Ronald Lindsay

Lindsay was the fifth son of James Lindsay, 26th Earl of Crawford, by Emily Florence Bootle-Wilbraham. David Lindsay, 27th Earl of Crawford, was his elder brother and his maternal grandfather was Colonel the Honourable Edward Bootle-Wilbraham (second son of Edward Bootle-Wilbraham, 1st Baron Skelmersdale).[http://thepeerage.com/p2097.htm#i20962 thepeerage.com Rt. Hon. Sir Ronald Charles Lindsay]

He was educated at Winchester College in Winchester, Hampshire.

Lindsay was appointed Third Secretary in the Diplomatic Service in January 1901,{{London Gazette |issue=27300 |date=29 March 1901 |page=2194}} and advanced to First Secretary in 1911.{{London Gazette |issue=28563 |date=19 December 1911 |page=9562 }} From 1913 to 1919 he was Under-Secretary of Finance for Egypt, and was made a Grand Officer of the Order of the Nile by the Sultan of Egypt in 1915.{{London Gazette |issue=29368 |date=16 November 1915 |page=11320 }} From 1919 to 1920 he was Counsellor of the Embassy in Washington D.C.,[https://web.archive.org/web/20081014062230/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,761143,00.html "New Ambassador"], in Time, 1 May 1939 before being posted as Minister Plenipotentiary to France in September 1920.{{London Gazette |issue=32081 |date=12 October 1920 |page=9886 }} In 1921, he was appointed the Assistant Under-Secretary of State for the Foreign Office, a post he held until 1924. In 1925, he was appointed the Ambassador to Turkey{{London Gazette |issue=33027 |date=6 March 1925 |page=1602 }} and was sworn of the Privy Council later that year.{{London Gazette |issue=33069 |date=24 July 1925 |page=4935 }} In 1926, he moved to become Ambassador to Germany.{{London Gazette |issue=33222 |date=19 November 1926 |page=7475 }} He returned to London in 1928 to become the Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the civil service head of the Foreign Office.

After two years as Permanent Secretary, Lindsay was named as the Ambassador to the United States in November 1929,{{cite news |last1=Woodward |first1=Kathleen |title=Lindsay's Task as Envoy; Sir Ronald Lindsay |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/01/26/96041564.pdf |accessdate=8 November 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=26 January 1930}} and took up the position early the next year.{{London Gazette |issue=33592 |date=28 March 1930 |page=1960 }}[https://web.archive.org/web/20090815032432/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,738110,00.html "Ambassador Ronald"], in Time, 25 November 1929{{cite news |title=Sir Ronald Lindsay Sails. |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/03/13/96069588.pdf |accessdate=8 November 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=13 March 1930}} He was the first ambassador to move into the brand-new British embassy in 1930,{{cite web|title=A History of the Gardens of the Ambassador's Residence, British Embassy, Washington|url= http://washingtonembassygardens.wordpress.com/2014/01/01/the-education-and-career-of-an-embassy-gardener/|work=Landscape of a Washington Place|accessdate=7 January 2014}} and remained in Washington for almost a decade, retiring in June 1939 to be replaced by Lord Lothian.

Lindsay served an extraordinarily long term of nine years as U.S. ambassador, also as the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps from July 1934 to August 1939,{{cite news | title=Deans of the Diplomatic Corps | date= 1 March 2013 | work = Bureau of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of State | url =https://2009-2017.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/93591.htm | accessdate = 24 September 2018 }} his tenure being extended because of his effectiveness as a diplomat and the growing importance of American assistance during the years leading up to World War II.{{cite web|title= The End of the Lindsay Era and the Beginning of the War Years in the Embassy's Gardens.|url= http://washingtonembassygardens.wordpress.com/2014/03/01/the-end-of-the-lindsay-era-and-the-beginning-of-the-war-years-in-the-embassys-gardens/|work=Landscape of a Washington Place|accessdate=28 March 2014}}

