Alfred Mond, 1st Baron Melchett

He was an active director from the outset, and amongst other growth projects he commissioned the Coniston smelter and the Acton, London nickel carbonyl refinery.

He served in the coalition government of David Lloyd George as First Commissioner of Works from 1916 to 1921, and as Minister of Health (with a seat in the cabinet) from 1921 to 1922.

Although a supporter of the "New Liberalism" in his early political career and a "vocal proponent of constructive social reform" in the postwar government,[6] Mond became a Conservative in January 1926 after falling out with Lloyd George over the former Prime Minister's controversial plans to nationalise agricultural land.

[2][7][8] Mond was created a Baronet, of Hartford Hill in Great Budworth in the County of Chester, in 1910,[9] and was admitted to the Privy Council in 1913.

[12][13] Mond's father had bequeathed a collection of old master paintings to the National Gallery, and Alfred provided housing for them in 1924.

One of Mond's most enduring contributions to Zionism did not come through direct political means but through his enthusiastic and active support of Pinhas Rutenberg, to whom the British Government granted exclusive concessions to produce and distribute electricity in Palestine.

[17] Mond was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1928 and received a number of honorary degrees from Oxford, Paris and other universities.

Statue of Lord Melchett, Tel Mond , Israel
The Iconoclast
Sir Alfred Mond: "I'm sorry to have to disturb Your Majesty, but, owing to the shortage of sites—"
George III : "Shortage of sights, indeed!"
Cartoon from Punch , 18 August 1920