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{{Short description|British civil servant (1896–1971)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2016}}
[[File:Eric Miéville in 1948.jpg|thumb|Miéville in 1948]]

'''Sir Eric Charles Miéville''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|GCIE|KCVO|CSI|CMG}} (31 January 1896 – 16 September 1971) was a senior [[United Kingdom|British]] civil servant who served as Assistant Private Secretary to [[George VI]] from 1937 to 1945, and who also served as Private Secretary to several Governors-General of India and Canada.<ref name="times">{{cite news |title=Obituary: Sir Eric Miéville – Assistant Private Secretary to King George VI |work=[[The Times]] |page=14 |date=17 September 1971 }}</ref>

==Early life and family==
Eric Charles Miéville was born in [[Acton, London|Acton]], [[London]], England, the youngest son of Charles Ernest Miéville (1858–1940), a stockbroker and [[estate agent]], and Alice Huleat Garcia Bampfield (1864–1934).<ref>''1911 England Census''</ref> The Miéville family is Swiss in origin, descending from [[Yverdon-les-Bains]]. His uncle was the author Sir [[Walter Miéville]]. He was educated at [[St Paul's School, London|St Paul's School]]. In the First World War, he served with the [[Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment]], rising to the rank of Second Lieutenant, but was honourably discharged with a [[Silver War Badge]].<ref>''UK, Silver War Badge Records, 1914-1920''</ref>

==Career==
===China===
Miéville joined the Far Eastern Consular Service in 1919 as a [[student interpreter]] of [[Chinese language|Chinese]]. From 1920 to 1927, he served as a [[private secretary]] and local [[vice-consul]] to successive British Ministers in [[Beijing|Peking]].<ref name="times"/>

===Canada and India===
In 1927, Miéville was appointed secretary to the [[Governor General of Canada]], [[Freeman Freeman-Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon]], in which capacity he served until the end of Lord Willingdon's tenure in 1931. Subsequently, he accompanied Freeman-Thomas to India upon his appointment as [[Governor-General of India]] and continued to serve as his secretary until the latter's retirement in 1936. From 1935 to 1936, he concurrently served as secretary on the Viceroy's Executive Council, and for his service was appointed Knight Commander of the [[Order of the Indian Empire]].<ref name="times"/>

===Assistant Private Secretary to George VI===
On 20 July 1936, Miéville was appointed Assistant Private Secretary to the Duke of York, succeeding [[Harold Campbell (courtier)|Harold Campbell]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34306 |date=20 July 1936 |supp=y |page=4668}}</ref> Following the [[abdication of Edward VIII]], he continued his service to the now-[[George VI]] until 1945. He resigned his position that year in favour of the private sector. He was elected to serve in various directorships, including as director of [[Westminster Bank]].<ref name="times"/>

===Return to India===
In the spring of 1947, [[Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma|Lord Mountbatten]] requested Miéville return to India along with [[Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay|General Ismay]] to assist him during the crucial period leading up to the [[Indian Independence Act 1947|independence of India]]. Miéville reportedly did not hesitate, and left England in April 1947 to serve as private secretary to Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, and as such played a minor role in the preparations of the [[partition of India]] in August. He was promoted to a Knight Grand Commander of the [[Order of the Indian Empire]] (GCIE) in 1947, becoming one of the final recipients of the order.

{{Pull quote|text=Miéville's knowledge of the world and his experience of affairs made him a valuable member of a board of directors and this was recognized in many quarters. His understanding of people and his cheerful and sympathetic personality enabled him to contribute much to the handling of staff matters. He was a man of many and lasting friendships, which included conspicuously those with the distinguished personalities whom he had served so well and always so devotedly. |author=Obituary of Sir Eric Miéville |source=''[[The Times]]'', 17 September 1971<ref name="times"/>}}

==Personal and later life==
While posted in China, he married Dorothy Haslock on 7 March 1922.<ref>''UK, Foreign and Overseas Registers of British Subjects, 1628-1969'' for Eric Charles Mieville</ref>

Following his return from India in August 1947, Miéville rejoined the private sector. He was appointed director of numerous groups, including the Amalgamated Tin Mines of Nigeria in 1956<ref>{{cite news |title=Business changes |work=[[The Times]] |page=11 |date=17 November 1956}}</ref> and the London Tin Corporation in 1957.<ref>{{cite news |title=Business changes |work=[[The Times]] |page=12 |date=16 March 1957 }}</ref> In 1949, he was appointed to a Royal Commission on lotteries.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=38601 |date=3 May 1949 |supp= |page=2179}}</ref>

He died in [[Midhurst]], aged 75.<ref name="times"/>

==Honours==
*Companion of the [[Order of St Michael and St George]] (CMG), [[1930 New Year Honours|1930]]<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=33566 |date=31 December 1929 |supp=y |page=4}}</ref>
*Companion of the [[Order of the Star of India]] (CSI), [[1933 Birthday Honours|1933]]<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=33946 |date=2 June 1933 |supp=y |page=3803}}</ref>
*Knight Commander of the [[Order of the Indian Empire]] (KCIE), [[1936 New Year Honours|1936]]<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34238 |date=31 December 1935 |supp=y |page=6}}</ref>
*Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (GCIE), [[1948 New Year Honours|1948]]<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=38161 |date=30 December 1947 |supp=y |page=7}}</ref>
*Knight Commander of the [[Royal Victorian Order]] (KCVO), [[1943 Birthday Honours|1943]]<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36033 |date=28 May 1943 |supp=y |page=2423}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
*[http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U157543 MIEVILLE, Sir Eric Charles], ''Who Was Who'', A & C Black, 1920–2016 (online edition, Oxford University Press, 2014)

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mieville, Eric}}
[[Category:1896 births]]
[[Category:1971 deaths]]
[[Category:English people of Swiss descent]]
[[Category:British civil servants]]
[[Category:People from Acton, London]]
[[Category:People educated at St Paul's School, London]]
[[Category:Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of the Star of India]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George]]

Eric Miéville - Revision history

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