His last major official act as ambassador was to host the 1939 Royal Garden Party for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth during the first-ever visit to the United States by a reigning British monarch.{{cite web|title= The Royal Garden Party.|url= http://washingtonembassygardens.wordpress.com/2014/02/09/the-royal-garden-party/|work=Landscape of a Washington Place|accessdate=28 March 2014}}{{cite news |title=DANCE GIVEN HERE FOR ROYAL ESCORT; British Navy Officers Who Came With the King and Queen Entertained AMBASSADOR IS PRESENT Sir Ronald Lindsay Feted by Godfrey Haggards at One of Dinners Before Event |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1939/05/25/93918265.pdf |accessdate=8 November 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=25 May 1939}} The Royal Garden Party at the British embassy was considered the social event of the year in Washington.{{cite web|title= Film footage: The Royal Visit, British Embassy.|url= http://washingtonembassygardens.wordpress.com/2014/02/09/moving-images-the-royal-visit-british-embassy-and-lindsay-era-washington/|work=Landscape of a Washington Place|accessdate=28 March 2014}}{{cite web|title= The Aftermath of the Royal Garden Party.|url= http://washingtonembassygardens.wordpress.com/2014/02/16/the-aftermath-of-the-royal-garden-party/|work=Landscape of a Washington Place|accessdate=28 March 2014}}{{cite news |last1=TIMES |first1=Special to THE NEW YORK |title=Officials Depart to Welcome King; to Aid in Greeting the King and Queen in Washington |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1939/06/07/93924913.pdf |accessdate=8 November 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=7 June 1939}}

Lindsay was appointed a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) in 1908,{{London Gazette |issue=28131 |date=24 April 1908 |page=3077 }} a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1922,{{London Gazette |issue=32716 |date=2 June 1922 |page=4322 }} a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1924,{{London Gazette |issue=33007 |date=30 December 1924 |page=4 }} and a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1926.{{London Gazette |issue=33179 |date=2 July 1926 |page=4405 }}

Lindsay was married twice, both times to Americans; in 1909 to Martha Cameron, daughter of J. Donald Cameron (a U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania and the 32nd Secretary of War) and his wife Elizabeth Sherman Cameron;{{cite news |title=DON CAMERON DIES; 20 YEARS A SENATOR; Once Republican Leader of Pennsylvania, Aged 85, Spent Last Days on His Farm. GRANT'S WAR SECRETARY In Business He Started as Clerk in His Father's Bank—His $4,000,000 Estate in Trust. Mme. Helen von Doenhoff. |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/08/31/97023154.pdf |accessdate=8 November 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=31 August 1918}} and after his first wife's death in April 1918, he married prominent landscape gardener Elizabeth Sherman Hoyt, daughter of Colgate Hoyt, in 1924.{{cite news |last1=Times |first1=Special to The New York |title=Lady Lindsay |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1954/09/04/83777980.pdf |accessdate=8 November 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=4 September 1954}} Both wives were grandnieces of William Tecumseh Sherman. There were no children from either marriage.

Lindsay died in Bournemouth in August 1945, aged 68.{{cite news |last1=Times |first1=The New York |title=RONALD LINDSAY, DIPLOMAT, IS DEAD; British Ambassador to U.S. From 1930 to 1939 Stricken in Bournemouth at 68 SERVED IN STORMY PERIOD Helped Build Anglo-American Unity Against Axis—Held Posts at Berlin, Paris |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1945/08/23/113128290.pdf |accessdate=8 November 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=23 August 1945}} Lady Lindsay died in September 1954, aged 68.{{cite web|title= The Education and Career of an Embassy Gardner.|url= http://washingtonembassygardens.wordpress.com/2014/01/01/the-education-and-career-of-an-embassy-gardener/|work=Landscape of a Washington Place|accessdate=7 January 2014}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• Spinzia, Raymond E. and Judith A. Long Island's Prominent North Shore Families: Their Estates and Their Country Homes. vol. I. College Station, TX, 2006

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{{succession box | before=Sir William Tyrrell | title=Permanent Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs | years=1928–30 | after=Sir Robert Vansittart }}

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Category:1877 births

Category:1945 deaths

Category:People educated at Winchester College

Category:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to the United States

Category:Deans of the Diplomatic Corps to the United States

Category:Members of HM Diplomatic Service

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Category:Younger sons of earls

Category:Permanent Under-Secretaries of State for Foreign Affairs

Category:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Germany

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Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George

Category:Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order

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Category:20th-century British diplomats