Sir Andrew Noble, 2nd Baronet

Sir Andrew Napier Noble, 2nd Baronet (16 September 1904 – 30 April 1987) was a British diplomat who served as ambassador to Finland, Poland, Mexico and the Netherlands.

Early life and education

Noble was born on 16 September 1904, the son of John Henry Brunel Noble, later created a Baronet, and Amie (died 1973), daughter of S. A. Walker Waters. He was educated at Eton College and Balliol College, Oxford, and succeeded his father as the second baronet in 1938.

He was an older brother of the Conservative member of parliament and life peer Michael Noble, Baron Glenkinglas.

Career

Noble entered the Foreign Office in 1928 and was appointed third secretary. In 1931, he was posted to Rio de Janeiro as third secretary, and two years later was transferred to Rome as second secretary. After returning to the Foreign Office in 1938, he was sent to China as acting first secretary in 1940, and acted as chargé d'affaires there in 1941. After another spell in the Foreign Office, he was transferred to Buenos Aires in 1945 as acting counsellor, and acted as chargé d'affaires there in 1945 and 1946. He then served as an inspector of foreign service establishments and assistant under-secretary for foreign affairs (consular). From 1949 to 1951, he served as assistant under-secretary for foreign affairs (Northern and Southern Europe and Latin America). He was ambassador to Poland from 1954 to 1956; ambassador to Mexico from 1956 to 1960; and ambassador to the Netherlands from 1960 to 1964.

Personal life and death

Noble married Sigrid (Sisi) Michelet, daughter of a member of the Royal Norwegian Diplomatic Service in 1934, and they had two sons and a daughter. and promoted to Knight Commander (KCMG) in the 1954 Birthday Honours.