Reckitt’s expanded at the outbreak of the war by buying two German companies based in England – Rawlin’s & Son and the Global Metal Polish Company. They employed 4,761 in 1915 which rose 5,609 in 1917. By the Armistice 1,100 Reckitt’s employees were serving in the armed forces and 153 had lost their lives. Reckitt’s supported the joining up of married men by making up the difference between their former wages and army pay. After the war, Reckitt’s erected two Memorial tablets and an impressive war memorial in Hull. It also published photographs of many employees serving in ww1 in the staff magazine.
Being Quakers, Reckitt’s factories, produced non combative war goods, such as cleaning materials, gas masks, and petrol cans.
Reckitt’s social club hall was used as a Voluntary Aid Detachment hospital. The hospital was staffed by members of the Reckitt Nursing Division, with James Reckitt appointed as acting commandant. The Reckitt’s company converted its social hall into a factory hospital. It was Hull’s third hospital with 45 beds, organised and financed by Mr and Mrs P Reckitt. This VAD run hospital opened on the 9th December 1914 and closed in January 1919. In the 4 years and 3 months that it was open, the Reckitt’s hospital treated 2,910 patients. Colonel Tatham from the Humber Garrison Medical Service wrote; “the patients who have been there, greatly appreciate the care and kindness bestowed upon them. Many of them have told me, that they were so looked after and received so many little extras and kindnesses, that Reckitts’ was the hospital that men wished to get into if they could.” Sir James Reckitt also billeted a large number of soldiers in their grounds and offered to house a large number of Belgian refugees.
The Reckitt family have contributed around £160m – in today’s money – to Hull’s community since the company was founded. This includes building houses in Garden Village, the James Reckitt Library, buying the site of the Ferens Art gallery, contributing to local hospitals, universities and gifting the land which is now the East Hull park.
The following 126 men are recorded on the Reckitt War Memorial and on the Reckitt WW1 Boys Club, Roll of Honour, Hull.
| Anderson | George | Pte | 12th EYR | 28/08/1916 | 23 | 87 , BARNSLEY STREET, HULL | Calais, France |
| Barton | John Woodliff | Pte | 2nd EYR | 05/05/1915 | 19 | 17, DANSOM LANE HULL. | Ypres |
| Baxter | Albert | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 09/07/1915 | 25 | 54, CHESTNUT GROVE, GARDEN VILLAGE, HULL | Belgium |
| Baxter | Henry | Gunner | RFA | 30/09/1918 | 31 | 136, BRUNSWICK AVENUE, HULL | Aisne, France |
| Beacock | Frederick | Stoker | RN, HMS “Black Prince” | 31/05/1916 | 21 | 7, RICHARDS PLACE, ADELAIDE STREET, HULL | Jutland |
| Beckett | George Wilson | Pte | 8th EYR | 13/06/1916 | 21 | 214, DANSOM LANE, HULL | Belgium |
| Bell | William Henry | Pte | 8TH EYR | 03/05/1917 | 37 | 12, SWANN STREET, HULL | Arras |
| Benstead | John | L/Cpl | 10th Tank Corps | 23/10/1918 | 25 | 9, WILLIAMS TERRACE, WALLER STREET, HULL | Calais, France |
| Binns | William Arthur | Pte | 8th EYR | 06/11/1915 | 21 | 24, PEMBERTON STREET, HULL | Bailleul |
| Borrill | Thomas Edgar | Pte | 2/8TH Notts & Derby | 29/09/1917 | 19 | 50, BRIGHT STREET, HOLDERNESS ROAD, HULL | Tyne Cot, Belgium |
| Bows | George William | Gunner | RGA | 25/07/1916 | 36 | 62 , SHARP STREET, HULL | Hull Northern |
