Lever Brothers Company

Born in 1851 in Bolton, England, William Hesketh Lever co-founded Lever Brothers with his brother James in 1885. Their company grew rapidly through products like Sunlight Soap and became one of the best-known soap businesses of its time.

Lever was known not only as an industrialist but also for his strong interest in social welfare and public life. He developed the model village of Port Sunlight for workers, served as a Member of Parliament, and was later made the 1st Viscount Leverhulme.

His influence reached beyond manufacturing. He was also a major philanthropist and art collector, and his business legacy continued after his death in 1925, when Lever Brothers later became part of the company now known as Unilever.