Sir Beilby Francis ALSTON G.B.E. K.C.M.G. C.B. P.C. [4103]

  General Notes:

Sir Beilby followed his father into the Foreign Office where he had a distinguished career.

Sir Beilby was a Knight Diplomat. Ref in Nat Register of Archives on line. PRO Archon Code 0066
Who's Who 1929; NCA Rules Biographical history Councillor of HM Legation, 1911-1912, and Charge d'affaires at Peking, 1913 and 1916-1917.

Marriages
Beilby Francis Alston
Registration Year: 1900
Registration Quarter: Apr-May-Jun
Registration district: Bridge Kent
Volume: 2a
Page: 1711
Records on Page:
Name
Beilby Francis Alston
Hilda Cecile G Gream

FOREIGN OFFICE 1900
STATEMENT OF SERVICES
ALSTON BEILBY FRANCIS,
Passed a competitive examination, and was appointed a Clerk in the Librarian's Department of the Foreign Office, July 8, 1890. Was appointed a Clerk in the Foreign Office, December 1, 1890. Was employed in the Legation at Copenhagen as an Acting 3rd Secretary in the Diplomatic Service from May 10 to August 25, 1895. Appointed Secretary to the British Plenipotentiaries at the Paris Copyright Conference, April, 1896. Was Acting 2nd Secretary at Buenos Ayres from October 11 1896, to November 18, 1897, during which time he acted as Charge d'Affaires from July 12 to August 2, 1897. Appointed Secretary to the British Representatives at the Sugar Conference in Brussels, May 26, 1898.

The Times 29 June 1929 pg 14 col C.
Sir Beilby Alston.
British Ambassador in Brazil.
We regret to announce that the Rt Hon Sir Bielby Frances Alston, his Majesty's Ambassador Law in Brazil since 1925, died suddenly yesterday at Brown's Hotel, Dover Street at the age of 60.
The second son of the late Sir Francis Bielby Alston KCMG., who served in the Foreign Office from 1839 to 1890, he was brother of Colonel F. G. Alston, CMG., DSO., commanding the Scots Guards, and of Mr A. R. Alston, of The Tofte, Bedfordshire. He was also a brother of Lieutenant E. G. Alston, the Cold Stream Guards, Vice Consul in Nyasaland, who died of fever at an early age after distinguishing himself in this oppression of the slave trade In British Central Africa; and of Lieutenant R. E. Alston, The Royal Fusiliers, who died of pneumonia while serving in the expedition to Tibet in 1904.
Alston, who was born on October 8, 1868, was educated privately and took up his first appointment at the Foreign Office in July 1890, as a clerk in the Librarian's Department. In December of the same year he became a clerk in the Foreign Office itself, and so served until May, 1895, when he was sent to the Legation at Copenhagen as Acting Third Secretary. In April 1896, he was appointed secretary to the British Plenipotentiaries at the Paris Copyright Conference. He was next employed as Acting Second Secretary at Buenos Aires from October 1896, to November, 1897, acting as Charge d'Affaires from July 12 to August 2, 1897.
During the Sugar Conference in Brussels he was employed as secretary to the British Representatives in 1898 and again in 1901/2. At the Coronation of King Edward VII in 1902 he was attached to the Foreign Representatives. Promoted to an assistant clerkship in July 1903, he became an Acting Senior Clerk from April 1906 to June, 1907. During this time he made a tour of inspection, together with Sir Henry Austin Lee, of the Consular Posts in France. In July, 1907, he was again promoted to a senior clerkship. From this time until 1911 he was successively employed in attendance upon distinguished foreigners visiting this country, being attached to the Prince Tsai-Suun of China who headed the Chinese Naval Mission in 1909, and to Prince Tsai Suun, Chinese representative at the Coronation of King George in 1911. In September of the same year he was promoted to the rank of Acting Counsellor of Embassy, and when in October Prince Alexander of Teck went to attend the Coronation of the King of Siam, Alston accompanied the Mission as his secretary. He was very popular among his colleagues at the Foreign Office.
After some work in connection with an enquiry into the leases of British concessions in China, he became Acting Counsellor in Peking from January to July, 1912. Following a visit to Japan, he returned to the Foreign Office in September, 1912. He went back to Peking has Acting Counsellor in May, 1913. On June 6 of the same year he was made CB. He continued to serve in Peking, variously, as Acting Counsellor and as Charge d'Affaires in 1913 and 1916-17. His next appointment, Deputy High Commissioner at Vladivostok, came in July 1918, and lasted until 1919. Thereafter he was employed as Charge d'Affaires, with local and personal rank of Minister Plenipotentiary, a Tokyo from April 1919, to April 1920, and as Minister to China from 1920 to 1922. On June 3, 1920 he was made KCMG.
Owing to a persistent ill-health, which necessitated a three months respite from his duties, he was transferred to Buenos Aires in September, 1922, exchanging posts with Sir Ronald McLeay. In October 1925, he was promoted to be Ambassador at Rio de Janeiro. He was sworn of the Privy Council in December, 1925. In addition to the recognition by his own Government of his services, he received from China the Grand Cross of the Double Dragon, and was made Commander of the White Elephant of Siam.
Sir Bielby Alston married in 1900 Hilda, daughter of the late Major General Robert Gream, and had a son and a daughter. Lady Alston was created CBE.

