John Denis Leonard, Baron Leonard, OBE (19 October 1909 – 17 July 1983) was a British Labour Party politician. Leonard was born in

Manorhamilton Manorhamilton () is the second-largest town in County Leitrim, Ireland. It is located on the N16 from Sligo and from Enniskillen. History Before the Plantations of Ireland, the settlement was known, and continues to be known in the Ir ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, the son of an Irish journalist. He emigrated to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

in 1939, where he set up an engineering firm in

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...

. He was elected to the Cardiff City Council in 1970, and to the

South Glamorgan County Council South Glamorgan County Council ( cy, Cyngor Sir De Morgannwg) was the local government authority that administered the county of South Glamorgan, Wales from its creation in 1974 until its abolition in 1996. History Local government in England and ...

in 1974, serving as its chairman between 1976 and 1977. He was appointed an OBE in 1976. On 2 May 1978, Leonard was made a life peer, as Baron Leonard, of the City of Cardiff in the County of South Glamorgan. He served as a

Lord in Waiting Lords-in-waiting (male) or baronesses-in-waiting (female) are peers who hold office in the Royal Household of the sovereign of the United Kingdom. In the official Court Circular they are styled "Lord in Waiting" or "Baroness in Waiting" (withou ...

between 1978 and 1979. He was selected as

High Sheriff of South Glamorgan The office of High Sheriff of South Glamorgan was established in 1974 as part of the creation of the county of South Glamorgan in Wales following the Local Government Act 1972. Together with the High Sheriff of West Glamorgan and the High Sheriff ...

for 1979, but was excused from serving upon his elevation to the peerage.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leonard, John 1909 births 1983 deaths Irish emigrants to the United Kingdom Officers of the Order of the British Empire Members of South Glamorgan County Council Labour Party (UK) life peers Labour Party (UK) Baronesses- and Lords-in-Waiting High Sheriffs of Glamorgan Life peers created by Elizabeth II