Reckitt’s is a Hull based company, formed in 1842, internationally renowned for its health and cleaning products. By the time of the Great War it had already pioneered a number of scientific breakthroughs to create revolutionary cleaning products, such as Robins Starch (1899), the UK’s first liquid metal polish Brasso (1905), and the silver polish, Silvo (1912). 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.
Hull’s world famous Reckitt’s firm employed 4,761 staff in 1915, which rose to 5,609 in 1917. Reckitt’s saw 70 of its men join up at the outbreak of war and by 1917, 820 men had enlisted. Reckitt’s supported the joining up of married men by making up the difference between their former wages and army pay. By the Armistice, a total of 1,108 Reckitt employees, served from its worldwide workforce, with 153 employees killed and 50% of the remainder wounded or disabled. In tribute to their service, Sir James Reckitt erected a memorial fountain in the grounds of its Hull Office, at Dansom Lane, which still stands today. Reckitt’s also erected two Memorial tablets, including the Reckitt’s Boys Club, Roll of Honour. It 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 (VAD) hospital. The hospital was staffed by members of the Reckitt Nursing Division, with James Reckitt appointed as acting Commandant. Reckitt’s already had some experience in nursing, funding a new hospital wing to the Hull Royal Infirmary, in 1903 and opening a 30 bed Reckitt’s Convalescent Home at Holland Road, Clacton on Sea, in 1908. During ww1 this became the Reckitt’s Home Auxiliary Hospital. The Reckitt’s company also converted its Hull 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 on the 2nd February 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 gifting the land which is now East Hull park (1887), building houses in Garden Village (1908), the James Reckitt Library (1892), Staff swimming baths (1922), the Ferens Art gallery (1927), the Sutton Annexe to Hull Royal Infirmary (1926), founding Hull University (1928) and the Hull’s Science and Innovation Centre (2019). Although the company changed its name to Reckitt’s and Colman in 1938 and merged to become Reckitt Benckiser in 1999, it continues to help the world be cleaner and healthier and be a force for social and environmental good.
The following 126 men were Reckitt’s Staff, lost in the First World War. Their names are recorded on the Reckitt’s War Memorial, the Reckitt WW1 Boys Club, Roll of Honour, Hull and have been researched through other sources.
| 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 | Royal Field Artillery | 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 | Royal Garrison Artillery | 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 Lincoln regiment | 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 King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry | 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 Manchester Regiment | 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 Regiment | 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 | Royal Army Medical Corps | 17/10/1917 | 29 | 85, CRAVEN STREET, HULL | St Julian, Belgium |
| Cousins | Joseph Ernest | Pte | 7th Liverpool Regiment | 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 East Riding Yeomanry | 09/05/1916 | 23 | 67, CRAVEN STREET, HULL | Bailleul, France |
| Dawson | Wilfred | Gunner | Royal Field Artillery | 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 | Royal Garrison Artillery | 14/11/1917 | 38 | 66, LABURNUM AVENUE, HULL | Nord, France |
| Dodsworth | Alfred | Gunner | Royal Garrison Artillery | 28/10/1918 | 27 | 14, CORAL GROVE, GRANGE STREET, HULL | Hull Northern |
| Downs | Ernest | L/Cpl | 2/7th Manchester Reg. | 21/03/1918 | 29 | 8, FLORENCE GROVE, LORRAINE STREET, HULL | Aisne, France |
| Downs | Herbert | Gunner | Royal Garrison Artillery | 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 | Royal Engineers | 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 | Royal Naval Reserve | 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 Lincoln Regiment | 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 Regiment | 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 | Royal 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 | Royal Field Artillery | 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 Fusiliers | 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 Regiment | 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 West Yorkshire Regiment | 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 | Royal 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 | 11th EYR | 29/09/1918 | 29 | 16, ALASKA STREET, HOLDERNESS ROAD, HULL | Hainut, Belgium |
| Nozedar | Edward Henry | Pte | 11th Suffolk Regiment | 20/10/1918 | 19 | 37, SWANN STREET, HULL | Belgium |
| Parker | Gerald Pitts | Driver | Royal Field Artillery | 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 Northumberland Fusiliers | 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 | Royal Army Medical Corps | 27/10/1916 | 21 | 46, KENT STREET, HOLDERNESS ROAD, HULL, | Bazentine, France |
| Rogers | William | Driver | Royal Field Artillery | 14/07/1916 | 22 | 9, CEDAR GROVE, EXCHANGE STREET, HULL | Mametz, Somme |
| Rudd | Joseph | Driver | Royal Field Artillery | 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 Northumberland Fusiliers | 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 Durham Light Infantry | 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 | Royal Navy Voluntary Reserve | 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 | 1/4th Northumberland Fusiliers | 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 Durham Light Infantry | 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 Lancashire Fusiliers | 26/03/1918 | 35 | 87, CLIFTON STREET, HULL | Pozieres, Somme |
