Ian Maclennan

Sir Ian Morrison Ross Maclennan (30 October 1909 – 25 December 1986) was a British diplomat who served as High Commissioner to Ghana, Ambassador to Ireland, and High Commissioner to New Zealand.

Early life and education

Maclennan was born on 30 October 1909 in Glasgow, the son of W. Maclennan. He was educated at Hymers College, Hull, where he won a scholarship to Worcester College, Oxford, and took a first in Modern Greats.

Career

Maclennan joined the Colonial Office in 1933, and in 1937 was transferred to the Dominions Office. In the following year he was posted to the UK High Commissioner's Office at Ottawa. In 1945, he was transferred to Pretoria, and then served as the first British High Commissioner to Southern Rhodesia from 1951 to 1953, and High Commissioner to the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland from 1953 to 1955.

After working as an assistant under-secretary of state at the Commonwealth Relations Office from 1955 to 1957, he served as the first British High Commissioner to newly independent Ghana from 1957 to 1959. He was then Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland from 1960 to 1963, and British High Commissioner for New Zealand from 1964 until his retirement in 1969. , and promoted to Knight Commander (KCMG) in the 1957 Birthday Honours.