Tom Critchley

{{Short description|Australian public servant and journalist (1916–2009)}} {{Use Australian English|date=February 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Tom Critchley | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100|AO|CBE}} | image = | caption = | office = Australian Ambassador to Indonesia | term_start = 1978 | term_end = 1981 | monarch = Elizabeth II | prime_minister = Malcolm Fraser | predecessor = Richard Woolcott | successor = Rawdon Dalrymple | office2 = Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea | term_start2 = 1974 | term_end2 = 1978 | monarch2 = Elizabeth II | prime_minister2 = Gough Whitlam (1974–75) Malcolm Fraser (1975–78) | predecessor2 = Les Johnson | successor2 = Gerry Nutter | office3 = Australian Ambassador to Thailand | term_start3 = 1969 | term_end3 = 1973 | monarch3 = Elizabeth II | prime_minister3 = John Gorton (1969–71) William McMahon (1971–72) Gough Whitlam (1972–73) | predecessor3 = David McNicol | successor3 = D.C. Goss | office4 = Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia | term_start4 = 1955 | term_end4 = 1965 | monarch4 = Elizabeth II | prime_minister4 = Sir Robert Menzies | predecessor4 = ''Position established'' | successor4 = Allan Eastman | birth_date = {{Birth date|1916|01|27|df=y}} | birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria | death_date = {{Death date and age|2009|07|14|1916|01|27|df=y}} | death_place = Sydney, New South Wales | spouse = {{marriage| Joyce Gwendolyn Hews| Jan 1946| Feb 1954}} {{marriage|Susan Cappell|1962|14 July 2009}} | relations = | profession = | alma_mater = University of Sydney | awards = Officer of the Order of Australia Commander of the Order of the British Empire  | nickname = | allegiance = Australia | branch = Royal Australian Air Force (1941) Second Australian Imperial Force (1941–44) | service_years = 1941–1944 | rank = Lieutenant | unit = | commands = | battles = Second World War }} '''Thomas Kingston Critchley''', {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100|sep=,|AO|CBE}} (27 January 1916 – 14 July 2009) was an Australian public servant, diplomat, author and journalist.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://indonesia.embassy.gov.au/jakt/MR09_065.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150324031306/http://www.indonesia.embassy.gov.au/jakt/MR09_065.html|archivedate=24 March 2015|title=Death of Great Australian Diplomat|date=28 July 2009|first=Bill|last=Farmer|author-link=Bill Farmer (public servant)}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/08/22/tom-critchley-defender-indonesia%E2%80%99s-independence.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630145826/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/08/22/tom-critchley-defender-indonesia%E2%80%99s-independence.html|archivedate=30 June 2015|title=Tom Critchley: Defender of Indonesia's independence|newspaper=The Jakarta Post|date=22 August 2009|first=Sabam P.|last=Siagian}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/supported-asian-independence-20090724-dw8p.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909161909/http://www.theage.com.au/national/supported-asian-independence-20090724-dw8p.html|archivedate=9 September 2015|newspaper=The Age|publisher=Fairfax Media|date=25 July 2009|title=Supported Asian independence|first=Tony|last=Stephens}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article105874055|title=Critchley honoured|date=22 November 1965|page=1|newspaper=The Canberra Times|location=ACT}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article105873244|title=Replacing Mr Critchley: Transfer leaves diplomatic void|newspaper=The Canberra Times|location=ACT|date=17 November 1965|page=15}}</ref>

==Early life and education== Critchley was born in Melbourne but grew up at Longueville in Sydney and attended North Sydney Boys High School.<ref name=Trailblazer>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/comment/obituaries/trailblazer-in-southeast-asia-20090723-duu3.html|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|publisher=Fairfax Media|date=24 July 2009|first=Tony|last=Stephens|title=Trailblazer in South-East Asia|archivedate=7 February 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207061111/http://www.smh.com.au/comment/obituaries/trailblazer-in-southeast-asia-20090723-duu3.html}}</ref> He joined the Rural Bank after completing high school and attended the University of Sydney by night to study economics.

==Career== After the Second World War, Critchley joined the Department of External Affairs as the head of the economic relations section.<ref name=Trailblazer/> His first diplomatic role with the department was assisting Australia's representation of Indonesia against the Dutch during the Indonesian National Revolution. He was on the United Nations Commission for Indonesia between 1947 and 1950 and played a role securing Indonesia's independence from the Dutch.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2009/fa-s090824b.html|first=Stephen|last=Smith|author-link=Stephen Smith (Australian politician)|date=24 August 2009|archivedate=4 March 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304211433/http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2009/fa-s090824b.html|url-status=live|accessdate=5 February 2017|publisher=Australian Government|title=T.K. (Tom) Critchley AO CBE}}</ref>

Critchley served as Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia (1955–1965); Ambassador to Thailand (1969–1973); High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea (1974–1978); and Ambassador to Indonesia (1978–1981).

==Personal life==

Critchley's first marriage, to an English Foreign Office employee posted to New Delhi, Joyce Gwendolyn Hew, took place on 9 January 1946 in Delhi.{{citation needed|date=April 2026}} The marriage was witnessed by High Commissioner to India Colin Moodie. Mrs Joyce Critchley followed her husband to Australia in May 1946. Critchley and Hew divorced in 1954.{{citation needed|date=April 2026}}

Critchley, a keen surfer, golfer and tennis player, who also played piano, died on 14 July 2009, survived by his wife Susan and their four daughters.<ref name=Trailblazer/>

Critchley's daughter, Laurie Critchley, is a television producer.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/the-embassy-tv-series-reveals-just-how-badly-australians-can-behave-abroad-20141011-114bjb.html|title=The Embassy TV series reveals just how badly Australians can behave abroad|first=Paul|last=Kalina|date=16 October 2014|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|publisher=Fairfax Media|archivedate=25 October 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025124440/http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/the-embassy-tv-series-reveals-just-how-badly-australians-can-behave-abroad-20141011-114bjb.html|url-status=live|accessdate=29 January 2017}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-dip}} {{s-new|reason=Position established}} {{s-ttl|title=Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia|years=1955–1965}} {{s-aft|after=Allan Eastman}} {{s-bef|before=David McNicol}} {{s-ttl|title=Australian Ambassador to Thailand|years=1969–1973}} {{s-aft|after=D.C. Goss}} {{s-bef|before=Les Johnson}} {{s-ttl|title=Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea|years=1974–1978}} {{s-aft|after=Gerry Nutter}} {{s-bef|before=Richard Woolcott}} {{s-ttl|title=Australian Ambassador to Indonesia|years=1978–1981}} {{s-aft|after=Rawdon Dalrymple}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Critchley, Tom}} Category:1916 births Category:2009 deaths Category:Ambassadors of Australia to Indonesia Category:Ambassadors of Australia to Thailand Category:High commissioners of Australia to Malaysia Category:High commissioners of Australia to Papua New Guinea Category:Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Officers of the Order of Australia Category:People educated at North Sydney Boys High School Category:Australian Army personnel of World War II Category:Australian Army officers Category:Royal Australian Air Force personnel of World War II Category:Royal Australian Air Force airmen Category:20th-century Australian diplomats Category:University of Sydney alumni