Joseph John Saville Garner, Baron Garner (14 February 1908 – 10 December 1983) was a British diplomat who served as the British High Commissioner to Canada from 1956 to 1961. Garner was educated at

Highgate School Highgate School, formally Sir Roger Cholmeley's School at Highgate, is an English co-educational, fee-charging, independent day school, founded in 1565 in Highgate, London, England. It educates over 1,400 pupils in three sections – Highgate ...

(and was later the school's Chairman of Governors from 1976-83). He won a scholarship to Jesus College, Cambridge, where he read Modern and Mediaeval Languages. He joined the Civil Service in 1930, working in the Dominions Office. J. H. Thomas refused to call him by his customary first name ("What sort of fancy name is that? Ain't you got a plainer name?") and called Garner "Joe" instead, a name which stuck. In June 1954 he was working as Deputy Under-Secretary of State, Commonwealth Relations Office when he was made a

Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III. It is named in honour ...

. In 1956, he was appointed High Commissioner to Canada and served in that position until 1961. He was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George on 1 January 1965. At the time he was serving as the Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Commonwealth Relations Office. He subsequently served as Head of Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service. Garner was made a

life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...

on 21 February 1969, being created Baron Garner, of Chiddingley in the County of Sussex, and assuming his seat in the House of Lords.''The London Gazette'' (20 December 1968)
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garner, Joseph 1908 births 1983 deaths People educated at Highgate School Alumni of Jesus College, Cambridge Life peers Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George High Commissioners of the United Kingdom to Canada Diplomatic peers Civil servants in the Commonwealth Relations Office Life peers created by Elizabeth II