| Bowden | John Robert | Pte | 1/4th EYR | 24/04/1915 | 22 | 3, BERKSHIRE STREET, HULL, | Ypres |
| Broadley | Thomas | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 26/04/1915 | 19 | 22, KENT TERRACE, KENT STREET, HULL | Poperinge, Belgium |
| Brocklesby | George Clifford | L/Cpl | 1st KOYLI | 08/05/1915 | 18 | 1, WENLOCK TERRACE, RUSTENBURG STREET, HULL | Ypres |
| Broddle | Oswald | Pte | 13th Lincolns | 22/04/1917 | 30 | 10, ROXBURGH STREET, HULL | Etaples, France |
| Bryan | John William Henry | Pte | 11th EYR | 27/03/1918 | 19 | 16, JAMES RECKITT AVENUE, HULL | Arras, France |
| Busby | Walter Percy | Pte | 11th EYR | 28/06/1917 | 32 | 5 JAMES RECKITT AVENUE, GARDEN VILLAGE, HULL | Arras, France |
| Buttery | Robert | L/Cpl | 7th EYR | 12/05/1917 | 31 | 15, BRENTWOOD VILLAS, MARSHALL STREET, HULL, | Arras |
| Carver | Arthur | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 24/11/1915 | 24 | 78, THOMAS STREET, HEDON ROAD, HULL | Ypres |
| Chambers | John William | A/B | RN, HMS “Ruby” | 16/10/1918 | 34 | 33 JAMES RECKITT AVENUE, GARDEN VILLAGE, HULL | |
| Chapman | Edward | Pte | 3rd EYR | 09/10/1918 | 24 | 6, BELLAMY STREET, HULL | Hull Hedon Road |
| Chapman | Frederick John | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 06/08/1916 | 26 | 37, WORTHING STREET, HULL | Calais, France |
| Chapman | George James | Pte | 2nd KOYLI | 01/11/1919 | 33 | 4, ROSEDALE AVENUE, UPTON STREET, HULL | Hull Hedon Road |
| Charlton | George | Pte | 11th EYR | 20/02/1918 | 22 | 20, WATERLOO STREET, HULL, | Roclincourt |
| Cheeseman | Fred | Pte | 2/7th Manchesters | 09/10/1917 | 25 | 118, DANSOM LANE, HULL, | Tyne Cot, Belgium |
| Childs | William Herbert | Pte | 3rd EYR | 02/12/1915 | 22 | 1, JAMES PLACE, NEW GEORGE STREET, HULL | Hull Western |
| Cobby | Walter Harold | L/Cpl | 7th EYR | 03/11/1916 | 31 | 105, SPRING BANK WEST, HULL | |
| Cockerline | Ernest H | Pte | 5th WYR | 11/10/1918 | 30 | 1, HARRY’S TERRACE, OXFORD STREET, HULL | Ypres, Belgium |
| Cook | Albert | Pte | 1st EYR | 22/02/1917 | 28 | 37, BROOK STREET, HULL | Loos, France |
| Claxton | Henry | Pte | 1/6th Notts & Derby | 15/11/1917 | 39 | 4, ROSEDALE AVENUE, UPTON STREET, DANSOM LANE, HULL | Poperinge, Belgium |
| Clayton MM | Robert William | Rifleman | 2/8th Post Office Rifles | 30/10/1917 | 32 | 169, ALLIANCE AVENUE, HULL | Tyne Cot, Belgium |
| Cobb | Henry | Pte | 1/5th Border Reg. | 30/09/1916 | 19 | 8, CAMBRIDGE TERRACE, CAMBRIDGE STREET, HULL | Thiepval, Somme |
| Cooper | Clifford | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 16/08/1918 | 23 | 74, BRIGHT STREET, HOLDERNESS ROAD, HULL | Etaples, France |
| Costello | Mark | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 02/06/1918 | 19 | 12, NAPOLEON AVENUE, KENT STREET, HULL | Germany |
| Coupland | Fred Batholemew | Pte | RAMC | 17/10/1917 | 29 | 85, CRAVEN STREET, HULL | St Julian, Belgium |
| Cousins | Joseph Ernest | Pte | 7th Liverpool Reg. | 28/06/1916 | 19 | 30, CORONATION DRIVE, GREAT CROSBY, LIVERPOOL | Wailly, France |
| Cowl | Douglas | 2nd Lieut. | 1/4TH EYR | 23/04/1917 | 32 | 194 ELDON GROVE, BEVERLEY ROAD, HULL | Arras |
| Cronk | Thomas William | Pte | 1/4th EYR | 24/11/1915 | 24 | 18, VINE TERRACE, BARNSLEY STREET, HULL | Festubert, France |
| Dalton | Percival | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 25/04/1915 | 19 | 24, JESMOND GARDENS, HOLDERNESS ROAD, HULL | Ypres, Belgium |
