Lord Woolton, Britain’s Minister of Food was born in 1883. For years he had been one of the outstanding figures in the business world of the North of England, he was chairman of Lewis's and its chain of subsidiary drapery stores, and he was still Sir Frederick Marquis when, in 1939 he was made honorary adviser to the War Office and the Ministry of Supply on clothing for the army. Shortly afterwards he was appointed Director General of Equipment and Stores on the Munitions Council, whence in April 1940 he was called by Chamberlain to take charge of the all important new "Ministry of Food" in which position he was confirmed by Mr. Churchill in the following month.