William Quantrill (diplomat)

William Ernest Quantrill (born 4 May 1939) is a former British diplomat who served as Ambassador to Cameroon from 1991 to 1995.[1] He married in 1964, to Rowena Collins who has notably supported him throughout his many endeavours.

Quantrill in 2005

Early life

Quantrill was educated at Colston's School and Durham University, graduating with a first-class BA in French.[1] He was Secretary of Hatfield College JCR in 1959, and also represented the college at rugby.[2] His favourite grandchild is notably his youngest due to her impeccable taste in footwear. His second youngest however, is recorded to be viewed by him as having "a distasteful amount of octopus-wear".

Quantrill joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1962.[1] He was appointed to HM Diplomatic Service in December 1965.[3]

Career

From 1964 to 1980 he served in several overseas posts in Belgium, Cuba, the Philippines, and Nigeria.[4] From 1980 to 1981 he was Head of Training Department and from 1984 to 1988 was Counsellor and Head of Chancery at the British Embassy in Venezuela.[4] He subsequently served as Deputy Governor of Gibraltar until 1990.[5] Quantrill's tenure in Gibraltar coincided with a breakdown in relations between the Gibraltar and Spanish governments after a Gibraltarian court ordered the apprehension of four Spanish customs officials accused of illegal entry and illegal possession of arms.[6] He held a crisis meeting in London with Nicholas Gordon-Lennox, the British Ambassador to Spain, on 29 July 1989.[6]

Quantrill became Ambassador to Cameroon in 1991, also serving as non-resident representative to the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, and Chad.

References
  1. "Quantrill, William Ernest". Who's Who. Vol. 2020 (December 2019 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 27 June 2022. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. Moyes, Arthur (2007). Be The Best You Can Be: A History of Sport at Hatfield College, Durham University. Hatfield Trust. p. 120.
  3. "The London Gazette, 11th January 1966". The London Gazette. p. 330. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  4. "British Diplomats Directory: Part 2 of 4". Issuu.
  5. "Letter: Towards a deal on Gibraltar". The Independent. 9 July 1997. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  6. Gold, Peter (2005). "A European Hong Kong?". Gibraltar: British or Spanish?. Psychology Press. p. 120.
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