Conrad Swan - Early Life

Early Life

Conrad Swan was born in 1924 in British Columbia, Canada. His father was descended from the Polish noble family of Święcicki (Coat of arms of Jastrzębiec). After emigrating to Canada in 1884 the family surname became Swan.

Swan devoted much of his life to travelling. Having decided to make a lifetime career in the Indian Army, Swan was sent by the India Office (the UK governmental office responsible for India at the time) to the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Having completed the course there, he proceeded to India and was commissioned and appointed to the Madras Regiment, the oldest in the country. Indian Independence (1947) caused him to make other decisions "it being the end of a chapter". Upon retirement from the Indian Army, he went directly back to Canada to take a BA and MA at the University of Western Ontario (Assumption College). During this time, he developed a keen interest in Commonwealth affairs, which brought him back to Britain, where he acquired his doctorate from Cambridge University in 1955.

Swan spent six years (1955–1961) lecturing in history at the Assumption University of Windsor, Ontario, of which he was also University Beadle. As guest lecturer he has visited many universities, not only in North America but in every continent except Antarctica, "the penguins haven't invited me yet".