Donald Maitland

Sir Donald James Dundas Maitland GCMG OBE (16 August 1922 – 22 August 2010) was a senior British diplomat. He served as British Prime Minister Edward Heath's press secretary 1970 to 1974.[1][2]

Sir Donald Maitland GCMG OBE
Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations
In office 1973–1974
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Preceded by	Colin Crowe
Succeeded by	Ivor Richard, Baron Richard
Downing Street Press Secretary
In office 1970–1973
Prime Minister	Edward Heath
Preceded by	Joe Haines
Succeeded by	Robin Haydon
Personal details
Born	Donald James Dundas Maitland 16 August 1922 Edinburgh, Scotland
Died	22 August 2010 (aged 88)
Spouse(s)	Jean Young ​ (m. 1950)​
Children	2
Education	George Watson's College
Alma mater	University of Edinburgh

Early life

Donald was the son of Thomas Maitland. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and educated at George Watson's College and the University of Edinburgh.[1]

Career

Maitland joined the Foreign Service in 1947.

After serving as Heath's press secretary, he was appointed as Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations.

Maitland's expertise was in the Middle East where he served during World War II. Between 1956 and 1960 he was Director of the Middle East Centre for Arab Studies, Lebanon. In 1967 he became Principal Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary and later Ambassador to Libya.

In June 1980 he was appointed Permanent Secretary at the Department of Energy, until his retirement from the civil service in December 1982.[1]

He was appointed OBE in 1960, CMG in 1967, knighted in 1973 and appointed GCMG in 1977.[3] In 1995, he was awarded an Honorary Degree (Doctor of Laws) by the University of Bath,[4] and was their pro-chancellor from 1997 to 2000.

Personal life

Maitland lived between Bath and Bradford on Avon. He married Jean Young in 1950, and had a son and a daughter.[5]

References

1. "Obituary: Sir Donald Maitland". Daily Telegraph. 25 August 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
2. A & C Black (2010). "MAITLAND, Sir Donald (James Dundas)". Who Was Who, online edition. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
3. Campbell, Alan (26 August 2010). "Sir Donald Maitland obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
4. "Honorary Graduates 1989 to present". bath.ac.uk. University of Bath. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
5. "Obituary: Sir Donald MaitlandRetired diplomat and civil servant Sir Donald Maitland dies". Bath Chronicle. 27 August 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2010.

External links

• Interview with Sir Donald James Dundas Maitland & transcript, British Diplomatic Oral History Programme, Churchill College, Cambridge, 1997