Lord Augustus Loftus

Overview

Lord Augustus William Frederick Spencer Loftus, GCB, PC (1817-1904), was a British diplomat who served as ambassador to Prussia (1865-1868), the North German Confederation (1868-1871), and Russia (1871-1879). He later became Governor of New South Wales (1879-1885).

Relevance to Marie

Marie identifies him as her neighbor at no. 55 in Nice in October 1875, noting that he and his family are "des gens dignes d'attention" (people worthy of attention). As a former ambassador to Berlin, he represents the kind of distinguished international society Marie craves but rarely encounters in her provincial Nice existence.

Historical Context

By October 1875, Loftus would have been between his posting as Ambassador to Russia (1871-1879). His presence in Nice during this period may have been a holiday or personal visit, as Nice was a popular destination for the British diplomatic class.

He published four volumes of Diplomatic Reminiscences (1892-1894), covering his career from 1837 to 1879.

References in Diary

• First mentioned: 1875-10-12 (046.0643)
• Marie observes him and his family at no. 55, near her residence