Quick Facts
Biography
Sir Nicholas Roderick O'Conor GCB, GCMG, PC (Irish: Nioclás Ruairí Ó Conchobhair Donn; County Roscommon, Ireland,1843 - Constantinople, Turkey, 19 March 1908) was a British diplomat. At his death, Sir Nicholas was the British Ambassador to Turkey.
O'Conor, the youngest of three sons was born in Dundermott, County Roscommon in 1843, and was educated at Stoneyhurst College.
Early Life
Born to Patrick A. C. O'Conor and Jane Ffrench. His mother's family the Baron de Freyne where also a well known land owning Family in county Roscommon. Born Into a cadet branch of the Catholic O'Conor Don Family of County Roscommon. He grew up on his Family estate Dun Dermot on the Roscommon/County Galway
Career
O'Conor entered the diplomatic service in 1866. In his early years, he was attached to the Embassy in Berlin, achieving the rank of Third Secretary in 1870. He served as Secretary at the Hague, Madrid. Rio de Janeiro, and Paris. He was Secretary and Chargé d'Affaires at Peking and Washington, Political Agent and Consul-General in Bulgaria.
Head of Mission
O'Conor's first ministerial appointment was at the British Legation at Peking.
- 1892: In Seoul, O'Conor was the British Minister to the Empire of Korea.
- 1895: In St. Petersburg, he was Ambassador of His Britannic Majesty in the Imperial court of the Russian Czar.
- 1898: In Constantinople, he was Ambassador to the Court of the Sublime Porte of the Ottoman Empire.
In 1896 O'Conor was made a Privy Counsellor
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Frank Lascelles | British Ambassador to Russia 1896 – 1898 | Succeeded by Charles Stewart Scott |
| Preceded by Philip Currie | Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire 1898 – 1908 | Succeeded by Sir Gerard Augustus Lowther, 1st Baronet |
Family
He was married to Minna Margaret Hope-Scott, daughter of James Robert Hope-Scott, Q.C. (1812–1873) and Lady Victoria Hope-Scott (1840–1870).
In 1918, at the Brompton Oratory, his daughter Eileen (1897-1963) married Prince Matyla Ghyka (1881–1965) of Romania.