John Lavett

John Leslie Lavett (18 December 1926 – 22 October 2006) was an Australian public servant and diplomat. He was Australian Ambassador to Burma from 1977 to 1980 and Australian High Commissioner to Kenya from 1980 to 1982. Prior to his diplomatic career he was in the Royal Australian Navy.

John Lavett
Born
John Leslie Lavett

(1926-12-18)18 December 1926
Sydney, New South Wales
Died22 October 2006(2006-10-22) (aged 79)
Canberra
NationalityAustralian
Alma materUniversity of Sydney (BA)
Occupation(s)Public servant, diplomat
Spouses
Lorna Mathie
​
​
(m. 1955; died 1959)​
  • Patricia Louise Scown
ChildrenJohn, Thomas, James, Jennifer
Parent(s)Alma Myrtle Garling and John Kimpton Rowley Lavett

Life and career

Lavett was born on 18 December 1926 in Sydney to Alma and John Lavett.[1]

After completing his secondary schooling at Scotch College, Melbourne, Lavett joined the Royal Australian Navy and was commissioned in 1945. In 1947 he was a Lieutenant aboard LST 3501. He spent several weeks in December 1947 helping to establish a base on Heard Island,[2] which had just been transferred to Australia from the United Kingdom. On the expedition he also visited Macquarie Island. In 1964, Lavett Bluff and Cape Lavett on Macquarie Island were named in his honour.[3]

Lavett joined the Department of External Affairs in 1953.[4][5] His first overseas posting as an officer of the Department began in June 1955 as third secretary at the Australian High Commission in Ottawa.[2][6] He arrived in Canada as a newly-wed, having just married Lorna Mathie of Auburn.[7] Lavett and his wife returned to Canberra in July 1958.[8] Lorna died suddenly at Melbourne in December 1959.[9]

In 1973 Lavett was appointed as assistant secretary heading the West Asia and Middle East Branch in the Department of Foreign Affairs (the External Affairs Department had been renamed Foreign Affairs in 1970).[4]

From 1974 to 1977 Lavett was Deputy High Commissioner of Australia in Port Moresby. His appointment was shortly after the start of self-government in Papua New Guinea.

Lavett was appointed Ambassador to Burma in 1977 and remained in the role until 1980.[10][11][12] Between 1980 and 1982 he was High Commissioner to Kenya.[13]

References
  1. Lavett, Patricia (9 December 2006). "Consummate diplomat with icy background". The Age. The Age Company Limited. p. 15.
  2. Lavett, Pat (7 December 2006). "In from the cold to feel the heat of diplomacy". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 7 February 2016.
  3. "Lavett Bluff". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  4. "Reorganisation completed". The Canberra Times. 23 March 1973. p. 1.
  5. "Nine diplomatic cadets chosen". The Canberra Times. 14 January 1953. p. 4.
  6. "They Will Live In Ottawa". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 May 1955. p. 9.
  7. "Canberra Diary". The Canberra Times. 25 May 1955. p. 4.
  8. "Canberra Diary". The Canberra Times. 23 July 1958. p. 5.
  9. "Deaths". The Canberra Times. 23 December 1959. p. 12.
  10. "Diplomats". The Canberra Times. 28 February 1977. p. 3.
  11. "Diplomatic posts". The Canberra Times. 26 January 1980. p. 3.
  12. "New Ambassador". The Canberra Times. 8 February 1980. p. 3.
  13. "Diplomat". The Canberra Times. 13 December 1981. p. 3.
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