Sir John Latta, 1st Baronet

Sir John Latta, 1st Baronet (9 May 1867–5 December 1946) was a Scottish shipping magnate.

Latta was born in Old Cumnock, Ayrshire, and was educated at Ayr Academy. He entered the family business, Lawther, Latta & Co Ltd, which owned the Nitrate Producers' Steamship Co Ltd, and later became chairman. In 1896, he married Mary Short, a member of the Short Brothers shipbuilding dynasty. Under his chairmanship, the Nitrate Producers' Steamship Company outgrew its title and expanded into all areas of cargo shipping, operating large freighters, mostly built by Shorts. The fleet performed sterling service in the South African War, First World War and Second World War, and for his services to his country in the First World War, Latta was created a Baronet in the 1920 New Year Honours. [LondonGazette |issue=31712 |date=30 December 1919 |startpage=2 |supp=yes]

Latta's only son predeceased him, and so the baronetcy became extinct upon his death.

Footnotes

References

*Obituary, "The Times", 6 December 1946