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STAFF IN CONFIDENCE - INDIV
JAMES PATRICK NAN HENNESSY CMG OBE
ANNEX A
Mr Hennessy was born on 26 September 1923 and educated at Bedford and Durham University. Shortly after starting at University, however, he was called up and from 1942-46, he served in the Royal Artillery, rising to the rank of Major. In 1946 he took the Colonial Administrators Services Course in London and Cambridge and joined the HMOCS in Basutoland in 1948.
He there served as Assistant District Officer, District Officer, Judicial Commissioner, District Commissioner and from 1956-59 Secretary of the Constitutional Committee. He supervised the ensuing elections as Supervisor of Elections and then served briefly as Secretary to the Executive Council. From 1960-63 he served as Assistant Secretary on secondment in the High Commission in Pretoria. In 1963-64 he again supervised the elections and from 1964-68 he served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, Defence and Internal Security and Permanent Secretary to the Prime Minister.
In 1968, he entered the Diplomatic Service as a Grade 5A officer, serving in the FCO; first, in Rhodesia Economic Department, and subsequently, in Central African Department. From 1970 to 1972, he served in Montevideo as Head of Chancery, and subsequently as Charge d'Affaires. From 1972 to 1973 he was Assistant Head of FCO's South East Asian Department, and from 1973-76 he was in Kampala as Acting High Commissioner on promotion to DS Grade 4. Since 1977 he has been Consul-General in Cape Town.
He is married with five daughters, the youngest of whom is 18.
In
Mr Hennessy with 20 years of administrative experience has the reputation in the DS of being a good man in a tight spot. Montevideo when the Ambassador was kidnapped, it was Mr Hennessy who took over; he did well in exceedingly difficult circum- stances. In Kampala too he even managed to maintain a working relationship with the mad and dangerous Amin. He has a calm and stable temperament and a pleasant and imposing personality. mind is good if not particularly subtle. These characteristics, together with his HMOCS experience, qualify him well for a Governorship.
His
STAFF IN CONFIDENCE INDIV