H. H. Wrong
Encyclopedia
Humphrey Hume Wrong was a Canadian historian
, professor
, diplomat
, and Canada
's ambassador
to the United States
. He was born in Toronto
and died in Ottawa
.
Grandson of Edward Blake
and son of historian George Wrong, Hume Wrong graduated from high school at Ridley College
and was a graduate of the University of Toronto
where he joined The Kappa Alpha Society
, and served briefly in the British Expeditionary Force shortly after. He later went to the University of Oxford
for graduate study, and became a history professor
at the University of Toronto
in 1921.
Wrong joined the newly expanded Canadian Department of External Affairs in the late 1920s, around the same time as fellow future star diplomats Lester Pearson, Norman Robertson
, and Hugh Keenleyside; this expansion was engineered by Oscar D. Skelton
.
Wrong was first secretary in the new Canadian embassy in Washington, DC, starting in the late 1920s, and served in the League of Nations
. In 1938 he represented Canada at the Evian Conference
. Wrong went to Washington as ambassador in 1946 and held that post until 1953. He was involved in day-to-day negotiation of the North Atlantic Treaty
, which would give rise to NATO. He was named undersecretary to NATO, but died before he could take up the post.
Wrong is buried at Maclaren Cemetery
in Wakefield, Quebec
with his fellow diplomats and friends Norman Robertson
and Lester B. Pearson
.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
, diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He was born in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and died in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
.
Grandson of Edward Blake
Edward Blake
Dominick Edward Blake, PC, QC , known as Edward Blake, was the second Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1871 to 1872 and leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 1880 to 1887...
and son of historian George Wrong, Hume Wrong graduated from high school at Ridley College
Ridley College
Ridley College is a co-educational boarding and day university-preparatory school located in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, 20 miles from Niagara Falls...
and was a graduate of the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
where he joined The Kappa Alpha Society
Kappa Alpha Society
The Kappa Alpha Society , founded in 1825, was the progenitor of the modern fraternity system in North America. It was the first of the fraternities which would eventually become known as the Union Triad...
, and served briefly in the British Expeditionary Force shortly after. He later went to the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
for graduate study, and became a history professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
in 1921.
Wrong joined the newly expanded Canadian Department of External Affairs in the late 1920s, around the same time as fellow future star diplomats Lester Pearson, Norman Robertson
Norman Robertson
Norman Alexander Robertson, CC was a Canadian diplomat and was one of Prime Minister Mackenzie King's advisers....
, and Hugh Keenleyside; this expansion was engineered by Oscar D. Skelton
Oscar D. Skelton
Oscar Douglas Skelton was a Canadian professor, author, civil servant, and politician.He earned his M.A. from Queen's University in 1900, and his doctorate in political economy from the University of Chicago in 1908. He taught at Queen's University until 1925, where he also served in the...
.
Wrong was first secretary in the new Canadian embassy in Washington, DC, starting in the late 1920s, and served in the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
. In 1938 he represented Canada at the Evian Conference
Evian Conference
The Évian Conference was convened at the initiative of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in July 1938 to discuss the issue of increasing numbers of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution. For eight days, from July 6 to July 13, representatives from 31 countries met at Évian-les-Bains, France...
. Wrong went to Washington as ambassador in 1946 and held that post until 1953. He was involved in day-to-day negotiation of the North Atlantic Treaty
North Atlantic Treaty
The North Atlantic Treaty is the treaty that brought NATO into existence, signed in Washington, D.C. on 4 April 1949. The original twelve nations that signed it and thus became the founding members of NATO were:...
, which would give rise to NATO. He was named undersecretary to NATO, but died before he could take up the post.
Wrong is buried at Maclaren Cemetery
Maclaren Cemetery
Maclaren Cemetery is a small cemetery in the town of Wakefield, Quebec and the final resting place for Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson. Established near the 1870s, the cemetery is located in the clearing below the hills bordering the Gatineau River and is the resting place for Scottish settlers in...
in Wakefield, Quebec
Wakefield, Quebec
Wakefield is a village on the western shore of the Gatineau River, at the confluence of the La Pêche River in the Outaouais region of Quebec. The village, named after the town of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England, is now the southern edge of the municipality of La Pêche, and was founded in 1830...
with his fellow diplomats and friends Norman Robertson
Norman Robertson
Norman Alexander Robertson, CC was a Canadian diplomat and was one of Prime Minister Mackenzie King's advisers....
and Lester B. Pearson
Lester B. Pearson
Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE was a Canadian professor, historian, civil servant, statesman, diplomat, and politician, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis...
.
External links
- Humphrey Hume Wrong Biography at The Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian Encyclopedia is a source of information on Canada. It is available online, at no cost. The Canadian Encyclopedia is available in both English and French and includes some 14,000 articles in each language on a wide variety of subjects including history, popular culture, events, people,...