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Sir Alexander Leith, 1st Baronet

1869 – 1956

British benefactor, died 1956

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About Sir Alexander Leith, 1st Baronet

Lived 1869 – 1956 (aged 87).

Sir Walter Alexander Leith, 1st Baronet (24 September 1869 – 9 November 1956) was a British benefactor.

Leith was the son of Walter Leith, of Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, and Walmer Court, Kent and was educated at Windlesham House School, Harrow and Brasenose College, Oxford. Afterwards he was the director of a colliery and several iron companies. He served as a lieutenant colonel in World War I with the Northumberland Hussars and was awarded the Military Cross for his part in the Gallipoli campaign. In 1919 he was created a Baronet.

Leith was High Sheriff of Northumberland in 1923 and later a Deputy Lieutenant of that county. He presented the Gosforth Cup to Newcastle Racecourse in 1951. His seat was at Greycourt, near Riding Hall, Hexham.

A leading member of the Conservative and Unionist Party in the north of England, in 1929 Leith persuaded the Prince of Wales to make a three-day visit to the County Durham and Northumberland coal-fields, where at the time many miners were suffering from unemployment.

Leith died in November 1956, aged 87, when the baronetcy became extinct.

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Important facts

Birth century
Education
Windlesham House School, Brasenose College, Harrow School
Positions held
High Sheriff of Northumberland

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Sir Alexander Leith, 1st Baronet's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Sir Alexander Leith, 1st Baronet?

British benefactor, died 1956

When was Sir Alexander Leith, 1st Baronet born?

Sir Alexander Leith, 1st Baronet was born on 24 September 1869.

When did Sir Alexander Leith, 1st Baronet die?

Sir Alexander Leith, 1st Baronet died on 9 November 1956.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Sir Alexander Leith, 1st Baronet

· Wikidata: Q7525946

· DBpedia: Sir Alexander Leith, 1st Baronet, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Sir Alexander Leith, 1st Baronet. https://biography.guide/sir-alexander-leith-1st-baronet/

MLA: "Sir Alexander Leith, 1st Baronet." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/sir-alexander-leith-1st-baronet/.

Chicago: "Sir Alexander Leith, 1st Baronet." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/sir-alexander-leith-1st-baronet/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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