Sir William Leighton (1752 – 23 April 1826) was a British shipowner and merchant who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1806.
[1] Leighton's family was from County Durham in the North East of England and he moved to London around 1779 following his father's death.
[2] Leighton was a prominent shipowner who owned Borrowdale, Fishburn and Golden Grove, three of the ships of the First Fleet, which transported convicts to the British colony of New south Wales.
[2] Because of his maritime interests, Leighton served on various shipping committees.
[1] In 1806, Leighton was proclaimed Lord Mayor of London, and knighted on 1 May that year.