Walter Robert (Robin) Haydon

Sir

Robin Haydon

Order of St Michael and St George

British Ambassador to Ireland
In office
21 July 1976 – 1980
Monarch| Elizabeth II
Prime Minister| James Callaghan
Preceded by| Christopher Ewart-Biggs
Succeeded by| Leonard Figg
Downing Street Press Secretary
In office
1973–1974
Prime Minister| Edward Heath
Preceded by| Donald Maitland
Succeeded by| Joe Haines (journalist)
Personal details
Born|

Walter Robert Haydon

(1920-05-29)29 May 1920
Died| 1 December 1999(1999-12-01) (aged 79)
Spouse(s)|

Joan Elizabeth Tewson (m. 1943)

Children| 3
Education| Dover Grammar School for Boys
Military service
Allegiance| United Kingdom
Branch/service| British Army
Years of service| 1939–1945
Rank| Lieutenant
Unit| Royal Artillery
V Force
Battles/wars| World War II

Sir Walter Robert Haydon (born 29 May 1920) always known as Robin, was a British former political aide, diplomat and ambassador who served as Downing Street Press Secretary under Edward Heath from 1973 to 1974.[1]

## Contents

* 1 Early life
* 2 Career
* 3 Personal life
* 4 References
* 5 External links

## Early life[edit]

Robin Haydon was born in Wandsworth and educated at Dover Grammar School for Boys.[2][3] He had hoped to follow in his father's (also called Walter) footsteps as a journalist, but at the outbreak of the World War II in 1939 he enlisted with the British army and would eventually be posted to India where he served behind enemy lines in Myanmar.

## Career[edit]

After the war in 1946 he joined the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and after a number of postings, including public relations officer to the British Mission to the United Nations in New York in 1961, he eventually became the High commissioner (Commonwealth) for Malawi and then Malta, a position he relinquished when he was made List of ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Ireland the day after the assignation of Christopher Ewart-Biggs in 1976. An attempt on his own life by the Provisional Irish Republican Army took place in 1978 at Dublin Cathedral as he and his wife attended the Armistice Day service.

He was appointed Order of St Michael and St George in 1970.[4] Robin Haydon retired in 1980 and was knighted (Order of St Michael and St George) that same year.[5]

## Personal life[edit]

In 1943, he married Joan Elizabeth Tewson, whom he had met while serving in India. The union bore two daughters and a son. He was widowed in 1988.

## References[edit]

1. ↑ "Cautious and guarded British envoy". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
2. ↑ "2000 January – Old Pharosians". oldpharosians.org.uk. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
3. ↑ Lorraine (2013-09-16). "Robin Haydon – Ambassador extraordinary". The Dover Historian. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
4. ↑ "Page 1 | Supplement 44999, 30 December 1969 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
5. ↑ "Page 1 | Supplement 48041, 28 December 1979 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-02-10.

## External links[edit]

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*[m.]: married