ALSTON, Rt. Hon. Sir Beilby Francis (1868-1929) [Who Was Who May 2003]
Categories: Biography
Summary: Details: ALSTON, Rt. Hon. Sir Beilby Francis, PC 1925; GBE, 1929; KCMG, 1920; CB 1913; Ambassador to Brazil since 1925; born 8 October 1868; 2nd son of late Sir Francis Alston, KCMG, formerly of the Foreign Office; married Hilda, CBE, daughter of late Maj.-Gen. Robert Gream; one son one daughter. Education: privately and abroad. Work: Clerk in Foreign Office, 1890; Acting 3rd Secretary in Diplomatic Service at Copennagen, 1895; Secretary to British Plenipotentiaries at Paris Copyright Conference, 1896; Acting 2nd Secretary and Charge d'Affaires at Buenos Aires, 1896-1897; Secretary to British Representatives at Sugar Conferences at Brussels, 1898, 1901, and 1902; attached to Foreign Representatives at Coronation of King Edward VII, 1902; attached to Prince Tsaisuun of China on his mission to England, 1909; and to Prince Tsai-Chen, representative of the Emperor of China at the Coronation of King George V, 1911; in attendance on Prince and Princess Alexander of Teck at the Coronation of King Vajiravudh of Siam at Bangkok, December 1911; Councillor of HM Legation, 1911-1912, and Charge d'Affaires, at Peking, 1913, 1916-1917; Deputy High Commissioner Siberia, 1918-1919; Minister Plenipotentiary Tokyo, 1919-1920; Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to China, 1920-1922; Minister to the Argentine Republic and Paraguay, 1923-1925. Foreign Orders---Grand Cross of Double Dragon of China, 1909; Commander of White Elephant of Siam, 1911. Address: British Embassy, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Clubs: Travellers', Bath. Died: 28 June 1929
Ref: Know UK CD
ALSTON, Rt Rev. Arthur Fawssett, MA; born Sandgate, Kent, 30 Alston, Sir Beilby Francis (1868-1929) Knight Diplomat 151923
correspondence related to China and the Far East, correspondence with Lord Hardinge, letters to Sir John Jordan letters to GE Morrison
Date range: 1868 - 1929.Source: National Register of Archives (NRA, local and private archives)

Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Record Service:
Alston Family of Sharnbrook
Catalogue Ref. X 781
Creator(s): Alston family of Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire
Legal documents of the Alston Family of the Tofte, Sharnbrook
FILE [no title] - ref. X 781/78 - date: 19 June 1934
Death Certificate for Sir Beilby Francis Alston, aged 60.
A2A

ALSTON, Rt. Hon. SIR
BEILBY F., K.C.M.G., C.B.
(1868-1929): Acting Senior Clerk, Consular Department, Foreign Office,
1906-1907; Senior Clerk, Far East Department, Foreign
Office, 1907-1916; Acting Counsellor, Embassy, China,
1912, 1913-1914 and 1916-1917; Minister to China, 1920-1922;
Minister to Argentina, 1922-1925; Ambassador to Brazil,
1925-1927
Ref: http://www.gulabin.com/britishdiplomatsdirectory/pdf/britishdiplomatsdirectory.pdf

Alston right honourable Sir Bielby Francis (Knight) of the Foreign Office Whitehall Middlesex died 28 June 1929 at Brown's Hotel Albemarle St, Middlesex Probate London 10 August 1929 to Alexander Rowland Alston gentleman and Godfrey William Padgett Mellor solicitor. Effects £22,103 6s 9d.
National Probate Calendar.

