Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos

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Oliver Lyttelton, 1st Viscount Chandos KG PC DSO MC (15 March 1893-21 January 1972) was a British businessman who was brought into government during the Second World War, holding a number of ministerial posts.

Lyttelton was the son of Alfred Lyttelton, a Conservative politician, and related to William Gladstone. He was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge and served in the Grenadier Guards in World War I. He married Moira Godolphin Osborne in 1920. They had four children: Anthony Alfred, Rosemary, Julian and Nicholas Adrian Oliver. He was managing director of British Metal Corporation Ltd and later became Chairman of Associated Electrical Industries.

Lyttelton entered Parliament as Conservative MP for Aldershot in a wartime by-election in 1940. He entered Churchill's war cabinet as President of the Board of Trade, Minister of State in the Middle East and Minister of Production. After the Conservatives' 1951 election victory, he became Secretary of State for the Colonies. He continued in the House of Commons until 1954, when he was elevated to the House of Lords as 1st Viscount Chandos, returning to AEI and steering it to become a major British company.

The Lyttelton Theatre at the Royal National Theatre, London is named after Oliver Lyttelton; he was the first chairman of the NT (1962-71) and his parents had been active campaigners for its development.

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Roundell Palmer	Member of Parliament for Aldershot 1940–1954	Succeeded by Sir Eric Errington
Political offices
Preceded by Andrew Duncan	President of the Board of Trade 1940–1941	Succeeded by Andrew Duncan
Preceded by New Office	Minister of State in the Middle East 1941–1942	Succeeded by Richard Casey
Preceded by The Lord Beaverbrook	Minister of Production 1942–1945	Succeeded by Office abolished
Preceded by Hugh Dalton	President of the Board of Trade 1945	Succeeded by Sir Stafford Cripps
Preceded by James Griffiths	Secretary of State for the Colonies 1951–1954	Succeeded by Alan Lennox-Boyd
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by New Creation	Viscount Chandos	Succeeded by Anthony Lyttelton