Background
Noble was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, the son of John Noble and Mary, daughter of James Black.
Noble was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, the son of John Noble and Mary, daughter of James Black.
He remained chairman of the Cairn Lincolnshire until his death. He was first honorary president of the Baltic and White Sea Conference from 1913 to 1921 and also served as president of the Chamber of Shipping in 1920 and on the Executive of the Shipping Federation. He was vice-president of the Newcastle and Gateshead Chamber of Commerce from 1915 until his death and was president of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers in 1919–1921 and 1929.
During the First World War he served on a number of government and local committees.
In 1930 he led the British Economic Mission to South Africa. Noble was created a Baronet, of West Denton Hall in the County of Northumberland, in the 1921 Birthday Honours and raised to the peerage as Baron Kirkley, of Kirkley in the County of Northumberland, in 1930, taking his title from Kirkley Hall, Northumberland, which he bought in 1929.
He was a member of the Tyne Improvement Commissioners and was shipping representative on the advisory sub-committee of the Ministry of Transport.