Tony Abbott (diplomat)
Anthony Abbott | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 9, 1941 Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, England |
| Occupation | Diplomat |
| Years active | 1959–2004 |
| Known for | Governor of Montserrat (1997–2001) |
Anthony John Abbott (born 9 September 1941) is a British diplomat who held the position of Governor of Montserrat between 1997 and 2001.
Abbott was born in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, and began his career in the British diplomatic service in 1959. During the 1960s, he served as vice consul in both Iran and Finland. From 1969 to 1972, he worked as a press officer for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. His later assignments included roles as passport officer in Zambia, consul in Chile, and a position within the secretariat supporting the President of the European Commission. In 1981, Abbott was seconded to the British Overseas Trade Board, followed by his tenure as first secretary and consul in Lisbon, Portugal (1983–1987). He then served as First Secretary and Deputy High Commissioner at the British High Commission in Calcutta, India from 1987 until 1991. In that year, Abbott contributed to monitoring missions for the European Commission in both Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
After returning to the United Kingdom, he took on the role of deputy head of training at the FCO before spending four years as consul-general in Perth, Western Australia. In September 1997, Abbott was appointed Governor of Montserrat during the critical period of the Soufriere Hills Volcano eruption, a post he held until 2001. Subsequently, from June 2001 to May 2004, he managed the logistics team for Pitcairn Island based out of Auckland, New Zealand.
Awards
Abbott was named a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in June 1986. He advanced to Officer of the Order (OBE) in June 1997 and was honored as a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in June 2001.