Leverburgh
Encyclopedia
Leverburgh is the second largest village, after Tarbert
, on the island of Harris in the Outer Hebrides
of Scotland
.
businessman William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme
had taken a boat trip and fallen in love with the Western Isles of Scotland
. In May 1918 at the age of 66, he bought the Isle of Lewis for £167,000, convinced that he could resurrect the fishing industry
. But his investment floundered in 1919 when servicemen demobilised from World War I
and promised land, started occupying plots on the Isle of Lewis. Leverhulme protested and took legal action against the people he considered squatters, but the Scottish Office
took the side of the ex-servicemen, leaving Leverhulme's plan in tatters.
Still looking to develop his fishing plan, in late 1919 he purchased the South Harris estate from the Earl of Dunmore
for the sum of £36,000. Taking in the fishing village of Obbe (deriving from a Norse word for a bay
), he planned to turn it into a consolidated major fishing centre, with product distributed through the 400+ Mac Fisheries
fish monger shops. He chose the site because it gave equal access to the waters of The Minch
and the Atlantic
and his boats could always find sheltered fishing waters.
In 1920, Obbe with local consent was rebranded Leverburgh, and 300 men started work on a new pier and seashore infrastructure for processing the product from 50 berthed trawlers. Shore side construction covered an accommodation block, curing sheds, smoke houses, a refrigeration building, store sheds, houses for the managers and a twenty car garage.
With a second stage of development planned that would have seen the inner sea loch converted into a harbour to accommodate 200+ trawlers, fitted with a sea lock to ensure a constant 25 feet (7.6 m) depth, Leverhulme paid for upgraded roads to accommodate the additional traffic.
After purchasing the London butchers Wall's
in 1920, the economic downturn of 1920-21 slowed development, resulting in the London-based Mac Fisheries being incorporated into Lever Brothers Ltd
in 1922. By 1924 Leverburgh was ready to start production, and 12 Great Yarmouth
drifters landed a quantity of herring
so great, that extra female employees were taken in from the mainland to handle the catch.
After making his last visit to Leverburgh in September 1924, Leverhulme took a trip to Africa, where he developed pneumonia
. After his death in Hampstead
on 7 May 1925, his executors and the board of Lever Brothers had no interest in the Leverburgh project, and so ended all work. They sold off the village and production facilities for £5000, and the estate for £300, to local family the Campbell Brothers. The historical estate is now presently up for sale again. It is estimated that the project cost Leverhulme £500,000.
, connected to North Uist
by a causeway
.
The Post Office serving the village was established in 1873 and had its name changed from Obbe to Leverburgh in December 1920.
The nearby area is known for its beautiful beaches, especially along the west coast road.
Tarbert, Harris
Tarbert is the main community on Harris in the Western Isles of Scotland. It is also a car ferry terminal to Uig on Skye. Its name means "isthmus".-1990 RAF air crash:...
, on the island of Harris in the Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
History
In his 30's, EnglishEnglish people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
businessman William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme
William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme
William Hesketh Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme was an English industrialist, philanthropist, and politician....
had taken a boat trip and fallen in love with the Western Isles of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. In May 1918 at the age of 66, he bought the Isle of Lewis for £167,000, convinced that he could resurrect the fishing industry
Fishing industry
The fishing industry includes any industry or activity concerned with taking, culturing, processing, preserving, storing, transporting, marketing or selling fish or fish products....
. But his investment floundered in 1919 when servicemen demobilised from World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and promised land, started occupying plots on the Isle of Lewis. Leverhulme protested and took legal action against the people he considered squatters, but the Scottish Office
Scottish Office
The Scottish Office was a department of the United Kingdom Government from 1885 until 1999, exercising a wide range of government functions in relation to Scotland under the control of the Secretary of State for Scotland...
took the side of the ex-servicemen, leaving Leverhulme's plan in tatters.
Still looking to develop his fishing plan, in late 1919 he purchased the South Harris estate from the Earl of Dunmore
Earl of Dunmore
Earl of Dunmore is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1686 for Lord Charles Murray, second son of John Murray, 1st Marquess of Atholl. He was made Lord Murray of Blair, Moulin and Tillimet and Viscount of Fincastle at the same time, also in the Peerage of Scotland. He was...
for the sum of £36,000. Taking in the fishing village of Obbe (deriving from a Norse word for a bay
Bay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
), he planned to turn it into a consolidated major fishing centre, with product distributed through the 400+ Mac Fisheries
Mac Fisheries
Mac Fisheries was a branded United Kingdom retail chain of fish mongers, founded by William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme, the co-founder with his brother of Lever Brothers, which later merged to become Unilever.-Isle of Lewis:...
fish monger shops. He chose the site because it gave equal access to the waters of The Minch
The Minch
The Minch , also called The North Minch, is a strait in north-west Scotland, separating the north-west Highlands, and the northern Inner Hebrides, from Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides...
and the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and his boats could always find sheltered fishing waters.
In 1920, Obbe with local consent was rebranded Leverburgh, and 300 men started work on a new pier and seashore infrastructure for processing the product from 50 berthed trawlers. Shore side construction covered an accommodation block, curing sheds, smoke houses, a refrigeration building, store sheds, houses for the managers and a twenty car garage.
With a second stage of development planned that would have seen the inner sea loch converted into a harbour to accommodate 200+ trawlers, fitted with a sea lock to ensure a constant 25 feet (7.6 m) depth, Leverhulme paid for upgraded roads to accommodate the additional traffic.
After purchasing the London butchers Wall's
Wall's (company)
Wall's is a United Kingdom-originated food brand, covering both meat products and ice cream, owned by Unilever. Founded in London in 1786 by butcher Richard Wall, it was acquired in 1922 by Lever Brothers, which became a part of Unilever in 1930. To avoid summer lay-offs due to the down turn in its...
in 1920, the economic downturn of 1920-21 slowed development, resulting in the London-based Mac Fisheries being incorporated into Lever Brothers Ltd
Lever Brothers
Lever Brothers was a British manufacturer founded in 1885 by William Hesketh Lever and his brother, James Darcy Lever . The brothers had invested in and promoted a new soap making process invented by chemist William Hough Watson, it was a huge success...
in 1922. By 1924 Leverburgh was ready to start production, and 12 Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
drifters landed a quantity of herring
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
so great, that extra female employees were taken in from the mainland to handle the catch.
After making his last visit to Leverburgh in September 1924, Leverhulme took a trip to Africa, where he developed pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. After his death in Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
on 7 May 1925, his executors and the board of Lever Brothers had no interest in the Leverburgh project, and so ended all work. They sold off the village and production facilities for £5000, and the estate for £300, to local family the Campbell Brothers. The historical estate is now presently up for sale again. It is estimated that the project cost Leverhulme £500,000.
Facilities
A Cal Mac ferry service links Leverburgh with BernerayBerneray, North Uist
Berneray is an island and community in the Sound of Harris, Scotland. It is one of fifteen inhabited islands in the Outer Hebrides. It is famed for its rich and colourful history which has attracted much tourism....
, connected to North Uist
North Uist
North Uist is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.-Geography:North Uist is the tenth largest Scottish island and the thirteenth largest island surrounding Great Britain. It has an area of , slightly smaller than South Uist. North Uist is connected by causeways to Benbecula...
by a causeway
Causeway
In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...
.
The Post Office serving the village was established in 1873 and had its name changed from Obbe to Leverburgh in December 1920.
The nearby area is known for its beautiful beaches, especially along the west coast road.