Fonds F2307 - John G. Hadwen fonds

Identity area

Reference code

CA OTTCA F2307

Title

John G. Hadwen fonds

Date(s)

  • 1947-2000 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

1.5 m of textual records

Context area

Name of creator

(1923-2007)

Biographical history

John Gaylard Hadwen was born in Toronto in 1923, the son of Dr. Seymour and Estelle Alden Hadwen. He was educated at the University of Toronto Schools, Trinity College, the London School of Economics, and the Universitaire des Hautes Études Internationales (Geneva). He joined the Department of External Affairs in 1950, and served first in Pakistan, New York, Oslo, and Ottawa. He was High Commissioner to Malaysia and Singapore and Ambassador to Burma 1967-71, Ambassador to Pakistan and Afghanistan 1972-74, High Commissioner to India and Ambassador to Nepal 1979-83, Director General of the East Asia Bureau 1983-85 and Director General of the Bureau for Security Services, 1985-86. He also served as assistant to Lester B. Pearson and to Paul Martin Sr. He was the author of numerous essays and articles and completed a book-length manuscript, unpublished, on the Colombo Plan.

The Colombo Plan for Co-operative Economic and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific was conceived at the Commonwealth Conference on Foreign Affairs held in Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in January 1950. It was launched on 1 July 1951 as a co-operative venture for the economic and social advancement of the peoples of South and Southeast Asia. Originally it was called the Colombo Plan for Co-operative Economic Development in South and Southeast Asia. It has grown from a group of seven Commonwealth nations - Australia, Britain, Canada, Ceylon, India, New Zealand, and Pakistan - into an international organization of 26 countries, including non-Commonwealth countries. When it adopted a new constitution in 1977, its name was changed to The Colombo Plan for Co-operative Economic and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific. The name change was to reflect the expanded composition of its enhanced membership and the scope of its activities. The administrative structure of the Colombo Plan consists of the Consultative Committee (elected political leaders or senior representatives of member governments), the Council for Technical Cooperation, and the Colombo Plan Bureau, headed by a director and staff, whose role is to fulfil matters assigned to them by the Consultative Committee. These three groups are supported by the Information Section headed by a Principal Information Officer, responsible for publications issued by the Colombo Plan. [Source: John Hadwen fonds and www.colombo-plan.org]

John Hadwen was married to the former Shirley Vivyan Brown and had four sons: Timothy, Peter, Matthew, and Anthony. He died at his cottage near Dwight, Ontario, in 2007.

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Fonds was donated in two stages. Series 1 was given to the Trinity College Library by John Hadwen in 2001. The remainder of the material, now comprising Series 2 and 3, was donated to the archives by Timothy Hadwen in 2009

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Fonds consists of research material gathered by John Hadwen as source material for his manuscript on the Colombo Plan. He appears to have worked on this project at two different points: during a year leave to study in Geneva in 1971-72 and after his retirement in 1987. Included are original documents and later photocopies of External Affairs documents, published material, internal printed documents for delegates to Colombo Plan Consultative Committee meetings, correspondence, briefing notes, and draft manuscripts. The final copy of Hadwen's manuscript on the Colombo Plan, and his correspondence with a publisher, are also included.

Contains series

  1. Writings by John Hadwen
  2. Personal files
  3. The Colombo Plan

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

None expected

System of arrangement

The fonds was arrranged by the archivist following the original order when possible. Files that were created by John Hadwen retain their original designation. Files created by the archivist from loose material are titled within square brackets [ ].

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

None

Conditions governing reproduction

Various copyright holders. It is the researcher's responsibility to obtain permission to publish any part of the fonds.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Uploaded finding aid

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

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Description control area

Description identifier

OTTCA-F2307

Institution identifier

Trinity College Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Dates of creation revision deletion

13 March 2012

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

Sources

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