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Patrick Shaw

1913 – 1975

Australian public servant and diplomat

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About Patrick Shaw

Lived 1913 – 1975 (aged 62). Patrick Shaw was an Australian civil servant, diplomat, politician and ambassador.

Sir Patrick Shaw (18 September 191327 December 1975) was an Australian public servant and diplomat.

Shaw joined the Department of External Affairs in 1939. He worked in the department's political section until 1941 when he was sent on his first overseas posting as third secretary in Australia's Tokyo legation. Shaw and other legation staff were taken as prisoners of war when war broke out.

In 1973, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam announced Shaw's appointment as Ambassador to the United States. While in the role, Shaw suffered a fatal heart attack. He died on 27 December 1975. Ambassador Shaw's wife, Lady Shaw, was a victim of a street attack in Washington, D.C., for which she received ex gratia remuneration from the United States Government.

Shaw's daughter, Karina Campbell (née Shaw) followed her father in working in the Australian diplomatic service. Karina Campbell joined the then-Department of External Affairs in 1963 and later held a range of senior positions in the department.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Ballarat Clarendon College
Positions held
Australian Ambassador to the United States of America
Employers
Allied Council for Japan
Awards
Knight Bachelor; Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Also known as
Sir Patrick Shaw

People in Patrick Shaw's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Patrick Shaw's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Patrick Shaw?

Australian public servant and diplomat

When was Patrick Shaw born?

Patrick Shaw was born on 18 September 1913 in Kew.

When did Patrick Shaw die?

Patrick Shaw died on 27 December 1975 in Washington, D.C..

What was Patrick Shaw's occupation?

Patrick Shaw was a civil servant, diplomat, politician and ambassador.

What nationality was Patrick Shaw?

Patrick Shaw was Australian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Patrick Shaw

· Wikidata: Q23073838

· DBpedia: Patrick Shaw (diplomat)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Patrick Shaw. https://biography.guide/patrick-shaw-civil-servant/

MLA: "Patrick Shaw." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/patrick-shaw-civil-servant/.

Chicago: "Patrick Shaw." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/patrick-shaw-civil-servant/.

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