{{Short description|British diplomat and academic administrator (1920–1984)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox office holder | name = Geoffrey Arthur | image = File:Sir Geoffrey George Arthur.jpg | caption = Arthur in 1967 | birth_date = 19 March 1920 | death_date = 15 May 1984 | education = Ashby School | alma_mater = Christ Church, Oxford }}
'''Sir Geoffrey George Arthur''', {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|KCMG}} (19 March 1920 – 15 May 1984) was a British diplomat and academic administrator. After a career in the Foreign Office, he was Master of Pembroke College, Oxford, from 1975 until his death in 1984.
==Early life and education== He was educated at Ashby-de-la-Zouch Grammar School and Christ Church, Oxford.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Sir-Geoffrey-key-figure-negotiating-Middle-East-treaty/story-11585745-detail/story.html |title=Derby Evening Telegraph article |access-date=14 June 2015 |archive-date=15 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150615180252/http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Sir-Geoffrey-key-figure-negotiating-Middle-East-treaty/story-11585745-detail/story.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> His university education was interrupted by war service. He served in Egypt, Iran and Iraq, and on returning to Oxford, transferred from studying classics to Persian and Arabic. He graduated with first class honours.
==Career== He joined the Foreign Office in 1947, serving in Baghdad, Ankara, Cairo and Bonn.<ref>[http://archiveshub.ac.uk/data/gb165-0430 The Sir Geoffrey Arthur archive, held at St Anthony's College, Oxford]</ref> He was Ambassador to Kuwait from 1967 to 1970. From 1970 to 1971, he was the last Political Resident in the Persian Gulf and oversaw the break up of the British territory in the Persian Gulf into the independent states of Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.<ref name="obit - British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies">{{cite journal|last1=Latham|first1=J. Derek|title=Obituary: Sir Geoffrey Arthur (1920-1984)|journal=British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies|date=1985|volume=12|issue=1|pages=119–120|doi=10.1080/13530198508705412|publisher=British Society for Middle Eastern Studies}}<!--|accessdate=7 May 2015--></ref><ref name="obit - Times">{{cite news|title=Obituary: Sir Geoffrey Arthur|work=The Times|issue=61832|date=16 May 1984|page=12}}</ref> His final civil service appointment was as Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee, serving between 1973 and 1975.<ref name="WWW">{{cite web |title=Arthur, Sir Geoffrey (George), (19 March 1920–15 May 1984), HM Diplomatic Service, retired; Master of Pembroke College, Oxford, since 1975 |url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U161554 |website=Who Was Who |publisher=Oxford University Press |accessdate=14 October 2020 |language=en |date=1 December 2007}}</ref>
In 1975, he was elected Master of Pembroke College, Oxford.<ref name="obit - Times" /> He was also on the governing body of Abingdon School from 1978.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.abingdon.org.uk/uploads/school/files/abingdonian/1985_July_V018_N003.pdf#page=15|title=The Amey Hall as an Arts Centre|publisher=The Abingdonian}}</ref>
==Personal life== In 1946, Arthur married Margaret, daughter of T. A. Woodcock (former headteacher of Ashby School). They had no children.<ref name="WWW" />
He died on 15 May 1984, aged 64, after a short illness.<ref name="obit - British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies" /><ref name="WWW" /> A memorial service was held at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford.<ref name="obit - British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies" />
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{NPG name | id= 79564 | name= Sir Geoffrey George Arthur }}
{{s-start}} {{s-aca}} {{succession box | before=Sir George Pickering | title=Master of Pembroke College, Oxford | years=1975–1984 | after=Sir Roger Bannister }} {{s-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Arthur, Geoffrey}} Category:1920 births Category:1984 deaths Category:Military personnel from Leicestershire Category:British military personnel of World War II Category:People from Ashby-de-la-Zouch Category:Masters of Pembroke College, Oxford Category:Chairs of the Joint Intelligence Committee (United Kingdom) Category:Members of HM Diplomatic Service Category:Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Category:Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Category:Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Kuwait Category:Governors of Abingdon School Category:British expatriates in Iraq Category:British expatriates in Turkey Category:British expatriates in Egypt Category:British expatriates in Germany Category:British expatriates in Iran Category:British expatriates in the United Arab Emirates Category:British expatriates in Qatar Category:British expatriates in Bahrain Category:20th-century British diplomats