Wirral Autumn

Although there was little sun and the leaves were falling rapidly from the trees, the roses were still giving a wonderful show in the streets and gardens of Port Sunlight this morning when we visited this beautiful village of 900 Grade II listed buildings.
William Hesketh Lever built this beautiful place for his workers. He was the son of a Victorian grocer who made a vast fortune from the manufacture of soap. A man of vision and strong principles he believed that a happy healthy workforce with good housing and social facilities would produce good business. He provided education for the children of his workforce and sports facilities too. He became the first Viscount Leverhulme. At the time of his death in 1925 he owned five palacial houses and one of the largest and finest private collections of works of art. Some of his vast collection is on display in the Lady Lever Art Gallery (shown in the blip). An amazing man who ploughed so much of his fortune back into his community.
We spent a long time in the museum and art gallery and even longer wandering around this remarkable village.