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James Darcy Lever was the co-founder and joint director of manufacturing business Lever Brothers, along with his brother, William Hesketh Lever.
Early Life[edit]
James Darcy Lever was born 10 February 1854 in Bolton, to James Lever and Eliza Lever.[1] Early on in his career, he, along with his elder brother William Hesketh Lever, worked for their father James Lever in the family business, Lever & Co - a wholesale grocers in Bolton.[2]
Lever married Annie Kershaw of Bolton on 26 April 1882.[1]
Lever Brothers[edit]
In 1885, James, along with his brother William, established a business with chemist William Henry Watson, inventor of a new soap-making process.[1] James was appointed a director of the company, which was named Lever Brothers Limited.[2] Initially they leased the Warrington soap works of Wisner & Co., where they first began manufacturing Sunlight Soap.[2][3][4] As demand increased the brothers were in need of more space, so began the construction of a new factory (and adjoining settlement) at 'Port Sunlight'.[3]
Around this time, James and Annie moved to Thornton Hough, 4 miles from Port Sunlight.[1] They had their four children in this period: James Darcy Lever, born 30 August 1887, Robert Lever, born 11 July 1889, Alice Hesketh, born 20 August 1886 and Annie born 17 July 1894.[2]
Illness and Death[edit]
Lever fell ill in 1895, probably as a result of diabetes, preventing him from playing a fuller role in the business.[1][2] He retired due to ill health on 18 February 1898, and died on 29 March 1910 at Thornton Hough.[1][2]