Lord Leverhulme and Lewis
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Transcript of Lord Leverhulme and Lewis
Lord Leverhulme and Lewis
Why was Lewis affected so badly by the First World War?Land shortageDecline in
herring fishing – had been a lucrative source of seasonal income for islanders.
Heavy losses – 17%
Iolaire
Lord LeverhulmeWealthy philanthropist Made fortune from Sunlight soap.Bought island 1919
Leverhulme’s VisionFish-canning factoryLarger fishing fleetFewer crofts/smallholdingsPower stationRailway
Flaws with this vision …..Fishing industry in declineIslanders greatly attached to land – had
already been land raids before war (Aiginis 1888)
What happenedLand raids on Coll and Gress on islandGovernment delayed land settlement for 10
years on LewisLand raids continuedLeverhulme sacked workersLeverhulme offers small allotments to some
islanders – rejected1921 – Leverhulme suspends work on Lewis to
concentrate on projects on neighbouring Harris1925 – Leverhulme dies.
The Griais (Gress) Memorial to the post-war Lewis land raiders.The memorial represents the crofting land which Leverhulme wanted to split into three milk-producing farms.