The Papers of Sir Nicholas and Lady (Minna) O'Conor

O'Conor was born in County Roscommon, Ireland in 1843. He was educated at Tullabeg and Stonyhurst Colleges, and the Université Catholique de Louvain, Munich.

In 1887 he married Minna Margaret, eldest daughter of James Robert Hope Scott and Lady Victoria Alexandrina, eldest daughter of Henry Granville Howard, 14th Duke of Norfolk.

He joined the Diplomatic Service in 1866. He had a variety of postings, including Secretary of Legation at Peking (1883-6), acting as Charge d'affaires at the Legation, (1885-6); Secretary of Legation, Washington (1886); Consul General, Bulgaria (1887-92); envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the Emperor of China and King of Korea, Peking (1892-5); envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the emperor of Russia (1895-8); and Ambassador to Turkey (1898-1908).

He was awarded CMG in 1886, KCB in 1895, GCMG in 1896 and GCB in 1897. He died in 1908.

Includes diaries, family and diplomatic correspondence of Sir Nicholas O'Conor; and diaries, personal and literary papers of Lady (Minna) O'Conor

Presented to Churchill Archives Centre by Muriel Nevile (daughter), between 1983 and 1988

The collection is open for consultation by researchers using Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge. Churchill Archives Centre is open from Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. A prior appointment and two forms of identification are required.

Researchers wishing to publish excerpts from the papers must obtain prior permission from the copyright holder(s) and should seek advice from Archives Centre staff.

Please cite as Churchill Archives Centre, The Papers of Sir Nicholas and Lady (Minna) O'Conor, OCON

A copy of this finding aid is available for consultation at Churchill Archives Centre, Cambridge, the National Register of Archives, London and on the Janus website, http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/.

The collection has been catalogued and copies of a more detailed catalogue are available at Churchill Archives Centre.

This fonds (collection) level description was prepared by Andrew Riley of Churchill Archives Centre in March 2004 using information from a catalogue of the papers by Kathryn R. Beckett.