  Research Notes:

Refer Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beilby_Alston

Image photograph courtesy of family of J B Alston 2005.

  Other Records

1. Census: England, 2 Apr 1871, Eccleston Sq St George Hanover Sq LND. Beilby is described as a son aged 2 born Enfield MDX

2. Census: England, 5 Apr 1891, 69 Eccleston Sq St George Hanover Sq LND. Beilby is recorded as a son single aged 22 Clerk in the Foreign Office born Enfield MDX

3. Beilby Francis Alston GBE KCMG CB PC.
FOREIGN OFFICE 1930
STATEMENT OF SERVICES.
ALSTON, RT. HON. SIR BEILBY Francis, K.C.M.G. C. B.,
Born October 8, 1868. Passed a competitive examination, and was appointed a Clerk in the Librarian's Department the Foreign Office: July 8, 1890. Appointed a Clerk in the Foreign Office, December 1, 1890. Employed in the Legation at Copenhagen as an Acting 3rd Secretary in the Diplomatic Service from May 10 to August 25, 1895. Appointed Secretary to the British Plenipotentiaries at the Paris Copyright Conference, April, 1896. Acting 2nd Secretary at Buenos Ayres from October 11, 1896, to November 18, 1897, during which time he acted as Charge d'Affaires from July 12 to August 2, 1897. Secretary to the British Representatives at the Sugar Conferences at Brussels in 1898 and in 1901-2. Attached to the Foreign Representatives at this Court who were specially accredited on the occasion of the Coronation of King Edward VII, 1902. Received the Coronation Medal Promoted to be an Assistant Clerk, July 30, 1903. Acting Senior Clerk from April 1, 1906, to June 30, 1907. Made a tour of inspection, in association with Sir Henry Austin-Lee, of the Consular Posts in France, November-December, 1906. Promoted to be a, Senior Clerk, July 1. 1907. Was in attendance on H.I.H. Prince Zai Suun of China on his visit to England with the Chinese Naval Mission, November-December, 1909; and on H.I.H. Prince Tsai Chen, Representative of China at the Coronation of King George V, June, 1911. Received the Coronation Medal, 1911. Appointed an Acting Counsellor of Embassy in the Diplomatic Service September 22, 1911. Secretary to H.S.H. Prince Alexander of Teck's Special Mission to attend the Coronation of the King of Siam, October-December, 1911. Employed in connection with an inquiry into the leases in British Concessions in China; Acting Counsellor at Peking from January to July, 1912. Also visited Japan. Resumed duty at the Foreign Office, September 30, 1912. Made a C.B., June 3, 1913. Again Acting Counsellor at Peking from May 3, 1913, and acted as Charge' d'Affaires there from June 6 to November 24, 1913: Again Acting Counsellor from June 17, 1916, and acted as Charge d'Affaires from November 16, 1916, to October 7, 1917. Was Deputy High Commissioner at Vladivostock from July, 1918, to March, 1919. Given the local and personal rank of a Minister Plenipotentiary while employed as Charge d'Affairs at Tokio from April 6, 1919, to April 1, 1920. Promoted to be Minister Plenipotentiary, September 8, 1919, and Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Peking March 1, 1920. Made a K.C.M.G., June 3, 1920, Transferred to Buenos Aires, September 1, 1922. Promoted to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at Rio de Janeiro, October 12, 1925. Sworn a Privy Councillor, December 16, 1925.

Image courtesy National Portrait Gallery 1920

Beilby married Lady Hilda Cecile Georgina GREAM [7340] [MRIN: 2438], daughter of Maj. Gen. Robert Neville GREAM [7587] and Lucy Emilia [7588], on 19 May 1900 in Bridge nr Canterbury KEN. (Lady Hilda Cecile Georgina GREAM [7340] was born on 9 Dec 1873 in Umballa Calcutta India, baptised on 10 Dec 1873 in Umballa India and died on 19 Mar 1945.)