David Clay
@davidclay.bsky.social
British diplomat. Currently Consul-General in Boston. Posting occasionally about the history of diplomacy, negotiation and great books.
Behold the summer tomato harvest from the residence back garden. One year away from full self sufficiency I reckon.
September 21, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Behold the summer tomato harvest from the residence back garden. One year away from full self sufficiency I reckon.
Really enjoying this book. Struck last night by this paragraph about how the US Ambassador to London during WW2 liked his team to present economic data to him:
“Give it to me in the form of shoes, in the form of clothing”
“Give it to me in the form of shoes, in the form of clothing”
September 16, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Really enjoying this book. Struck last night by this paragraph about how the US Ambassador to London during WW2 liked his team to present economic data to him:
“Give it to me in the form of shoes, in the form of clothing”
“Give it to me in the form of shoes, in the form of clothing”
Felt compelled to come on here and say that if you are in the US or Canada and have a chance to see this Pulp tour, don’t hesitate. The most fun (and strangely emotional) evening I’ve had for ages. Jarvis still has it.
September 14, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Felt compelled to come on here and say that if you are in the US or Canada and have a chance to see this Pulp tour, don’t hesitate. The most fun (and strangely emotional) evening I’ve had for ages. Jarvis still has it.
“English actor Nikolas Simmonds plays the role of a young genius who wreaks havoc upon the British Foreign Office”
I hear he wouldn’t stop writing “met with” instead of “met”
I hear he wouldn’t stop writing “met with” instead of “met”
August 9, 2025 at 2:56 AM
“English actor Nikolas Simmonds plays the role of a young genius who wreaks havoc upon the British Foreign Office”
I hear he wouldn’t stop writing “met with” instead of “met”
I hear he wouldn’t stop writing “met with” instead of “met”
Such sad news. These are three of our family favourites. I spent many happy hours having these read to me when I was a kid, and now reading them to my children.
Hard to imagine how much joy Alan Ahlberg brought into the world over his lifetime.
Hard to imagine how much joy Alan Ahlberg brought into the world over his lifetime.
August 1, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Such sad news. These are three of our family favourites. I spent many happy hours having these read to me when I was a kid, and now reading them to my children.
Hard to imagine how much joy Alan Ahlberg brought into the world over his lifetime.
Hard to imagine how much joy Alan Ahlberg brought into the world over his lifetime.
Latest in my New England literary journey: A Separate Peace by John Knowles (1959).
Beautifully written coming of age novel set in a New Hampshire boarding school. Seemed like just the sort of novel that ends up being assigned to teenage English students. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing.
Beautifully written coming of age novel set in a New Hampshire boarding school. Seemed like just the sort of novel that ends up being assigned to teenage English students. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing.
July 21, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Latest in my New England literary journey: A Separate Peace by John Knowles (1959).
Beautifully written coming of age novel set in a New Hampshire boarding school. Seemed like just the sort of novel that ends up being assigned to teenage English students. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing.
Beautifully written coming of age novel set in a New Hampshire boarding school. Seemed like just the sort of novel that ends up being assigned to teenage English students. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing.
Learnt today that the first official UK celebration of US Independence Day took place on 4 July 1918.
The Stars and Stripes flew above Parliament and Westminster Abbey and King George V joined thousands of spectators to watch an Army-Navy baseball game at Stamford Bridge.
🇬🇧 🇺🇸
The Stars and Stripes flew above Parliament and Westminster Abbey and King George V joined thousands of spectators to watch an Army-Navy baseball game at Stamford Bridge.
🇬🇧 🇺🇸
July 4, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Learnt today that the first official UK celebration of US Independence Day took place on 4 July 1918.
The Stars and Stripes flew above Parliament and Westminster Abbey and King George V joined thousands of spectators to watch an Army-Navy baseball game at Stamford Bridge.
🇬🇧 🇺🇸
The Stars and Stripes flew above Parliament and Westminster Abbey and King George V joined thousands of spectators to watch an Army-Navy baseball game at Stamford Bridge.
🇬🇧 🇺🇸
1961. The Foreign Office pneumatic tube room.
I guess the novelty of launching messages into the tubes wore off pretty quickly
I guess the novelty of launching messages into the tubes wore off pretty quickly
June 29, 2025 at 1:34 PM
1961. The Foreign Office pneumatic tube room.
I guess the novelty of launching messages into the tubes wore off pretty quickly
I guess the novelty of launching messages into the tubes wore off pretty quickly
Latest stop in my New England literary journey: Arundel by Kenneth Roberts. Tells the story of Benedict Arnold’s march to Quebec in 1775.
