Background
His father was William Leatham, a banker from Heath, near Wakefield and his mother was Margaret née Walker of Leeds.
His father was William Leatham, a banker from Heath, near Wakefield and his mother was Margaret née Walker of Leeds.
Leatham entered banking, working in Wakefield, Pontefract and Doncaster from 1836 to 1852. He was a justice of the peace and deputy lieutenant for the West Riding of Yorkshire, and in 1870 was deputy chairman of the West Riding quarter sessions. He made his home at Hemsworth Hall, Pontefract.
Leatham was a poet and author, writing a collection of Poems in 1840, and Tales of English and Miscellanies.
He was subsequently elected as Member of Parliament for Wakefield in 1859, but was unseated on petition. He left the Commons in 1868.
In 1874 he was again a parliamentary candidate, this time for the two-seat Southern Division of the West Riding, but failed to be elected. Six years later, in 1880, he was successfully returned to parliament for the constuituency.
In 1885 the seat was abolished, and Leatham left parliament.
West H Leatham died on 14 November 1889, aged 74.
19th United Kingdom Parliament. 22nd United Kingdom Parliament]
He was a member of a Yorkshire Quaker family. Six years later, he was again the Liberal candidate at Wakefield, and was elected as the town"s member of parliament.