Henry HILL [10996]

  General Notes:

Henry Hill
Baptism Date: 16 Oct 1842
Baptism Place: Old Swinford,Worcester,England
Father: Henry Hill
Mother: Mary
FHL Film Number: 533992, 533993, 533994

Henry Hill appears to have made use of his education and some time before 1861, while still living with his family in Worcester he joined The Great Western Railway Co. as a clerk.
He made this his life's work, moving to Swindon WIL, rising to accountant status by the end of his career.

Henry some time during the 1870s moved to 19, Park Lane, Swindon
John Frederick Rowland Hill, recalls his grandparents house, "It was a typical early Victorian red brick house, no uglier than the rest of the dingy dwellings on that street - dirty outside but scrupulously clean within. There was a thin strip of garden at the back where the family fox-terrier, Fritz, had the run - Fritz lived to the ripe old age of 17. He must have been a bit put out during the First World War when everybody started to call him Fred - a German sounding name like Fritz was just not acceptable! The garden faced another row houses almost identical in their awful architecture. Nevertheless, the front of No. 19 had the merit of overlooking a small park across the main road, along which trams clanged incessantly with hideous noise all day and well into the night. I used to play as a child in that park, and sometimes watch cricket there. It was from this pitch that W.G. Grace hit his most famous six, the one that went straight through the top window of a passing double decker tram."
He continues "The Hill family was, I suppose, typically Victorian lower-middle class. They were poor, respectable, religious, dignified, and probably rather dull. (Grandfather) was heavily bearded and handsome, and was a man of strict habit.As I remember him, he was stern but kindly, conservative, and yet liberal of mind. My grandmother, to whom he was deeply devoted, I cannot recollect well. She was not tall, not I think beautiful - handsome perhaps! I know she was deeply religious, and devoted her whole life to her husband and family.I know too that she was intensely patriotic, and up to her last days, and she lived to be over 90, she read the Daily Mail with thorough application.No other newspapers were allowed in the house, and Sunday newspapers were taboo.I know my grandfathers income was a moderate one only, and of course the Welfare State did not exist. It is a mystery to me how they managed to bring up six children, educate and clothe them well, and give them the opportunity for a good life. It must have entailed years of scrimping.

  Other Records

1. Census: England, 30 Mar 1851, 91 Turners Blds., St Peter Worcester. Henry is recorded as a son aged 8 a scholar born St Peter's Worcester

2. Census: England, 8 Apr 1861, St Peter South Worcester. Henry is recorded as a son unmarried aged 18 a railway clerk born St Peter's Worcester.

3. Census: England, 2 Apr 1871, 31 Prospect Swindon Wiltshire. Henry is recorded as head of house married aged 38 railway clerk born Worcester.

4. Census: England, 3 Apr 1881, 9 Wellington St Swindon Wiltshire. Henry is recorded as head of house married aged 38 railway clerk born Worcester.

5. Census: England, 5 Apr 1891, 19 Park Lane Swindon WIL. Henry is recorded as head of house married aged 48 railway clerk GWR born Worcester.

6. Census: England, 31 Mar 1901, 19 Park Lane Swindon WIL. Henry is recorded as head of house married aged 58 railway accountant born Worcester.

7. Census: England, 2 Apr 1911, 19 Park Lane Swindon WIL. Henry is recorded as head of 10 room house married aged 68 railway clerk retired and pensioned born Worcester South District.

8. Swindon in 1910.

Henry married Ellen BALL [10997] [MRIN: 3656] in 1868. (Ellen BALL [10997] was born about 1840 in Southport Ormskirk LAN.)