Leonard Lyle, 1st Baron Lyle of Westbourne

Who was Leonard Lyle, 1st Baron Lyle of Westbourne?

Leonard Lyle, 1st Baron Lyle of Westbourne was a British industrialist and Conservative Party politician.

He was born in London, the only son of Charles Lyle and his wife, Mary, née Brown. He was educated at Harrow School and at Trinity Hall, Cambridge.

The family were major ship-owners who had diversified into sugar refining, and Leonard joined the firm in 1903, and became a director when his father retired in 1909. When Abram Lyle & Sons merged with Henry Tate & Sons in 1921 to form Tate & Lyle, he became a director of the new company, then its chairman in 1928, and president in 1937.

Lyle is best known for leading the opposition to the post-war Labour Government's plans to nationalise to sugar industry. The campaign was fronted by a cartoon character, "Mr Cube", drawn by artist Bobby St John Cooper.