John Keith Waller CBE (1914 - 1992)

Born 19 Feb 1914 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Alison Irwin (Dent) Waller — married 20 Feb 1943 in Bombay, India

Died 14 Nov 1992 at age 78 in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Biography

John Keith Waller (called Keith) was born on 19 February 1914 at "Rossmore" in South Yarra, Victoria, Australia, the son of Elizabeth Maria Waller and Arthur James Waller.^[1][2]

Keith was educated at Scotch College and Melbourne University.^[3]

He joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1936 and the following year, aged only 23, was Private Secretary to Billy Hughes, a post he retained for three years.^[3]

He married Alison Dent daughter of the late Mr. John Dent, of Canberra, and of Mrs. Dent, on 20 February 1943 at St Thomas' Cathedral in Bombay, India.^[4] Keith was a senior officer to the Australian Legation at Chungking.^[3]

In April 1945, Keith arrived by air in San Diego, California, United States. travelling on a Diplomatic passport issued in Canberra on 21 July 1941 to attend a UNC 10 Conference. He gave his birth place as Melbourne, Victoria and place of embarkation Sydney, Australia, intending to return to Canberra, A.C.T., Australia, which was his last permanent residence. The arrival form indicated that he was married and his occupation in the Diplomatic Service. He was aged 31 and a British subject.^[5]

On 25 June 1947 he arrived in New York, U.S.A. from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on the ship "Cantuaria", giving his age as 33 years and 4 months, born Melbourne, Australia, occupation Diplomat, and accompanied by Penelope C(G)illian Irwin Waller aged 4, born in D.F., Brazil, and Shirley Ann Irwin Waller aged 2, born in Sydney, Australia, with all the details on the Passenger List. [The children's ages are the wrong way around and Penelope could only have been about 2 mths, not 2 yrs old.].^[6]

On 3 May 1948 he arrived in San Pedro, California, U.S.A. on the ship "City of Lucknow" from New York, via Curacao and the Canal Zone, giving his age as 34 yrs and 2 mths, occupation Diplomatic Service, nationality Australian, and last residence Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On this trip he was accompanied by his wife Alison aged 32 yrs and 8 mths, born in Sydney, Australia; Shirley Waller aged 4 yrs 7 mths, and Penelope aged 1 yr and 2 mths, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.^[7]

On 18 December 1952 he departed from London on the P&O ship "Strathnaver" for Sydney, Australia, giving his age on the passenger list as 38, in the Diplomatic Service with his address in the U.K. at 25 Cavendish Close, London N.W.8. He was accompanied by his wife Alison Irwin Waller aged 36, and daughters Shirley Ann Irwin Waller aged 8 and Penelope Gillian Irwin Waller aged 5.^[8]

In 1961, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire whilst Ambassador to the USSR,^[9] and in 1968 he was made a Knight Bachelor during his time as Ambassador to the United States of America.^[10]

Keith retired from the Public Service in 1974.^[3]

Keith died in Canberra on 14 November 1992 aged 78.^[3][11]

Sources

1. ↑ Jno Keith Waller's birth record at Births, Deaths, Marriages Victoria: Reg. No: 7817; Reg. year: 1914. Retrieved 8 April 2018 by Clare Spring from https://online.justice.vic.gov.au/bdm/indexsearch.doj.
2. ↑ "Births." 21 February 1914. The Argus (Melbourne), p. 11. Retrieved 8 April 2018 by Clare Spring from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/7230849.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4} "Obituary: Sir Keith Waller, A diplomat of the old school." 17 November 1992. The Canberra Times, p. 7. Retrieved 8 April 2018 by Clare Spring from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126956008.
4. ↑ Marriage: http://www.nla.gov.au/apps/cdview/?pi=nla.pic-vn5095380. The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Fri 19 Feb 1943 Page 3 at http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17837542.
5. ↑ Arrivals 1: Ancestry.com. San Diego, California, Airplane Passenger and Crew List Arrivals, 1929-1954 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Passenger Lists, 1929-1954, and Crew Lists, 1941-1954, of Airplanes Arriving at San Diego, California. NARA Microfilm Publication A3472, 10 rolls. NAI: 3950379. Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Record Group 85. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
6. ↑ Arrivals 3: The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Lists of Passengers Who Arrived at San Pedro/Los Angeles, California, 1920-1949, in Transit to Their Final Destinations; NAI Number: 4492686; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85. Source Information: Ancestry.com. California, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1882-1959 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.
7. ↑ Arrivals 2: Year: 1947; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 7399; Line: 6; Page Number: 612. Source Information: Ancestry.com. New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
8. ↑ Departure: Ancestry.com. UK, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Official Number: 162619.
9. ↑ "Australian awards in birthday honours: Queen creates 13 new knights." 10 June 1961. The Canberra Times, p. 1. Retrieved 8 April 2018 by Clare Spring from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/130714211.
10. ↑ "New years honours: NCDC chief is knighted." 1 January 1968. The Canberra Times, p. 1. Retrieved 8 April 2018 by Clare Spring from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/106989555.
11. ↑ "Deaths." 16 November 1992. The Canberra Times, p. 23. Retrieved 8 April 2018 by Clare Spring from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126955904.