joseph addison, son of john edmund wentworth addison, was educated in france and at magdalen college, oxford. he entered the foreign office (fo) in 1903 and was assistant secretary at the second hague conference in 1907 before being posted to peking 1908–10. he was private secretary to the parliamentary under-secretary of state for foreign affairs (thomas mckinnon wood then francis dyke acland) 1911–13. he resigned from the fo in 1913 but rejoined and served in paris 1916–20 before being appointed counsellor at berlin 1920–27, serving as chargé d'affaires at various times.