Leverhulme Memorial facts for kids
The Leverhulme Memorial is a special monument found in Port Sunlight, a unique village in Wirral, England. It stands near the Lady Lever Art Gallery. This memorial honors William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme. He was a very important businessman who created the soap factory and the model village of Port Sunlight. The memorial was designed by James Lomax-Simpson, and the statues were made by William Reid Dick. It has a tall stone pillar called an obelisk with a figure on top. There is also a separate group of four figures next to it. The memorial was officially shown to the public in 1930. It is a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical structure.
History of the Memorial
William Lever (1851–1925) was an English businessman, art collector, and a kind helper to others. He became famous for making soap. He built a large factory and a special village, Port Sunlight, for his workers. By 1906, his company, Lever Brothers, was the biggest soap maker in Britain. By 1922, it was one of the largest companies in the world.
Lever cared a lot about his workers. He made sure they had good homes and living conditions. He was also a Member of Parliament for Wirral for a few years. Later, he became a member of the House of Lords. He loved art and built the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight to show his amazing collection.
After William Lever passed away, a group was formed to create a memorial for him. They asked all the workers of Lever Brothers, who were all over the world, for help. About 22,000 people gave money for the memorial. James Lomax-Simpson, the company's architect, designed the main structure. He chose William Reid Dick to create the statues. Reid Dick started work in 1927, and the memorial was finished three years later.
The memorial was officially opened on September 13, 1930. Thomas Peacock, a long-time employee who had worked for the company for 43 years, unveiled it. Speeches were given by the company's chairman and Lever's son. The top figure on the monument was fixed up around 1995. The four figures at the bottom were restored in 2002.
What the Memorial Looks Like
The memorial has two main parts. There's a tall, pointed stone pillar called an obelisk with a statue on its very top. Next to it, there's a group of four separate statues. All the statues are made of bronze, and the obelisk is made of shiny granite. The whole memorial stands on a round area surrounded by roads.
The obelisk and its top figure are about 18 meters (59 feet) tall. The four figures at the bottom are about 2.1 meters (6.9 feet) tall. They stand on a base about 40 centimeters (1.3 feet) high. The obelisk has a square bottom and gets narrower towards the top. It also has vertical grooves, which are called flutes.
The figure on top of the obelisk is a woman. She faces away from the art gallery, looking up at the sky with her arms raised. This statue is meant to represent Inspiration.
The four figures at the base are more realistic. Three of them face away from the art gallery:
- On the left is Industry, shown as a man holding a tool.
- In the middle is Charity, a woman holding a child.
- On the right is Education, a male scholar holding a book and pointing to a page.
The fourth figure, Art, is a woman with a paint palette. She faces the art gallery. These figures show the important qualities and interests of William Lever.
On the front of the obelisk, there is a message that says:
- 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
This message explains that the memorial is for William Lever. It mentions he founded Lever Brothers and Port Sunlight. It also says he was known for his business skills, his kindness to the public, and his love for beauty and art. His fellow workers built this monument for him.
On the back of the obelisk, another message reads:
- THE FIGURES AT THE BASE OF THE MEMORIAL SYMBOLISE THE THREE
- GREAT INTERESTS IN THE LIFE OF THE FOUNDER OF PORT SUNLIGHT
- INDUSTRY, EDUCATION
- AND CHARITY IN ITS WIDEST MEANING
- THE FIGURE AT THE TOP OF THE COLUMN REPRESENTS 'INSPIRATION'
- THE FOUNDATION OF ALL HUMAN PROGRESS
This message tells us that the figures at the bottom represent William Lever's main interests: Industry, Education, and Charity. It also confirms that the figure at the top stands for 'Inspiration', which is seen as the start of all human progress.
Why the Memorial is Important
The Leverhulme Memorial was officially recognized as a Grade II listed building on December 20, 1965. This means it's considered a building of national importance and special interest.
A famous expert named Nikolaus Pevsner once said that the memorial was "an interesting design, but surely superfluous." He also added a Latin phrase, Si monumentum requiris, circumspice. This means "if you seek his monument, look around you." He meant that William Lever's real monument was the entire village of Port Sunlight itself, which he created.
