Fred was a pupil at Warwick School before the Second World War.  During the war he served in the army and was captured at Dunkirk.  He went on to become a Labour MP from 1950-1983, serving in the government of Harold Wilson as Education Secretary and Defence Secretary under James Callaghan.  He was made a life peer in 1983 and died at the age of 77 in 1995.

Known for his principles and modesty, at the reception at the town hall his daughter, Corinne, fondly remembered how her father stood on the picket line at Grunwick in 1976 with the strikers, many of whom were recent female arrivals from the Commonwealth. Local MP, Matt Western, also recalled his generous support of fellow Leamingtonian, Terry Frost, when they were in a prisoner of war camp and afterwards.  Terry would go onto become one of the UK’s leading abstract artists. Lord Kinnock sent his good wishes on the day recalling that,  “He was a truly distinguished man whose distinction was made all more emphatic by his modesty”.