It may be known as RB today, but to many families in Hull, the 179-year-old business will always be Reckitts.
The story began with Isaac Reckitt’s relocation to Hull in 1840.
The son of Thomas Reckitt, a farmer from Wainfleet in Lincolnshire, the ambitious businessman borrowed capital to lease a starch business in the city, renting an existing mill in Dansom Lane to begin the story of Reckitts.
In the near-two centuries that followed, Reckitts grew into a global name which today has operations in more than 60 countries and employs 40,000 people.
In Hull though, Reckitts’ contribution went far beyond creating new jobs and some of the best-known health and home products on the shelves.
The Reckitt family have in fact contributed around £160m – in today’s money – to Hull’s community since the company was founded.
From public buildings to whole areas of housing, the Reckitts impact is enormous.
Here’s a look at some of the biggest donations Reckitts has made to Hull.
James Reckitt Library
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Education and learning was important to founder Isaac Reckitt’s son, James, and he fought a campaign to bring public libraries to Hull, which initially failed.
Undeterred, the James Reckitt Library became the first free public library in the city when it opened in Holderness Road in 1892.
James Reckitt donated the buildings, books and £6,300 of Reckitts shares to cover the cost of the upkeep.
Today, the historic building has been converted into modern apartments.
Garden Village
Garden Village, which remains a popular housing area of east Hull today, was built by the Reckitt family for its factory workers.
James Reckitt decided he wanted to make a difference to the lives of people working at Reckitt & Sons.
He set aside around £100,000 of his own money – at the time a vast amount – to make the idea a reality, and also formed a private company called Garden Village (Hull) Ltd.
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Now known for its green spaces and leafy neighbourhood, Garden Village has become a desirable area of Hull to live in.
WWI Military Hospital
During the First World War in Hull, the Reckitts Social Hall was converted into a military hospital.
The hospital was staffed by members of the Reckitt Nursing Division, with James’ son Philip appointed as acting commandant.
University of Hull
The University of Hull is England’s 14th-oldest university and has a proud heritage of academic excellence and world-class research.
In 1928, around the time it was founded as a University College, Thomas Ferens bought the land and donated £250,000 towards the buildings, as well as £24,000 for an endowment fund for the university.
Thomas Ferens, himself a famous Hull figure, first joined Reckitts as a shorthand and confidential clerk to James Reckitt in 1868 and worked his way up to become chairman of the company.
He was also a noted philanthropist, giving away more than £1m to good causes in his lifetime.
East Park
It was the directors at Reckitt who gifted the land for Hull’s East Park.
Twenty years before the popular park was unveiled, Zachariah Pearson opened Hull’s very first public park in the west of the city. Its name was Pearson Park.
After Pearson Park opened, other locations were sought for green spaces within the city.
The land for East Park was donated by Reckitts, and in 1887, it was officially opened to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.
Ferens Art Gallery
Reckitt’s directors also bought the site for Hull’s popular museum Ferens Art Gallery, initially providing £35,000, followed by regular annual sums of money and a further £10,000 for ongoing works.
In recent years, Ferens has hosted the Turner Prize art exhibition, and Spencer Tunick’s unforgettable Sea of Hull display.
Hull Royal Infirmary
Hull Royal Infirmary also benefitted from James Reckitt’s generosity, including a completely new wing to the then Prospect Street site and the Sir James Reckitt Ward.
In 1926, the land and house for the Sutton Annexe was donated free of charge and a £10,000 contribution was made to the building fund.
RB in Hull today
In Hull, RB now focuses on supporting students at local schools in science, technology, engineering and maths subjects, and is a current charity partner at Hull Homeless Community Project.
Last month, RB opened the doors of its £105m Science and Innovation Centre, creating hundreds of new jobs in the city.
It has also pledged to invest £95m in its existing manufacturing facilities in Dansom Lane, Hull.
Elsewhere, RB has teamed up with the Hull York Medical School to provide a Master’s degree in pharmacology and drug development.
The present-day value of philanthropic donations and contributions made by the company and its owners in Hull down the decades is at least £160m in today’s money.
How to contact Phil Winter and Business Live
Business Live's Hull & East Yorkshire journalist is Phil Winter, also the business editor at the Hull Daily Mail and Hull Live.
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