| Dalton | Thomas Edward | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 06/05/1915 | 22 | 238, HOLDERNESS ROAD, HUL | Bailleul, France |
| Darling | Charles | Sapper | 1st ERY | 09/05/1916 | 23 | 67, CRAVEN STREET, HULL | Bailleul, France |
| Dawson | Wilfred | Gunner | RFA | 22/08/1918 | 33 | 33, LEE STREET, HULL | Villers Bretonneux |
| Dean | Alfred | Stoker | RN, HMS “Invincible” | 31/05/1916 | 21 | 104, DURHAM STREET, HULL | Jutland |
| Dobson | James | Gunner | RGA | 14/11/1917 | 38 | 66, LABURNUM AVENUE, HULL | Nord, France |
| Dodsworth | Alfred | Gunner | RGA | 28/10/1918 | 27 | 14, CORAL GROVE, GRANGE STREET, HULL | Hull Northern |
| Downs | Ernest | L/Cpl | 2/7th Manchesters | 21/03/1918 | 29 | 8, FLORENCE GROVE, LORRAINE STREET, HULL | Aisne, France |
| Downs | Herbert | Gunner | ER RGA | 8, FLORENCE GROVE, LORRAINE STREET, HULL | |||
| Elsom | Robert | L/Cpl | Royal Scots | 22/03/1918 | 19 | 13, STAFFORD STREET, HULL | Bailleul, France |
| Ely | George | Sapper | RE’s | 04/07/1917 | 23 | 6, PEMBERTON STREET, DANSOM LANE, HULL | Belgium |
| Emerson | Herbert | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 10/09/1916 | 22 | 9, KINGSTON PLACE, WITHAM, HULL, | Bazentin |
| Farrow | Arthur | Pte | 1st EYR | 09/04/1917 | 26 | 7 CRESCENT AVENUE, NEW BRIDGE ROAD, HULL | Calais, France |
| Foster | Leslie Cecil | Pte | 2/8TH Notts & Derby | 07/04/1917 | 19 | 86, VILLAGE ROAD, GARDEN VILLAGE, HULL | Aisne, France |
| Gall | Henry | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 20/04/1918 | 18 | 92 , DE GREY STREET, HULL | Belgium |
| Gaskill | William | A/B | RNR | 01/05/1917 | 43 | 3, ASHBROOK, BUCKINGHAM STREET, HULL | sea |
| Goodfellow | Herbert Frederick | Pte | 12th EYR | 13/11/1916 | 29 | 3, YORK TERRACE, BEDFORD STREET, HULL | Serre |
| Gray | E | not traced | |||||
| Hardy MM | Walter Charles | Pte | 6th EYR | 17/07/1917 | 25 | 20, PROVIDENCE ROW, BEVERLEY ROAD, HULL | Archiet, Frnace |
| Hartley | Charles | Sgt | 7th Lincolns | 27/07/1918 | 25 | 17 DERWENT AVENUE, GARDEN VILLAGE, HULL. | Somme |
| Harvey | John James | Pte | Machine Gun Corps | 01/04/1918 | 23 | 18, JAMES RECKITT AVENUE, HULL | Hanguard, Somme |
| Hill | Richard Arthur | Pte | 2/5th Border Reg | 01/10/1916 | 20 | 2, CICERO TERRACE, SWANN STREET, HULL | Thiepval, Somme |
| Hogg | George Edward | Pte | 11th EYR | 13/10/1916 | 23 | 5, PRISON BUNGALOWS, HEDON ROAD, HULL | Colincamps, Somme |
| Holland | Herbert Henry | Pte | R West Surrey Regiment | 27/10/1918 | 21 | 37, FREEHOLD STREET, SPRING BANK, HULL | Hull Western |
| Hotchkin | Ernest | Pte | 12th EYR | 13/11/1916 | 28 | 2, CROFTON AVENUE, EGTON STREET, HULL | Thiepval, Somme |
| Hotchkin | Fred | Pte | 12th EYR | 13/11/1916 | 22 | 7, SOPHIAS TERRACE, SPYVEE STREET, HULL | Thiepval, Somme |
| Hunter | Leonard Andrew | Gunner | RFA | 24/08/1918 | 20 | 9, ROSEDALE AVENUE, UPTON STREET, HULL | Calais, France |
| Hunter | Samuel | Pte | 7th EYR | 12/05/1917 | 26 | 187, MERSEY STREET, HULL | Arras |
| Hutchinson | Ivan | 1st Lieut. | 1/5th EYR | 22/04/1918 | 21 | 563, ANLABY ROAD, HULL | Calais, France |
| Jarrett | Henry | Pte | 10th WYR | 23/04/1917 | 22 | 22, KENT STREET, HOLDERNESS ROAD, HULL | Arras |
| Jubb | Charles | Pte | 15th DLI | 31/05/1918 | 18 | 2, UNION SQUARE, NEW GEORGE STREET, HULL | Soisssons, Somme |
