Patrick Shaw (diplomat)

{{Short description|Australian public servant and diplomat}}

{{Use Australian English|date=February 2016}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Sir Patrick Shaw {{post-nominals|country=AUS|CBE}}

| image = Patrick Shaw.jpg

| image_size =

| caption =

| birth_name = Patrick Shaw

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1913|09|18|df=y}}

| birth_place = Kew, Victoria Australia

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1975|12|27|1913|09|18|df=y}}

| death_place = Washington, D.C. United States

| occupation = Public servant, diplomat

| years_active =

| religion =

| website =

| height =

| parents =

| children = Karina, Janet

| alma_mater =

| spouse = {{marriage|Catherine Helen Jeffree|9 April 1938}}

| nationality = Australian

|office = 9th Ambassador of Australia to
the United States

|term_start = 21 February 1974

|term_end = 27 December 1975

|predecessor = James Plimsoll
(Ambassador to the United States of America)

|successor = Gordon Upton

}}

Sir Patrick Shaw {{post-nominals|country=AUS|CBE}} (18 September 1913{{spaced endash}}27 December 1975) was an Australian public servant and diplomat.{{cite AuDB |id=shaw-sir-patrick-11667 |title=Shaw, Sir Patrick (1913–1975) |year=2002 |volume=16 |first=David|last=Lee |access-date=24 October 2022 }}{{cite news|url=http://www.mailtimes.com.au/story/1957820/sexist-baggage-revealed/|title=Sexist baggage revealed|first=Alison|last=Broinowski|author-link=Alison Broinowski|date=7 December 2013|newspaper=The Wimmera Mail-Times|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207071426/http://www.mailtimes.com.au/story/1957820/sexist-baggage-revealed/|archivedate=7 February 2016}}

Shaw joined the Department of External Affairs in 1939.{{cite news|url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/107911266|title=Mr Patrick Shaw to India|date=2 March 1970|newspaper=The Canberra Times|page=1}} He worked in the Department's political section until 1941 when he was sent on his first overseas posting as third secretary in Australia's Tokyo legation. Shaw and other legation staff were taken as prisoners of war when war broke out.{{cite news|url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102194265|newspaper=The Canberra Times|location=ACT|date=29 December 1975|page=3|title=Obituary: Sir Patrick Shaw gave 36 years' service}}

In 1973, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam announced Shaw's appointment as Ambassador to the United States.{{cite news|url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110749455|first=Gay|last=Davidson|date=27 September 1973|page=1|newspaper=The Canberra Times|title=Diplomatic reshuffle announced}} While in the role, Shaw suffered a fatal heart attack. He died on 27 December 1975.{{cite news|url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102194247|title=Ambassador to US dies|date=29 December 1975|page=1|newspaper=The Canberra Times}} Ambassador Shaw's wife, Lady Shaw, was a victim of a street attack in Washington, D.C., for which she received ex gratia remuneration from the United States Government.[https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/document/0014/1075962.pdf#page=16 H.R. 13179: State Department Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1977.] Committee on International Relations, United States House of Representatives. April 12, 1976.[https://www.usagm.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Foreign-Relations-Authorization-Act-FY1977.pdf Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1977.]

Shaw's daughter, Karina Campbell (née Shaw) followed her father in working in the Australian diplomatic service. Karina Campbell joined the then-Department of External Affairs in 1963 and later held a range of senior positions in the Department.