James Francis Lindsay, 3rd Baron Lindsay of Birker (born 29 January 1945), is an Australian former diplomat.
Lindsay is the only son ofMichael Lindsay, 2nd Baron Lindsay of Birker, and his wife,Hsiao Li. He was born in a hospital cave inYenan while his parents, supporters of Chinese communist resistance fighters, were fleeing the Japanese.[1] He was the grandson of the Scottish academic and educationalistSandie Lindsay, 1st Baron Lindsay of Birker.[2] He was educated at theUniversity of Keele and theUniversity of Liverpool, and worked as a lecturer in physics atTunghai University,Taichung,Taiwan, between 1967 and 1968, and as an exploration geophysicist inDarwin,Australia, between 1969 and 1970.[3]
In 1972 Lindsay entered the Australian Foreign Service and was posted inChile between 1973 and 1976, inLaos between 1980 and 1981, inBangladesh between 1982 and 1984 and inVenezuela between 1987 and 1990. In 1993 he was appointed DeputyHigh Commissioner toPakistan, a post he held until 1996, and was then Deputy High Commissioner toKenya between 1996 and 2000. He was also Deputy Permanent Representative for Australia to theUnited Nations Environment Programme from 1996 to 2000.[3] Lindsay succeeded his father in the barony in 1994 and took his seat in theHouse of Lords in July the following year.[4] However, he lost his seat in parliament after the passing of theHouse of Lords Act 1999.[5]
Lord Lindsay of Birker married firstly Mary Rose, daughter of W. G. Thomas, in 1969. They had no children and were divorced in 1985. He married secondly Pamela Collett, daughter of Lon Hutchison, in 2000. This marriage is also childless.[3]
| Peerage of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Baron Lindsay of Birker 1994–present Member of theHouse of Lords (1994–1999) | Incumbent Heir presumptive: Alexander Lindsay |
