Alterations and Additions: Sunlight Soap Works, Bank Quay, Warrington

In the early 1880s a Bolton chemist, William Hough Watson, invented a new process to make soap, using glycerine and vegetable oils or palm oil, rather than tallow fat. In 1885 Lever Brothers set up in business to manufacture this, the first commercially packaged soap, making Watson a partner. They leased the works of the manufacturing chemists Winser and Company in Warrington and commenced production the following year, output rising rapidly from 20 tons a week to 450 tons a week by the end of 1887. This success necessitated extension and alteration at the Warrington factory, William Owen of Warrington being the architect responsible. However, it soon became clear that demand was outstripping supply and output from the Warrington plant with its restricted site could not be further increased. The search began for a new site.

Reference           Edward Hubbard Michael Shippobottom: Guide to Port Sunlight Village

Note that Bolton Archive contains drawings of the Warrington works by Jonathan Simpson