Walter Layton, 1st Baron Layton

Walter Thomas Layton, 1st Baron Layton, CH, CBE (March 15, 1884-February 14, 1966), was a British economist, editor and newspaper proprietor.

Background & education

Layton was the son of Alfred John Layton of Woking, Surrey, and Mary Johnson. He was educated at King's College School, Westminster School, University College, London and Trinity College, Cambridge.

Career

He became a lecturer in economics at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1908, then from 1909 to 1914 he was a Fellow of Gonville and Caius College. A notable economist, Layton worked for the Ministry of Munitions during the First World War. In 1922 he was appointed editor of "The Economist", a post he held until 1938, and from 1944 to 1963 was also Chairman of The Economist Newspaper Ltd. He was a member of the Liberal Party committee that produced 'Britain's Industrial Future', otherwise known as the 'Little Yellow Book'. He stood as a Liberal Parliamentary candidate, contesting the London University seat in 1929. Layton was again drafted in to work for the government during the Second World War, holding positions in the Ministry of Supply and the Ministry of Production. After the war, he served as Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe from 1949 to 1957.

Honours

Layton was made a CBE in 1917 and a Companion of Honour in 1919. He was knighted in 1930 and in 1947 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Layton, of Danehill in the County of Sussex.

Marriage and children

Lord Layton married Eleanor Dorothea Osmaston, daughter of Francis Beresford Plumptre Osmaston, in 1910. They had seven children:
* Michael John Layton, 2nd Baron Layton married Dorothy Cross, two children
* Lt. Col. the Hon. David Layton MBE BA, educ. Gresham's School and Cambridge University, married Elizabeth Gray, three children
* The Hon. Christopher Walter Layton, married Anneliese Margaret von Thadden, four children
* The Hon. Margaret Dorothea Layton MA, married Alfred Geiringer of Reuters
* The Hon. Jean Mary Layton, married Paul Eisler, two children
* The Hon. Olive Shirley Layton, born 18 December 1918, actress, married Peter Gellhorn, conductor, four children
* The Hon. Ruth Francis Layton, born 27 April 1923, served in ATS, married Edward Gutterless Pegna, four children Layton died in February 1966, aged 81, and was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son.

References

*Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). "Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage" (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
*Oxbury, Harold. "Great Britons: Twentieth Century Lives". Oxford University Press, 1984.