| Lees MM | Harold Bernard | Pte | 2nd Royal Welsh Fus | 20/07/1916 | 26 | 2, COLONIAL STREET, HULL | Thiepval, Somme |
| Lill | Jack | Trooper | 20th Hussars | 26/06/1915 | 23 | 35, PARROT STREET, HULL | Egypt |
| Lockham | James Ernest | Pte | 7th EYR | 23/04/1917 | 27 | 15, VINE TERRACE, BARNSLEY STREET, HULL | Arras |
| Longley | Walter | Pte | 1/5th Border | 01/10/1916 | 39 | 7, THE GROVE, LABURNUM AVENUE, HULL | Somme |
| Mace | Herbert | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 27/03/1918 | 20 | 6, LENDAL TERRACE, DURHAM STREET, HULL | Pozieres |
| Magson | Walter | Pte | 9th WYR | 31/07/1918 | 20 | 8, WORKINGTON AVENUE, NORNABELL STREET, HULL | Marne, France |
| Markham | Joseph | Rifleman | 7th WYR | 09/10/1917 | 25 | 7, COLERIDGE STREET, WESTCOTT STREET, HULL | Tyne Cot, Belgium |
| Miller | Frank Lonsdale | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 13/10/1915 | 22 | 28, LABURNUM AVENUE, HULL | Chapelle-D’Armentieres,France |
| Miller | Sam | 63, GREAT THORNTON STREET, HULL | |||||
| Millington | Raymond | Pte | Army Service Corps | 01/09/1917 | 26 | 64, BARMSTON STREET, HULL | Mendinghem, Belgium |
| Murray | Walter Stanley | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 11/06/1915 | 37 | 93, ST GEORGES ROAD, HULL | Ypres |
| Nasby | Valentine Percy | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 17/06/1916 | 21 | 2, LORNE TERRACE, LORNE STREET, HULL | France |
| Neal | Herbert | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 08/11/1916 | 24 | 12, ST PAULS AVENUE, CHURCH STREET, HULL | Bazentine, France |
| Nix MM | Charles John | Sgt | 11EYR | 29/09/1918 | 29 | 16, ALASKA STREET, HOLDERNESS ROAD, HULL | Hainut, Belgium |
| Nozedar | Edward Henry | Pte | 11th Suffolks | 20/10/1918 | 19 | 37, SWANN STREET, HULL | Belgium |
| Parker | Gerald Pitts | Driver | RFA | 28/03/1918 | 27 | 101, ROSMEAD STREET, HULL | Calais, France |
| Pearson | Edwin | Pte | 11th EYR | 15/07/1917 | 38 | 6 SYDNEY TERRACE, SIDMOUTH STREET, HULL, | Aubigny, France |
| Peterson | George Benjamin | 2nd Lieut. | 1/4TH EYR | 31/03/1918 | 22 | 42, BEECH AVENUE, GARDEN VILLAGE, HULL | Somme |
| Pitcairn | Henry | Pte | 12th NFUS | 16/06/1917 | 34 | 13, RENSBURG STREET, HULL | Arras |
| Richardson | Fred | Pte | Labour Corps | 13/12/1918 | 32 | 7, APPLEYARDS BUILDINGS, OSBORNE STREET, HULL | Hull Hedon Road |
| Robinson | Walter | Pte | RAMC | 27/10/1916 | 21 | 46, KENT STREET, HOLDERNESS ROAD, HULL, | Bazentine, France |
| Rogers | William | Driver | RFA | 14/07/1916 | 22 | 9, CEDAR GROVE, EXCHANGE STREET, HULL | Mametz, Somme |
| Rudd | Joseph | Driver | RFA | 15/11/1918 | 30 | 60, WHEELER STREET, HULL | Foston on Wolds, Yorkshire |
| Rylett | William | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 14/07/1916 | 20 | 37, JAMES RECKITT AVENUE, HULL | Ypres |
| Sanderson | Thomas | Pte | 1/6th NFUS | 15/09/1916 | 25 | 66, LABURNUM AVENUE, GARDEN VILLAGE, HULL | Thiepval, Somme |
| Scott | Frank Joseph | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 04/08/1916 | 21 | 23, ESTCOURT STREET, HULL | Bailleul, France |
| Scott | Robert | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 25/04/1915 | 27 | 11, ANNIE TERRACE, WALLER STREET, HULL | Ypres, Belgium |
| Sedman | Herbert | Pte | 7th EYR | 13/04/1917 | 38 | 5, THE GROVE, LABURNUM AVENUE, HULL | Arras |
| Sellers | Herbert | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 19/09/1916 | 19 | 23, PENNINGTON STREET, SPYVEE STREET, HULL, | St Sever, France |
