William Douglas Leitch

William Douglas Leitch(1863–1943), football administrator and factory manager, was famous for his autocratic style and crusty nature. As a young boy in the 1870s, Leitch went to work at George Peacock's Old Wharf jam factory, was sent to establish a sulphating plant in the Huon valley to prevent fermentation in berry fruit, and returned as Peacock's factory manager. When the factory was bought out, he became an inaugural board member of H Jones & Co, and continued as factory manager. When he retired, he had worked for George Peacock and Henry Jones for 71 years. Leitch was also a keen football player and administrator, and the William Leitch medal, first awarded in 1930 for the best and fairest player in the original Tasmanian Football League, was named in his honour.

Further reading: B Brown, I excel!, Hobart, 1991; W Leitch, The jam factory and other stories, Huonville, 1992.

Bruce Brown