Leslie Croydon was born in Marylebone in 1921 and was educated at Haberdashers’ Aske’s School. He left school at 17 and joined Courtaulds as a trainee Company Secretary. His training was interrupted by the war.

In May 1939 he joined 11 (HAC) Regiment, Royal Artillery. He saw action in North Africa and Italy, including with 64th Field Regiment RA at Salerno, Anzio, Monte Cassino and the Gothic Line. He was twice mentioned in despatches. He was demobilised in May 1946 in the rank of Captain, but maintained his military connection by serving with the Honourable Artillery Company in the City of London.

He rejoined Courtaulds after the war and became Company Secretary and a member of the Board of Directors.

He married Jean in 1952, and they had two children, Sally and Richard. They lived in Northwood, but towards the end of his career, Leslie was appointed Company Secretary of the British National Oil Corporation in Glasgow and they lived in Scotland for four years. In 1988, when Leslie retired, they moved to Amersham; he then became Secretary and Administrator of Dorneywood House, an official residence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Leslie was one of the 13 founder members of the Chartered Secretaries and Administrators’ Company and joined the Court in 1976. During his year as Master he signed the Letters of Association with the Secretarial Branch of the Royal Air Force. In 1988 he presented three silver goblets to the Company, for use by senior officers of the Armed Forces at Company functions.

At various times over the next 15 years Leslie gave sterling service on the Finance & General Purposes Committee and the Investment Sub-committee; he chaired the Long-term Planning Committee in 1994 (see page 50 of “A Very Modern Company) and in 1998 was a member of a working party to draft a revised Constitution for the Company. He retired from the Court in 1998 but continued to take a keen interest in the activities of the Company to the very end of his life.