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Port Sunlight, Wirral: The Patriotic Employer

At the outbreak of World War One, men rushed to join up and serve their country.
This was no different in Port Sunlight Village in Wirral.

Port Sunlight is the home of Lever Brothers, and William Hesketh Lever encouraged his employees to head to their nearest recruitment office. Seven hundred men from the factory answered the call and pictures show the new recruits marching up the road to get on a train at Port Sunlight station.

Lever Brothers was known for its production of soap, and this became standard military issue for soldiers at the front, so work carried on in the factory despite a number of workers becoming the recipients of the soap in France.

Community spirit was shown in the small village with a number of fundraising events aiming to raise money for the troops.

Location: Port Sunlight, Wirral, Merseyside CH62 5DX
Image: Port Sunlight recruits marching to the train station to join the war effort, courtesy of Unilever Archives.

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