Sir Leigh Ashton was educated at Winchester and Balliol College, Oxford. Between 1916-19 he served as a lieutenant with the Royal Garrison Artillery. In 1922 he joined the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) as an assistant keeper in the department of Architecture and Sculpture. It was the start of a 33-year career at the museum, which saw him eventually become director between 1945-55. It was no surprise that Ashton was asked to be one of the judges in the art competition at the 1948 London Olympics. During his time at the V&A, he was instrumental in re-vamping the museum to make it more user friendly for the visitors. He was also responsible for arranging many well-known international exhibitions. In 1954, Ashton became president of the Museums Association, and the following year, became a governor of the Sadler’s Wells theatre. A keen amateur musician, he was knighted in 1948. Ashton resigned his post at the V&A in 1955 due to poor health.
Great Britain