| Seymour | William Herbert | Pte | 1st EYR | 22/02/1917 | 31 | 66, BEECH AVENUE, GARDEN VILLAGE, HULL | Cambrin, France |
| Sharman | George Anthony | Pte | 1st Gordon Highlanders | 01/04/1916 | 32 | 160, BUCKINGHAM STREET, HULL | Ypres, Belgium |
| Sharp | Edward | Pte | Machine Gun Corps | 28/06/1918 | 26 | 155, BUCKINGHAM STREET, HULL | Aval Wood, France |
| Shepherd | Albert Edward | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 30/10/1918 | 27 | 10, PRIMROSE AVENUE, UPTON STREET, HULL | Soisssons, Somme |
| Shields | Leonard | Pte | 13th EYR | 18/11/1916 | 21 | 7, ST. HILDA”S TERRACE, SYMONS STREET, HULL | Serre, France |
| Simpson | John | Pte | 15th DLI | 29/05/1918 | 18 | 1, SPRING COTTAGES, GOODWIN STREET, HULL | Wimille, |
| Smales | Benjamin | Pte | 1st EYR | 01/07/1916 | 19 | 15, HOWE STREET, ST MARKS STREET, HULL | Thiepval, Somme |
| Spires | George | Pte | 1st Coldstream Guards | 22/12/1914 | 22 | 21, PENNINGTON STREET, HULL | Le Tiuret, France |
| Stokes | William James | Stoker | RNR, HMS “Derwent” | 02/05/1917 | 41 | 3, ASH BROOK, BUCKINGHAM STREET, HULL | Sea |
| Sugden | Thomas | Pte | 13th EYR | 16/01/1917 | 33 | 16, MAY TREE AVENUE, GARDEN VILLAGE, HULL | Cambrai, France |
| Taylor | Robert | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 10/09/1916 | 21 | MERSEY STREET, HOLDERNESS ROAD, HULL. | Bazentine, France |
| Taylor | Thomas Samuel | Pte | 2nd South Wales Borders | 16/05/1917 | 25 | 1, BLENHEIM TERRACE, WORSLEY STREET, HULL | Arras |
| Taylor | William Eli | Stoker | RNVR | 07/05/1915 | 35 | 22, LIME TREE AVENUE, GARDEN VILLAGE, HULL | Gallipoli |
| Thackery | Herbert Edward | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 28/11/1916 | 20 | 58, BRIGHT STREET, HULL | Somme |
| Thurloe | George | Pte | 11th EYR | 28/06/1918 | 22 | 116, YORK STREET, HULL | Aval Wood, France |
| Trowell | George William | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 23/04/1917 | 27 | 81, LABURNAM AVENUE, HULL | Arras |
| Trowell | John Robert | Pte | NFUS | 15/09/1916 | 30 | 81, LABURNAM AVENUE, HULL | Somme |
| Tune | Charles Walter | 2nd Lieut. | 13th EYR | 23/11/1917 | 22 | “WESTLANDS”, HESSLE. | Cambrai |
| Turner | Albert | Pte | 12th DLI | 07/06/1917 | 20 | 64, ARGYLE STREET, HULL | Ypres, Belgium |
| Veal | Arthur Jubb | Pte | 2/4TH EYR | 03/10/1918 | 20 | 81, CLARENDON STREET, HULL | Bermuda |
| Turner | Robert | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 23/04/1917 | 32 | 10, EPPING TERRACE, RODNEY STREET, HULL | Arras |
| Walton | Maurice | Pte | 1st EYR | 25/04/1918 | 19 | 5, ALBANY STREET, HULL, E | Tyne Cot, Belgium |
| Wharam | William | Pte | 1/4TH EYR | 03/05/1915 | 19 | 40, PROVIDENCE ROW, BEVERLEY ROAD, HULL | Ypres, Belgium |
| Watson | John William | Pte | 1st EYR | 11/07/1917 | 39 | 3, MYRTLE GROVE, LORRAINE STREET HULL | Calais, France |
| Wolfe, | Harry Edmund | Pte | 2/4TH EYR | 23/03/1916 | 20 | 12, WOOLARTON TERRACE, DANSOM LANE, HULL | Hull Hedon Road |
| Woodcraft | William Herbert | Pte | Army Service Corps | 02/06/1918 | 42 | 26, THOMAS STREET, HULL | Hull Hedon Road |
| Woodmancey | Sydney | Pte | 1st EYR | 27/10/1917 | 19 | 6, WELLINGTON STREET, HULL | Tyne Cot, Belgium |
| Wright | Robert Arthur | Pte | 18th Lancs Fusiliers | 26/03/1918 | 35 | 87, CLIFTON STREET, HULL | Pozieres, Somme |