June 11, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Latest stop in my New England literary journey: Arundel by Kenneth Roberts. Tells the story of Benedict Arnold’s march to Quebec in 1775.
Took the kids to visit the magnificently bonkers Ponyhenge near Lincoln MA
One of the little guys came with a story. Godspeed Wonder-Horse.
One of the little guys came with a story. Godspeed Wonder-Horse.
June 9, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Took the kids to visit the magnificently bonkers Ponyhenge near Lincoln MA
One of the little guys came with a story. Godspeed Wonder-Horse.
One of the little guys came with a story. Godspeed Wonder-Horse.
Slowly making progress on my shelf of British ambassadors to the US. Lord Lyons (ambassador during the civil war) biography is best so far
June 7, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Slowly making progress on my shelf of British ambassadors to the US. Lord Lyons (ambassador during the civil war) biography is best so far
On International Women’s Day, here are three recommended reads on the history of women in diplomacy.
Any other recommendations?
Any other recommendations?
March 8, 2025 at 4:09 PM
On International Women’s Day, here are three recommended reads on the history of women in diplomacy.
Any other recommendations?
Any other recommendations?
Latest on the New England reading list. Not sure a chapter a night before bed is the best recipe for a night of peaceful dreams.
March 5, 2025 at 12:33 AM
Latest on the New England reading list. Not sure a chapter a night before bed is the best recipe for a night of peaceful dreams.
I could have gone on for many more episodes.
I think my drama would centre on the brilliant but over-worked, under-appreciated and under-compensated librarians: Lewis and James Hertslet in series one. Series two could follow Lewis’ son Sir Edward Hertslet.
I think my drama would centre on the brilliant but over-worked, under-appreciated and under-compensated librarians: Lewis and James Hertslet in series one. Series two could follow Lewis’ son Sir Edward Hertslet.
February 16, 2025 at 2:02 PM
I could have gone on for many more episodes.
I think my drama would centre on the brilliant but over-worked, under-appreciated and under-compensated librarians: Lewis and James Hertslet in series one. Series two could follow Lewis’ son Sir Edward Hertslet.
I think my drama would centre on the brilliant but over-worked, under-appreciated and under-compensated librarians: Lewis and James Hertslet in series one. Series two could follow Lewis’ son Sir Edward Hertslet.
A lighter tone for episode 4: the housekeeper’s dog causes havoc in the office, barking at breakfast time and doing its business on the floor of the Permanent Under-Secretary Henry “Pumpy” Addington.
February 16, 2025 at 2:02 PM
A lighter tone for episode 4: the housekeeper’s dog causes havoc in the office, barking at breakfast time and doing its business on the floor of the Permanent Under-Secretary Henry “Pumpy” Addington.
Episode 3: A fire breaks out, threatening the Foreign Office library and an elderly German translator working on the top floor. It’s put out thanks to the bravery and quick-thinking of the clerks, maids and guards. Manuscripts are flung into the street to save them from the fire.
February 16, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Episode 3: A fire breaks out, threatening the Foreign Office library and an elderly German translator working on the top floor. It’s put out thanks to the bravery and quick-thinking of the clerks, maids and guards. Manuscripts are flung into the street to save them from the fire.
Episode 2: Ms Glover is short of money after the death of her husband and decides to open a bar in the basement of the Foreign Office. The Chief Clerk dismisses her on suspicion of serving “unauthorised persons”.
February 16, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Episode 2: Ms Glover is short of money after the death of her husband and decides to open a bar in the basement of the Foreign Office. The Chief Clerk dismisses her on suspicion of serving “unauthorised persons”.
Episode 1: Class tensions within the Queen’s Messengers lead to a fight breaking out between Mr Wright and Mr Fricker. Mr Wright throws a jug at Mr Fricker’s head before Mr Crotch steps in to separate the adversaries.
February 16, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Episode 1: Class tensions within the Queen’s Messengers lead to a fight breaking out between Mr Wright and Mr Fricker. Mr Wright throws a jug at Mr Fricker’s head before Mr Crotch steps in to separate the adversaries.
