett". Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle. 28 September 1917. p. 7.
  4. "In Days of Yore". Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle. 22 September 1913. p. 10.
  5. "British Subjects in Siam. Charge D'Affaires Explains the New Conditions". The Straits Budget. 22 July 1909. p. 4.
  6. "Marriage of Mr. W. R. D. Beckett". The Straits Times. 4 February 1911. p. 8.
  7. "The marriage". The Straits Echo (Mail Edition). 31 December 1914. p. 1809.
  8. "About Us". thesiamsociety. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  9. "Death of Mr. W. R. D. Beckett". The Straits Times. 19 September 1917. p. 8.
  10. "Cricket". The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. 5 January 1909. p. 5.
  11. "The Birthday Honours". Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle. 25 June 1909. p. 5.
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