9-15 Wood Street, Port Sunlight

Situated in Wood Street opposite the factory, this terrace of four cottages, dated 1892 in the gable, constitute some of the earliest workers’ cottages in Port Sunlight.  Timber framed on stone base with a stone ground floor to the two central bays. The end bays project under gables with jettied first floor. Red tiled roof. An oddly coloured illustration of the terrace appeared in the American Architect and Building News (the roofs were blue) in an idyllic woodland setting, rather than opposite the factory wall. If the American Architect followed its usual practice, the illustration had already appeared in the British architectural press, although the source has still to be found. Lever Brothers were sufficiently proud of this block to commission Bedford Lemere to photograph it, although it would be another six years before Huon Matear was again commissioned to design houses at Port Sunlight.

COTTAGES AT PORT SUNLIGHT, LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - The works at Port Sunlight, on the Mersey, near Liverpool, having been completed, Messrs. Lever Brothers are now building cottages for the workmen. Several architects are engaged upon the work, consequently there is much variety among the designs. The walls are constructed of stone, and the chimneys of brick; all the external timbers are oak, and the roofs covered with Broseley tiles.  [American Architect and Building News 26 August 1893 page 135]

Reference           American Architect and Building News, 26 August 1893 page 135 with coloured illustration