Just finishing off this wonderful domestic history of the Victorian Foreign Office.
Never have I read a book more deserving of being made into a period TV drama.
In case Netflix are reading, some thoughts on the first couple of episodes:
Never have I read a book more deserving of being made into a period TV drama.
In case Netflix are reading, some thoughts on the first couple of episodes:
February 16, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Just finishing off this wonderful domestic history of the Victorian Foreign Office.
Never have I read a book more deserving of being made into a period TV drama.
In case Netflix are reading, some thoughts on the first couple of episodes:
Never have I read a book more deserving of being made into a period TV drama.
In case Netflix are reading, some thoughts on the first couple of episodes:
“A frightful day in which everyone lays hand on every box they can find, crams into it all the worst and most complicated files, and throws them at my head”
From the diaries of Foreign Office Permanent Under-Secretary Sir Alexander Cadogan, 84 years ago today.
From the diaries of Foreign Office Permanent Under-Secretary Sir Alexander Cadogan, 84 years ago today.
January 18, 2025 at 4:00 AM
“A frightful day in which everyone lays hand on every box they can find, crams into it all the worst and most complicated files, and throws them at my head”
From the diaries of Foreign Office Permanent Under-Secretary Sir Alexander Cadogan, 84 years ago today.
From the diaries of Foreign Office Permanent Under-Secretary Sir Alexander Cadogan, 84 years ago today.
If I ever write a book I hope my author photo has the same energy as E B White’s on the dust jacket of One Man’s Meat.
January 14, 2025 at 1:22 PM
If I ever write a book I hope my author photo has the same energy as E B White’s on the dust jacket of One Man’s Meat.
Beautiful.
Not the best photo but this is the Shakespeare Window at Boston College, by Earl Sanborn (1928)
Not the best photo but this is the Shakespeare Window at Boston College, by Earl Sanborn (1928)
January 6, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Beautiful.
Not the best photo but this is the Shakespeare Window at Boston College, by Earl Sanborn (1928)
Not the best photo but this is the Shakespeare Window at Boston College, by Earl Sanborn (1928)
8. Making Peace
My final choice for 2024 is George Mitchell’s engrossing account of the negotiations that led up to the Good Friday Agreement.
A riveting read, and a great prompt for reflecting on what makes negotiations successful.
My final choice for 2024 is George Mitchell’s engrossing account of the negotiations that led up to the Good Friday Agreement.
A riveting read, and a great prompt for reflecting on what makes negotiations successful.
December 31, 2024 at 1:37 PM
8. Making Peace
My final choice for 2024 is George Mitchell’s engrossing account of the negotiations that led up to the Good Friday Agreement.
A riveting read, and a great prompt for reflecting on what makes negotiations successful.
My final choice for 2024 is George Mitchell’s engrossing account of the negotiations that led up to the Good Friday Agreement.
A riveting read, and a great prompt for reflecting on what makes negotiations successful.
7. The Last Hurrah
Enjoyed this fictionalised portrait of politics in 1950s Boston. Mayor Frank Skeffington is a fantastic central character. Must dig out the film one day.
Enjoyed this fictionalised portrait of politics in 1950s Boston. Mayor Frank Skeffington is a fantastic central character. Must dig out the film one day.
December 31, 2024 at 1:37 PM
7. The Last Hurrah
Enjoyed this fictionalised portrait of politics in 1950s Boston. Mayor Frank Skeffington is a fantastic central character. Must dig out the film one day.
Enjoyed this fictionalised portrait of politics in 1950s Boston. Mayor Frank Skeffington is a fantastic central character. Must dig out the film one day.
6. Empire Falls
The most contemporary of all the novels on my 2024 list. A richly-drawn account of life in a small blue-collar Maine town. One of the more surprising endings of any book I read this year.
The most contemporary of all the novels on my 2024 list. A richly-drawn account of life in a small blue-collar Maine town. One of the more surprising endings of any book I read this year.
December 31, 2024 at 1:37 PM
6. Empire Falls
The most contemporary of all the novels on my 2024 list. A richly-drawn account of life in a small blue-collar Maine town. One of the more surprising endings of any book I read this year.
The most contemporary of all the novels on my 2024 list. A richly-drawn account of life in a small blue-collar Maine town. One of the more surprising endings of any book I read this year.