Frederick Leathers, 1st Viscount Leathers

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Frederick James Leathers, 1st Viscount Leathers CH PC (21 November 1883 – 19 March 1965) was a British industrialist and public servant.

He left school in 1898 at the age of 15 to work with Steamship Owners Coal Association (later merged with William Cory & Sons, Ltd.), becoming managing director in 1916. He was concerned also with other companies dealing with coal or shipping services.

He served as an adviser to the Ministry of Shipping from 1914–18 and 1940–1 and as Minister of War Transport in 1941. He attended the Casablanca, Washington, Quebec, and Cairo conferences in 1943. He negotiated the lend-lease of American ships to Britain. He also accompanied the Prime Minister Winston Churchill to the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences.

He later served as Secretary of State for Co-ordination of Transport, Fuel, and Power from 1951–3.

He was raised to the peerage as Baron Leathers in 1941, appointed a Companion of Honour in 1943, and created 1st Viscount Leathers in 1954.

Political offices
Preceded by Wartime office	Minister of War Transport 1941–1945	Succeeded by Wartime office
Political offices
Preceded by New position	Secretary of State for Co-ordination of Transport, Fuel, and Power 1951–1953	Succeeded by Office abolished
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by New Creation	Viscount Leathers 1954–1965	Succeeded by Frederick Leathers
	Baron Leathers 1941–1965