Sir James Reckitt, 1st Baronet (15 November 1833 – 18 March 1924) was a founder of the household products company Reckitt and Sons, developed from his father Isaac Reckitt's starch and laundry blue business.
James Reckitt was born 15 November 1833 in Nottingham, sixth child of Isaac Reckitt (1792-1862), miller; and Anne (née Coleby). He attended Ackworth School, near Pontefract, before, in 1848 entering his father's starch and laundry blue business as a travelling salesman. In 1865 he married Kathleen (née Saunders) by whom he had two sons.[1]
After his father's death in 1862, James and his two brothers continued their father's business; the firm was incorporated as Reckitt & Sons Ltd. in 1879. The company grew, using heavy advertising and marketing as one means of promotion, and its starch, blue and boot polishes became successful products internationally. In 1888 the company became a private joint-stock company, and in 1899 a public company, with a value of £1.7 million.[2]
Reckitt was an active philanthropist, with numerous charitable works in Hull, and in the East Riding of Yorkshire.[3] Amongst his work was the Garden Village (1908), a 600 home model village built for his workers in Hull which was run as a non-profit organisation during his lifetime;[4] the James Reckitt Public Library in Hull (1889) which he established and endowed;[5] he also financed the building of a hospital in Withernsea, and contributed to the Newland Homes for Seamen's orphans home, and was active in the early promotion of the Hull Royal Infirmary.[3] During World War I, he hosted a Voluntary Aid Detachment hospital at the Reckitt & Sons factory and housed Belgian refugees at his home.[6] He established the Sir James Reckitt Charity (1921) which supports charitable and Quaker organisations.[7] As a pastime he was a collector of art.[4]
Reckitt was active in local politics, with roles including JP, County Councillor, Deputy Lieutenant (of the East Riding); he was a member of the Liberal Party. In 1894 he was awarded a baronetcy in recognition of his public and political service.[8]
james, reckitt, baronet, november, 1833, march, 1924, founder, household, products, company, reckitt, sons, developed, from, father, isaac, reckitt, starch, laundry, blue, business, born15, november, 1833, 1833, nottingham, englanddied18, march, 1924, 1924, ag. Sir James Reckitt 1st Baronet 15 November 1833 18 March 1924 was a founder of the household products company Reckitt and Sons developed from his father Isaac Reckitt s starch and laundry blue business Sir James ReckittBorn15 November 1833 1833 11 15 Nottingham EnglandDied18 March 1924 1924 03 19 aged 90 Swanland EnglandOccupationBusinessmanKnown forPhilanthropy founder of Reckitt and Sons formerly Reckitts amp Colman now Reckitt Benckiser Contents 1 Biography 2 References 2 1 Sources 2 2 Further reading 3 External linksBiography editSee also Reckitt and Sons James Reckitt was born 15 November 1833 in Nottingham sixth child of Isaac Reckitt 1792 1862 miller and Anne nee Coleby He attended Ackworth School near Pontefract before in 1848 entering his father s starch and laundry blue business as a travelling salesman In 1865 he married Kathleen nee Saunders by whom he had two sons 1 After his father s death in 1862 James and his two brothers continued their father s business the firm was incorporated as Reckitt amp Sons Ltd in 1879 The company grew using heavy advertising and marketing as one means of promotion and its starch blue and boot polishes became successful products internationally In 1888 the company became a private joint stock company and in 1899 a public company with a value of 1 7 million 2 Reckitt was an active philanthropist with numerous charitable works in Hull and in the East Riding of Yorkshire 3 Amongst his work was the Garden Village 1908 a 600 home model village built for his workers in Hull which was run as a non profit organisation during his lifetime 4 the James Reckitt Public Library in Hull 1889 which he established and endowed 5 he also financed the building of a hospital in Withernsea and contributed to the Newland Homes for Seamen s orphans home and was active in the early promotion of the Hull Royal Infirmary 3 During World War I he hosted a Voluntary Aid Detachment hospital at the Reckitt amp Sons factory and housed Belgian refugees at his home 6 He established the Sir James Reckitt Charity 1921 which supports charitable and Quaker organisations 7 As a pastime he was a collector of art 4 Reckitt was active in local politics with roles including JP County Councillor Deputy Lieutenant of the East Riding he was a member of the Liberal Party In 1894 he was awarded a baronetcy in recognition of his public and political service 8 He died at Swanland Manor on 18 March 1924 4 9 References edit Church para 1 Church para 2 a b Church paras 4 5 a b c Black 2014 Historic England James Reckitt Library 1391073 National Heritage List for England Retrieved 30 June 2014 Hull s WWI Hospitals and Charities Kingston upon Hull War Memorial 1914 1918 The Jir James Reckitt Charity www thesirjamesreckittcharity org uk Retrieved 30 June 2014 Church para 6 Sir James Reckitt The Guardian 19 March 1924 p 13 Retrieved 10 March 2020 via Newspapers com Sources edit Black A amp C 2014 RECKITT Sir James Who Was Who Oxford University Press Church Roy Reckitt Sir James first baronet 1833 1924 businessman and philanthropist Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Further reading edit Chapman Huston Desmond Mountjoy 1927 Sir James Reckitt A Memoir Faber and Gwyer External links edit Sir James Reckitt Hull Museums Collections Baronetage of the United KingdomNew creation Baronet of Swanland Manor 1894 1924 Succeeded byHarold Reckitt nbsp This article about a British businessperson born in the 1830s is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James Reckitt amp oldid 1180775465, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
