He started in the Customs Department, then in 1939 joined the Prime Minister’s Department, in the section that became the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He was Assistant Secretary of the War Cabinet 1940-45, Deputy Secretary of the External Affairs Department 1943-55, Secretary of Cabinet 1946-55,[2][3] and Head of Defence Secretariat 1949-55. He set up the Cabinet Secretariat, and was known as "Foss the Boss."
He served as Commissioner then High Commissioner to Singapore (also to Malaya and Ambassador to Thailand) 1955-58, then as High Commissioner to Canada 1958-61 and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York 1958-62. In the 1962 Queen's Birthday Honours, Shanahan was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.[4]
He died (of a brain tumour) on 13 September 1964 in Wellington.[1]
Personal lifeedit
He married Joan Katherine McCormick [5] (or Joan Mason) on 18 April 1938; they had four sons and one daughter.[1]
External linksedit
1961 letter to Salient "The Challenge of Change" by Foss Shanahan
^"Weddings (page down)". Evening Post in Papers Past. 28 May 1938.
Unofficial Channels: Letters between Alister McIntosh and Foss Shanahan, George Laking and Frank Corner 1946-1966 edited by Ian McGibbon (1999, Victoria University Press, Wellington NZ) ISBN0-86473-365-8
Undiplomatic Dialogue: Letters between Carl Berendsen and Alister McIntosh 1943-1952 edited by Ian McGibbon (1993, Auckland University Press, Auckland NZ) ISBN1-86940-095-X
foss, shanahan, june, 1910, september, 1964, zealand, diplomat, public, servant, shanahan, 1955, contents, biography, personal, life, external, links, referencesbiography, editshanahan, born, june, 1910, alexandra, educated, christian, brothers, boys, school, . Foss Shanahan CMG 10 June 1910 13 September 1964 was a New Zealand diplomat and public servant Shanahan in 1955 Contents 1 Biography 2 Personal life 3 External links 4 ReferencesBiography editShanahan was born on 10 June 1910 at Alexandra He was educated at the Christian Brothers Boys School in Dunedin and Waitaki Boys High School passing the public service entrance examination in 1926 He joined the public service in 1928 and studied part time at the University of Otago and Victoria University of Wellington graduating from Victoria with a Master of Laws LLM in 1936 1 He started in the Customs Department then in 1939 joined the Prime Minister s Department in the section that became the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade He was Assistant Secretary of the War Cabinet 1940 45 Deputy Secretary of the External Affairs Department 1943 55 Secretary of Cabinet 1946 55 2 3 and Head of Defence Secretariat 1949 55 He set up the Cabinet Secretariat and was known as Foss the Boss He served as Commissioner then High Commissioner to Singapore also to Malaya and Ambassador to Thailand 1955 58 then as High Commissioner to Canada 1958 61 and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York 1958 62 In the 1962 Queen s Birthday Honours Shanahan was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George 4 He died of a brain tumour on 13 September 1964 in Wellington 1 Personal life editHe married Joan Katherine McCormick 5 or Joan Mason on 18 April 1938 they had four sons and one daughter 1 External links edit1961 letter to Salient The Challenge of Change by Foss ShanahanReferences edit a b c McGibbon Ian Shanahan Foss Dictionary of New Zealand Biography Ministry for Culture and Heritage Retrieved 16 August 2012 Personal Items Evening Post Volume CXL Issue 147 Page 8 Wellington 19 December 1945 Retrieved 11 October 2021 N Z Mission in Singapore Press Volume XCI Issue 27683 Page 10 Christchurch 13 June 1955 Retrieved 11 October 2021 No 42685 The London Gazette 3rd supplement 10 June 1961 p 4347 Weddings page down Evening Post in Papers Past 28 May 1938 Unofficial Channels Letters between Alister McIntosh and Foss Shanahan George Laking and Frank Corner 1946 1966 edited by Ian McGibbon 1999 Victoria University Press Wellington NZ ISBN 0 86473 365 8 Undiplomatic Dialogue Letters between Carl Berendsen and Alister McIntosh 1943 1952 edited by Ian McGibbon 1993 Auckland University Press Auckland NZ ISBN 1 86940 095 X Diplomatic posts Preceded byLeslie Munro Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York1958 1962 Succeeded byFrank Corner Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Foss Shanahan amp oldid 1215078354, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
