W
L
NEW PORT SUNLIGHT VILLAGE TRUST PROJECT
RECEIVES NATIONAL LOTTERY BOOST
Port Sunlight Village Trust (PSVT) has received a grant
from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for a new project,
Drawn Together.
Made possible by National Lottery players, PSVT and four
North West project partners it will create a digital archive of
original drawings for Port Sunlight village. The documents,
which include over 4000 original plans and detail drawings,
illustrate founder William Lever's vision for Port Sunlight,
an industrial model village for his workers and the artistic
and physical development, expansion and evolution of the
village over a span of 70 years.
Led by PSVT, this is the first phase of a digital archive
which will bring together for the first time both the project
partners and the holdings from four collections: Unilever,
Art Archives and Records Management (UARM), Wirral
Archives, Bolton Library & Museums Service and National
Museums and Galleries on Merseyside (operating as
National Museums Liverpool (NML)). A catalogue of the
drawings will be created and a selection of drawings from
each of the project partners will be digitised.
Katherine Lynch, Director of Heritage at PSVT comments;
“We’re absolutely delighted that HLF has invested in this
exciting project. Together with our partners, we will be
able to improve access to these drawings, giving a real
opportunity for people across the UK and around the
world to connect with Lever’s vision for Port Sunlight. The
drawings include designs from 30 different architectural
practices. These designers translated Lever’s vision into a
picturesque workers’ village that remains a desirable place to
live, work and visit today.
“The PSVT Team are looking forward to using the digital
archive to improve understanding of the village and to
engaging with both professionals and the local community
through a programme of events and talks. We know from
experience that original drawings support residents in their
efforts to restore or improve their Grade II listed homes, so
we hope improved awareness of the plans and access to them
will improve Port Sunlight’s heritage. The digital archive will
also serve as a valuable research tool for learners of all ages.”
Claire Tunstall, Head of Unilever Art, Archives and Records
Management comments;
“We are delighted to be a partner in the creation of this
amazing digital archive, especially as this year marks 130
years since the first Sunlight Soap was boiled at our factory
and the first residents moved into Port Sunlight Village.
Unlocking access to these collections is an important step in
both preserving the heritage of Port Sunlight Village but also
increasing awareness and understanding of William Lever’s
legacy.”
An on-line exhibition of drawings from the digital
collection will be available on portsunlightresidents.com
and portsunlightvillage.com by Autumn 2019. The digital
archive will be available at PSVT and the four project
partners in December 2019. The catalogue of Port Sunlight
drawings will be available on-line through a national
archives database.
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