| Birth name | Patrick Shaw |
|---|---|
| Birth date | 18 September 1913 |
| Birth place | Kew, Victoria Australia |
| Death date | 27 December 1975 (aged 62) |
| Death place | Washington, D.C. United States |
| Occupation | Public servant, diplomat |
| Spouse | Catherine Helen Jeffree (m. 9 April 1938) |
| Office | 9th Ambassador of Australia to the United States |
| Term start | 21 February 1974 |
| Term end | 27 December 1975 |
| Predecessor | James Plimsoll (Ambassador to the United States of America) |
| Successor | Gordon Upton |
Sir Patrick Shaw (18 September 191327 December 1975) was an Australian public servant and diplomat.[1][2]
Shaw joined the Department of External Affairs in 1939.[3] He worked in the department's political section until 1941 when he was sent on his first overseas posting as third secretary in Australia's Tokyo legation. Shaw and other legation staff were taken as prisoners of war when war broke out.[4]
In 1973, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam announced Shaw's appointment as Ambassador to the United States.[5] While in the role, Shaw suffered a fatal heart attack. He died on 27 December 1975.[6] Ambassador Shaw's wife, Lady Shaw, was a victim of a street attack in Washington, D.C., for which she received ex gratia remuneration from the United States Government.[7][8]
Shaw's daughter, Karina Campbell (née Shaw) followed her father in working in the Australian diplomatic service. Karina Campbell joined the then-Department of External Affairs in 1963 and later held a range of senior positions in the department.
References
- ^ Lee, David (2002). "Sir Patrick Shaw (1913–1975)". Vol. 16. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
- ^ Broinowski, Alison (7 December 2013). "Sexist baggage revealed". The Wimmera Mail-Times. Archived 7 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Mr Patrick Shaw to India". The Canberra Times. 2 March 1970. p. 1.
- ^ "Obituary: Sir Patrick Shaw gave 36 years' service". ACT: The Canberra Times. 29 December 1975. p. 3.
- ^ Davidson, Gay (27 September 1973). "Diplomatic reshuffle announced". The Canberra Times. p. 1.
- ^ "Ambassador to US dies". The Canberra Times. 29 December 1975. p. 1.
- ^ H.R. 13179: State Department Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1977. Committee on International Relations, United States House of Representatives. 12 April 1976.
- ^ Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 1977.