William, Lord Downham

A former president of the National Skating Association, Hayes Fisher, or Lord Downham as he was later known, was chairman of the British Olympic Association (BOA) from 1919-20. The son of a Cambridgeshire vicar, Fisher was educated at Haileybury School before going to University College Oxford where he studied classics and law. He was called to the Bar as a barrister in 1879.

Fisher later became a conservative Member of Parliament for the new Fulham Constituency between 1885-1906 and 1910-18, and held various Ministerial posts. He was also a London County Council (LCC) alderman 1907-13, and chairman of the LCC in 1919. After leaving Parliament, Fisher was created the 1st Baron Downham of Fulham in November 1918. He had been chairman of the BOA for just over nine months when he died in 1920. The Downham Baronetcy ended upon his death as there was no son and heir.