Sir Leonard Vincent "Len" Appleyard, KCMG (2 September 1938 – 7 February 2020)[1] was a British diplomat.[2]

Sir Leonard Appleyard
British Ambassador to China
In office
1994–1997
MonarchElizabeth II
PresidentJiang Zemin
Prime MinisterJohn Major
Preceded bySir Robin McLaren
Succeeded bySir Anthony Galsworthy
Personal details
Born(1938-09-02)2 September 1938
Died7 February 2020(2020-02-07) (aged 81)
Spouses
Elizabeth West
(m. 1964⁠–⁠1994)
Joan Jefferson
(m. 1994⁠–⁠2020)
EducationRead School, Drax
Alma materQueens' College, Cambridge
OccupationDiplomat

Education edit

Born in 1938, Appleyard was educated at The Read School, an independent school for boys (now co-educational) in the village of Drax in North Yorkshire, followed by Queens' College at the University of Cambridge, from which he gained a degree (with Honours) in Classical Chinese. He spoke Mandarin, Russian, Hungarian and French.[2]

Career edit

Appleyard served at the British Embassy in the People's Republic of China between 1966 and 1968 (during the country's Cultural Revolution). He served as First Secretary in the British High Commission in India from 1971 to 1974,[3] and later returned to China as ambassador in 1994 until 1997, a period which witnessed the Taiwan Strait Crisis (1995–96) and also the 'handover' of Hong Kong from UK rule to the People's Republic of China.

Appleyard also served as the UK's ambassador to Hungary, in the Treasury, in the Cabinet Office as Deputy Cabinet Secretary, as Secretary of the Gulf War Cabinet, and as Financial Counsellor in Paris.

Following his departure from the diplomatic service, Appleyard took up a position as vice-chairman of Barclays Capital.

Appleyard also served as joint-Chairman on the Nuffield Languages Programme Steering Group along with Sir Trevor McDonald.[4]

He was Pro-Chancellor of Bournemouth University.[5]

He died on 7 February 2020 at the age of 81.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ "Birthdays". The Guardian. Guardian News & Media. 2 September 2014. p. 37.
  2. ^ a b A & C Black (2012). "APPLEYARD, Sir Leonard (Vincent)". Who's Who 2012, online edition. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  3. ^ "RSA - Appleyard KCMG, Sir Leonard". Archived from the original on 30 March 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  4. ^ languages.nuffieldfoundation.org http://languages.nuffieldfoundation.org/languages/programme/steering.asp;. Retrieved 2 April 2010. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)[title missing]
  5. ^ www.bournemouth.ac.uk http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/about/people_at_bu/key_people/pro_chancellors.html;. Retrieved 2 April 2010. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)[title missing]
  6. ^ "APPLEYARD - Deaths Announcements - Telegraph Announcements". announcements.telegraph.co.uk.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Principal Private Secretary
to the Foreign Secretary

1984–1986
Succeeded by
Preceded by British Ambassador
to Hungary

1986–1989
Succeeded by
Preceded by Director, Political of the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office

1991–1994
Succeeded by
Preceded by British Ambassador
to China

1994–1997
Succeeded by