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.