author
John Fretwell
A British diplomat who spent decades at the center of postwar foreign policy, he became known for his work on European affairs and for serving as ambassador to France. His career combined quiet intelligence with a major role in some of the most important Anglo-French and European relationships of his time.
1 Audiobook
Newfoundland and the Jingoes: An Appeal to England's Honor
by John Fretwell
About the author
Born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, in 1930, Sir John Emsley Fretwell was educated at Chesterfield Grammar School, the University of Lausanne, and King's College, Cambridge. After service in the Royal Regiment of Artillery, he joined the British Diplomatic Service in 1953 and went on to work in places including Hong Kong, Beijing, Moscow, Warsaw, Washington, and London.
Over the years he built a reputation as a thoughtful and skilled official, especially on European matters. He headed the Foreign Office's European Integration Department after Britain joined the European Economic Community, later served as British ambassador to France from 1982 to 1987, and finished his diplomatic career as Political Director and Deputy to the Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
After retiring in 1990, he continued to take on public and advisory roles, including work with the House of Lords and the Franco-British Society. Obituaries described him as an able, understated figure whose career helped shape Britain's relations with Europe at a crucial time.