The Leverhulme Memorial obelisk is located on the west side of the Lady Lever Art Gallery at the junction of Windy Bank and Queen Mary's Drive in Port Sunlight village.
The Leverhulme Memorial is located near to the Lady Lever Art Gallery at the junction of Windy Bank and Queen Mary's Drive in Port Sunlight village.
The memorial commemorates the life of William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme, the businessman who created the factory and model village of Port Sunlight.
William Lever (1851–1925) was an English industrialist, art collector, politician, and benefactor. His major business was soap making for which he built a factory and a model village for his workers at Port Sunlight. By 1906 his company, Lever Brothers, was the largest soap manufacturer in Britain, and by 1922 it was one of the largest international companies in the world.
The memorial was designed by James Lomax-Simpson the company's architect, he was responsible for the architectural elements of the memorial, the sculptor was William Reid Dick, and it was built by John Stubbs and Son.
The Grade II listed memorial was unveiled on 13th September 1930 by Thomas Peacock, a veteran employee of the company, who had retired the previous year after 43 years' service.
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The Grade II listed description given by Historic England reads as follows;
"BEBINGTON WINDY BANK SJ 3384 NE (north side) Port Sunlight 13/274 Leverhulme Memorial at junction with 20.12.65 Queen Mary's Drive
G.V. II
Memorial. 1930 (date on sculpture).
Obelisk. By J. Lomax Simpson, sculpture by Sir W. Reid Dick. Clad in polished granite with bronze sculpture. Circular island with central square fluted base with projections to east and west, that to west inscribed "LEVERHULME 1851-1925" with memorial inscription below. Obelisk clad in tall rectangular panels, supports female figure representing Inspiration, with hands and face raised.
Bronze figure group to west; mother and child flanked by figures representing Industry and Education, with Art to rear, facing Lady Lever Art Gallery (q.v.).
Listing NGR: SJ3354084776" SOURCE: (
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On the front of the obelisk is an inscription that reads as follows;
LEVERHULME
1851-1925
TO THE HONOURED MEMORY OF
WILLIAM HESKETH
FIRST VISCOUNT
LEVERHULME
FOUNDER OF LEVER BROTHERS LIMITED
AND OF PORT SUNLIGHT.
A MAN REMARKABLE FOR HIS
BUSINESS ABILITY. HIS PUBLIC
BENEFACTIONS AND HIS LOVE OF
BEAUTY AND ART. THIS MONUMENT
IS ERECTED BY HIS FELLOW WORKERS"Element details
Obelisk: Black granite 1100cm high approx x 98cm wide at base
Obelisk base: Black granite 350cm wide x 350cm deep
Sculpture: Bronze with green patination 230cm high
Sculpture base: Black granite 213cm high x 213cm deep x 1500cm wide"
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