Reginald Tower

Sir Reginald Thomas Tower KCMG; CVO; Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries (1 September 1860 – 21 January 1939) was a British diplomat whose career lasted from 1885 to 1920.[1] Tower was educated at Harrow School and then Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated with an MA in 1887.[2]

Reginald Tower served in the following diplomatic positions:[1]

1885 - 1892 - Diplomatic Attaché in Constantinople

1892 - 1893 - Second Secretary to the British Legation in Madrid

1893 - 1894 - Second Secretary to the British Legation in Copenhagen

1894 - 1896 - Second Secretary to the British Legation in Berlin

1896 - 1900 - Second Secretary to the British Legation in Washington DC

1900 - 1901 - Secretary of the British Legation in Peking

1901 - 1903 - Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary and Consul-General in Siam. This was Reginald Tower's first position as head of a diplomatic mission.

1903 - 1906 - Minister Resident in Bavaria and Württemberg

1906 - 1910 - Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in Mexico

1910 - 1919 - Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in Argentina

1911 - 1919 - Minister Plenipotentiary in Paraguay

1919 - 1920 - Temporary Administrator to the Free City of Danzig, and High Commissioner of the League of Nations at Danzig.

In 1907, whilst British Ambassador to Mexico, Tower donated a trophy in order to establish the Copa México. For this reason, in the early days of the competition it was known as the Copa Tower.

Tower was the British Ambassador in Argentina and Paraguay for the duration of the First World War. During the war years he worked energetically to secure British wheat imports from Argentina, and to persuade British-owned companies to suspend German employees and refuse to do business with German firms.[3]

In 1904 Tower was awarded the Grand Cross of the Frederick Order of Württemberg. He was made a member of the Royal Victoria Order in 1906, and a Knight of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1911. Tower's career ended with his retirement in 1920. Three portraits are held by the National Portrait Gallery, London.[4]

Reginald Tower was a member of the Travellers' Club and the Royal Automobile Club.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c Who's Who UK online
  2. ^ Tower, Reginald Thomas in Venn, J. & J. A., Alumni Cantabrigienses, Cambridge University Press, 10 vols, 1922–1958.
  3. ^ Gravil, Roger. 'The Anglo-Argentine Connection and the War of 1914-1918' in Journal of Latin American Studies, 1977, pp.59-89
  4. ^ National Portrait Gallery website