Sir Henry Mortimer Durand

1850 - 1924  (74 years)

• Name	Henry Mortimer Durand
  Title	Sir
  Birth	14 Feb 1850	Sehore, Bhopal, India   [1]
  Baptism	17 Mar 1850	Indore, Bengal   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Occupation	British Ambassador
  Death	8 Jun 1924	Bolden, Somerset, England   [2]
  Burial	10 Jun 1924	Minehead Cemetery, Minehead, Somerset, England   [3]
  Person ID	I16	Henry Salt Family
  Last Modified	14 Apr 2026

  
  

  Father	Henry Marion Durand,   b. 6 Nov 1812, Coulandon, France d. 1 Jan 1871, Punjite, India (Age 58 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	Anne McCaskill,   b. 1822   d. 28 Aug 1857, Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, India (Age 35 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Marriage	28 Mar 1843	Meerut, Bengal, India   [4]
  Family ID	F19	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Ella Rebe Sandys   d. 29 Apr 1913, St Marylebone, London
  Marriage	1 Mar 1875	Bhaugulpore, Bengal   [4]
  Children	1. Henry Marion Durand,   b. 23 Feb 1876   d. 19 Dec 1954 (Age 78 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   2. Amy Josephine Durand,   b. 8 Oct 1881   d. 1968 (Age 86 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F174	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	14 Apr 2026

  
  

• Notes

  From Henry Marion Durand's first marriage. Schoolmate of Salt, became Ambassador in Washington. Henry Mortimer Durand was born in 1850. He was educated at Blackheath School, Eton House, Tonbridge and at the Bar, Lincoln's Inn. He entered the Indian Civil Service, arriving in India on 1 February 1873. Durand rose up through the ranks of the Indian Civil Service, and from 1884 to 1894 was Foreign Secretary to the Government of India. This was followed by a period of service as British Envoy, at the Court of the Shah of Persia. In 1900 Durand was appointed British Ambassador to Spain, a post which he held until 1903. In 1903 he became British Ambassador to the United States of America, but was recalled at the end of 1906. Durand stood as Conservative and Unionist candidate in the election of 1910 for Plymouth, with Waldorf Astor, but failed. In addition to his work as a civil servant and diplomat, Durand wrote a number of novels and other works, including a biography of his father. Durand married, daughter of Teignmouth Sandys, in 1875. They had two children, a son and daughter, Amy Josephine (Jo). Josephine accompanied her father on many official duties owing to her mother's ill health. Lady Durand died in May 1913, aged 60. Sir Henry Mortimer Durand died in 1924.

  
  

• Sources

  [S555] British India Office Births & Baptisms. [S789] British India Office Wills & Probate. [S416] findagrave.com. [S598] British India Office Marriages.