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Sir Leslie Gordon Newton (16 September 1907 – 31 August 1998) was an English journalist and editor of the ''
Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and also published digitally that focuses on business and economic Current affairs (news format), current affairs. Based in London, the paper is owned by a Jap ...
'' for 22 years, from 1950 until 1972. He is generally considered to be one of the most successful British newspaper editors of the post-Second World War era.


Early years

Newton was the second son of John Newton, a glass merchant, and his wife Edith Sara, ''née'' Goode. He attended
Blundell's School Blundell's School is an Private schools in the United Kingdom, independent co-educational boarding school, boarding and Day school, day school in the English Public School (United Kingdom), public school tradition, located in Tiverton, Devon, T ...
and
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge Sidney Sussex College (historically known as "Sussex College" and today referred to informally as "Sidney") is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England. The College was founded in 1 ...
, where he read economics. After graduating in 1929, he joined the family glass business, only to see it collapse the following year. At his father's suggestion, Newton then purchased a struggling mirror-making firm which he sold in 1933 for a profit, only to lose the money in a company that manufactured automobile parts when his business partner ran off with the firm's money.


Journalism career

Desperately looking for work, in 1935 Newton received a position as a cuttings clerk with the ''
Financial News ''Financial News'' is a weekly financial newspaper published in London and news website, founded in 1996. It is published by eFinancial News Limited, and provides news and opinions regarding the financial services sector, and information ab ...
''. Soon he moved into a position as a journalist and enjoyed a series of promotions, becoming the news editor in 1939. He resigned his position not long after his appointment to join the
Honourable Artillery Company The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) is a reserve regiment in the British Army. Incorporated by royal charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII, it is the oldest regiment in the British Army and is considered the second-oldest military unit in the w ...
, in which he served throughout the war despite an offer of a position in
military intelligence Military intelligence is a military discipline that uses information collection and analysis List of intelligence gathering disciplines, approaches to provide guidance and direction to assist Commanding officer, commanders in decision making pr ...
. After the war Newton returned to the ''Financial News'', which had just been acquired by
Brendan Bracken Brendan Rendall Bracken, 1st Viscount Bracken (15 February 1901 – 8 August 1958), was an Irish-born businessman, politician and a Minister of Information and First Lord of the Admiralty in Winston Churchill's War Cabinet. He is best remembe ...
. The new owner merged it with the ''
Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and also published digitally that focuses on business and economic Current affairs (news format), current affairs. Based in London, the paper is owned by a Jap ...
'', employing Newton as the paper's features editor and leader writer. During this period, Newton wrote the Lex column for a year, and also travelled to Washington, D.C. to report on negotiations over the devaluation of the pound.


Editorship of the ''Financial Times''

When the editor of the ''Financial Times'',
Hargreaves Parkinson Hargreaves Parkinson (3 June 1896 – 23 May 1950) was editor of the ''Financial Times'' from 1945 until 1950. He was educated at Blackpool Grammar School and King's College London. “Who was Who” 1897-1990 London, A & C Black, 1991 After se ...
, retired due to a terminal illness in 1950, Bracken passed over the expected successor, Harold Wincott in favour of Newton. The choice proved a great success. Granted a free hand by the paper's owners, he strengthened its coverage of financial, business, and political news while broadening it to include areas such as the arts. Eschewing journalists with previous experience in the profession, he hired graduates straight from the universities of
Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...
and
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
, giving a start to the careers of writers such as Patrick Hutber (of Hutber's law),
William Rees-Mogg William Rees-Mogg, Baron Rees-Mogg (14 July 192829 December 2012) was a British newspaper journalist who was Editor of ''The Times'' from 1967 to 1981. In the late 1970s, he served as High Sheriff of Somerset, and in the 1980s was Chairman of ...
,
Christopher Tugendhat Christopher Samuel Tugendhat, Baron Tugendhat (born 23 February 1937), is a British politician, businessman, journalist and author. A member of the Conservative Party, he first served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1970 to 1977, when he w ...
and
Nigel Lawson Nigel Lawson, Baron Lawson of Blaby, (11 March 1932 – 3 April 2023) was a British politician and journalist. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as Member of Parliament for Blaby in Leicestershire from 1974 to 1992, and served ...
.Lawson, op cit, pgs. 702–703. Newton's decisions contributed to the success of the newspaper. Sales trebled during his years as editor, as Newton transformed the ''Financial Times'' from a trade publication into an internationally respected newspaper. In 1958, he hired Sheila Black, a former actor and ''FT''’s first female journalist, who introduced the ''How to Spend It'' consumer goods feature in 1967, with whom he also had a long-running extramarital affair. Newton received a knighthood in 1967, and served as a director of the paper between 1967 and 1972.


Later years

Newton voluntarily stepped down from his responsibilities with the ''Financial Times'' in 1972 after reaching the age of 65. He took up a chairmanship of a financial company that collapsed amidst the
secondary banking crisis of 1973–1975 The secondary banking crisis of 1973–1975 was a dramatic crash in British property prices that caused dozens of small ("secondary") lending banks to be threatened with bankruptcy. Crisis The secondary banks, like the larger institutions, had b ...
, but subsequently served with greater success on other boards. He lived quietly in
Henley-on-Thames Henley-on-Thames ( ) is a town status in the United Kingdom, town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish on the River Thames, in the South Oxfordshire district, in Oxfordshire, England, northeast of Reading, Berkshire, Reading, west of M ...
, where he indulged his passion for
fly fishing Fly fishing is an angling technique that uses an ultra-lightweight lure called an artificial fly, which typically mimics small invertebrates such as flying and aquatic insects to attract and catch fish. Because the mass of the fly lure is in ...
, until his death from
cerebrovascular disease Cerebrovascular disease includes a variety of medical conditions that affect the blood vessels of the brain and the cerebral circulation. Arteries supplying oxygen and nutrients to the brain are often damaged or deformed in these disorders. Th ...
in 1998.


References


Further reading

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Newton, Gordon English male journalists English newspaper editors Alumni of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge People educated at Blundell's School 1907 births 1998 deaths Financial Times editors Knights Bachelor People from Muswell Hill