{"record":{"aliases":["Roger Mellor Makins","Lord Sherfield","First Baron Sherfield"],"appointmentIds":["united-kingdom-3b428427c3e621"],"appointmentsDataset":"https://chanceries.org/diplomats.json","archivalSources":["src-a945aaf920ac9df8"],"canonicalUrl":"https://chanceries.org/diplopedia/people/sir-roger-makins-ec4e7a8dda/","countrySlug":"united-kingdom","entityId":"https://chanceries.org/diplopedia/people/sir-roger-makins-ec4e7a8dda/#person","eventIds":[],"expandedParagraphs":["Roger Makins joined the Diplomatic Service in 1928 and developed a long association with Washington. His posts there included service as minister in the embassy from 1945 to 1947, before his later return as ambassador in 1953. Between those assignments he held senior Foreign Office responsibilities for economic affairs and worked on Britain’s response to the reconstruction of Europe.","In an interview for the Truman Library, Makins recalled being with Ernest Bevin when news arrived of George Marshall’s June 1947 speech offering American assistance for European recovery. He described the urgency of the British response, consultation with France, and the expectation that cooperation would initially proceed between national governments.","Makins also proposed scholarships for American students as a lasting British expression of gratitude for Marshall Aid. The scheme expanded from an initial proposal focused on Cambridge into a choice of British universities. As ambassador he managed its American arrangements, working with Oliver Franks and John Foster during the programme’s early years. The first scholars arrived in Britain in 1954.","The approach to Suez dominated the end of his embassy. Makins worked on the proposed Aswan High Dam loan and warned London that Washington opposed force against Nasser. In July 1956 he advised Dulles against announcing the withdrawal of American funding too bluntly. Eden nevertheless regarded him as too sympathetic to the American position. Makins left Washington in October, before the invasion of Egypt. Back at the Treasury, he helped address the resulting sterling crisis.","After Washington, Makins served as joint permanent secretary to the Treasury and chaired the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. As Lord Sherfield he also chaired the Marshall Commission and was chancellor of the University of Reading from 1970 to 1992. The Marshall Sherfield Fellowships, first awarded in 1998, later commemorated him through support for American scientists and engineers conducting research in Britain. He died in 1996."],"id":"united-kingdom:sir roger makins","identifiers":{},"legacyPersonIds":[],"legacyUrl":"https://chanceries.org/diplomat-ec4e7a8ddac32f9b4df9.html","name":"Sir Roger Makins","notes":[],"paragraphSources":[["src-makins-npg","src-a945aaf920ac9df8"],["src-a945aaf920ac9df8"],["src-makins-marshall"],["src-323a0b9ba26dcbe7"],["src-makins-npg","src-makins-sherfield"]],"profileUrl":"diplomat-ec4e7a8ddac32f9b4df9.html","relatedEvents":[{"basis":"reviewed-context","country":"United Kingdom","date":"1956-10-31","description":"Dwight Eisenhower publicly opposes the British, French, and Israeli attack on Egypt. American pressure helps force a ceasefire, bringing a severe rupture within the Western alliance.","id":"uk-suez","note":"Makins handled the pre-invasion dispute and left in October; Caccia served during the subsequent repair of relations. Alphand and Eban represent the French and Israeli sides described.","sourceUrls":["https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/radio-and-television-report-the-american-people-the-developments-eastern-europe-and-the","https://history.state.gov/milestones/1953-1960/suez"],"title":"Washington opposes the Suez invasion","url":"United-Kingdom.html#history-uk-suez"},{"basis":"reviewed-context","country":"Israel","date":"1956–1957","description":"The United States opposes the Israeli, British, and French attack on Egypt. American pressure for a ceasefire and withdrawal exposes a serious difference between Washington and Israel.","id":"israel-suez-1956","note":"Eban is named in the withdrawal negotiations. Makins handled the lead-up; Caccia and Alphand represent the British and French sides during the subsequent crisis.","sourceUrls":["https://history.state.gov/milestones/1953-1960/suez","https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1955-57v17/d187"],"title":"Washington opposes the Suez invasion","url":"Israel.html#history-israel-suez-1956"}],"relatedPeople":[],"relationships":[],"researchStatus":"reviewed","reviewedOn":"2026-10-28","revision":"6f1cb9cb51f69c4c","sources":[{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":null,"id":"src-makins-npg","locator":"Biographical note","publisher":"National Portrait Gallery","title":"Roger Mellor Makins, first Baron Sherfield","type":"institutional-history","url":"https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp63115/roger-mellor-makins-1st-baron-sherfield"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":"1964-06-15","id":"src-a945aaf920ac9df8","locator":"Biographical headnote; transcript pp.1–9","publisher":"Harry S. Truman Presidential Library","title":"Sir Roger Makins oral history interview","type":"archive","url":"https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/oral-histories/makinsr"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":null,"id":"src-makins-marshall","locator":"Makins’s proposal, American administration and first1954cohort","publisher":"Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission","title":"A Brief History of the Marshall Scholarship","type":"institutional-history","url":"https://marshallscholarship.org/about/our-history/"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":null,"id":"src-makins-sherfield","locator":"Namesake’s career and founding1998awards","publisher":"Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission","title":"Marshall Sherfield Fellowships","type":"institutional-history","url":"https://www.marshallscholarship.org/apply/marshall-sherfield/"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":null,"id":"src-323a0b9ba26dcbe7","locator":"Pages 20–22: Aswan loan, warnings, departure and Treasury work","publisher":"University College London repository","title":"Kevin McCulloch, Churchill’s Ambassadors—from Fulton to Suez","type":"scholarship","url":"https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10057906/3/McCulloch_CHURCHILL%27S%20AMBASSADORS%20-%20FROM%20FULTON%20TO%20SUEZ%20-%20FINAL.pdf"},{"accessedOn":"","date":"","id":"mission-0d41d007014e9fdf235f","locator":"","publisher":"","title":"Sir Roger Makins — mission record (1953–1956)","type":"Mission record","url":"https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1955-57v20/d142"}],"topics":["Marshall Plan","Marshall Scholarships","Economic diplomacy","Nuclear energy","Higher education","Suez crisis","Aswan High Dam","Sterling crisis"]},"schemaVersion":1}