Ken Cornwallis

Sir Kinahan Cornwallis, better known as “Ken”, was educated at Haileybury before going to University College, Oxford. As a runner, he represented Oxford against Cambridge on four occasions and, in winning the 880 yards in 1904, set a University record, which still stood when he was selected for the 400, 800 and 1500 metres at the Intercalated Olympics, two years later. Cornwallis was president of the Oxford University Athletics Club from 1904-06.

Cornwallis was one of Britain’s leading authorities on the Middle East. He joined the Sudan Civil Service in 1906, but during World War I was seconded to the Egyptian Government and became director of the Arab Bureau in Cairo, of which T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) was a junior member. Cornwallis was a close personal friend of King Faisal, who was proclaimed the first King of Iraq in 1921, and he acted as chief advisor to the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior between 1921-35, and was Ambassador in Baghdad 1941-45.

Cornwallis retired in 1945 and became chairman of the Middle East committee of the Foreign Office and was also a director of the Bank of England. He was honoured with the Order of Saint Michal and Sant George (GCMG), Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE), and Distinguished Service Order (DSO}.