Thomas Kingston Critchley, (27 January 1916 – 14 July 2009) was an Australian public servant,

diplomat A diplomat (from grc, δίπλωμα; romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state or an intergovernmental institution such as the United Nations or the European Union to conduct diplomacy with one or more other states or internati ...

, author and journalist.

Early life and education

Critchley was born in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a me ...

but grew up at Longueville in Sydney and attended

North Sydney Boys High School North Sydney Boys High School (abbreviated as NSBHS) is a government-funded, single-sex, academically selective secondary day school for boys, located at Crows Nest, on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. In 2022, Nor ...

. He joined the Rural Bank after completing high school and attended the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public university, public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one o ...

by night to study economics.

Career

After the Second World War, Critchley joined the Department of External Affairs as the head of the economic relations section. His first diplomatic role with the department was assisting Australia's representation of Indonesia against the Dutch during the

Indonesian National Revolution The Indonesian National Revolution, or the Indonesian War of Independence, was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between the Republic of Indonesia and the Dutch Empire and an internal social revolution during postwar and postcol ...

. He was on the United Nations Commission for Indonesia between 1947 and 1950 and played a role securing Indonesia's independence from the Dutch. Critchley served as Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia (1955–1965); Ambassador to Thailand (1969–1973); High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea (1974–1978); and Ambassador to Indonesia (1978–1981).

Family and personal life

Critchley's first marriage, to an English Foreign Office employee posted to New Delhi, Joyce Gwendolyn Hew, took place on 9 January 1946 in Delhi. The marriage was witnessed by High Commissioner to India Colin Moodie. Mrs Joyce Critchley followed her husband to Australia in May 1946. Critchley continued to live in single men's quarters in Canberra, Australia, while his wife stayed with his parents in Sydney. Mrs Joyce Critchley filed for divorce on grounds of desertion ivorce case no. 1026 of 1953, Supreme Court of New South Wales Decree Nisi was pronounced on 19 February 1954. Alimony of six pounds sterling a week was granted on 25 February 1955. Mrs Critchley returned to live in the United Kingdom. She rejoined the British Foreign Office in 1950 and was posted to Beirut ffidavit dated 15 September in the divorce proceedings 1026 of 1953 Critchley, a keen surfer, golfer and tennis player, who also played piano, died on 14 July 2009, survived by his wife Susan and their four daughters. Critchley's daughter, Laurie Critchley, is a television producer.

References

1916 births 2009 deaths Ambassadors of Australia to Indonesia Ambassadors of Australia to Thailand High Commissioners of Australia to Malaysia High Commissioners of Australia to Papua New Guinea Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Officers of the Order of Australia People educated at North Sydney Boys High School Australian Army personnel of World War II Australian Army officers Royal Australian Air Force personnel of World War II Royal Australian Air Force airmen {{Australia-writer-stub