Person    | Female  Born 3/12/1838  Died 13/8/1912

Octavia Hill

Housing reformer and co-founder of The National Trust. Born at Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, her father's eighth daughter (yes, really). She believed that social housing should be small houses (rather than large blocks of flats) and in towns rather than in the suburbs. Working with John Ruskin she created 15 housing schemes in London to provide accommodation to 3,000 people.

Supporting the idea that Hill should appear on British bank notes, Pam Alexander wrote in a letter to the Guardian, July 2013: "{her} work benefited men, women and children and continues today. Octavia pioneered social housing and encouraged all her tenants to develop their skills in order to live fulfilled lives, however low their income. She cofounded the National Trust and coined the term green belt. Her Kyrle Society, supported by William Morris, was the forerunner of the Civic Trust and instrumental in the creation of Vauxhall Park; her training of housing managers led directly to the Charted Institute of Housing; and she made key contributions to modern social work and occupational therapy. Her focus on " a hand up rather than a handout" was controversial but is still an appropriate debate today."

Caroline's Miscellany has a good post about this "do-gooder". 2012: a memorial stone in Westminster Abbey to be dedicated on 22 October.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Octavia Hill

Commemorated ati

Morley mosaics - KEW - Octavia Hill

Octavia Hill, born 1838. The founder of modern social work through her tirele...

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Octavia Hill - Finchley

Hill's family were living in Brownswell Cottages in 1851. These were on Finc...

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Octavia Hill Housing Trust

It would be nice to know who did the giving but we can't find out.

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Octavia Hill - moved

The plaque is located on the first floor of the building and is not on view t...

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Octavia Hill - NW1

Octavia Hill, a pioneer in housing reform built these cottages "for the peopl...

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This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Octavia Hill

Creations i

Red Cross Garden 2

The roundel was created by a glass-making firm, James Powell and Son, after a...

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Other Subjects

National Gardens Scheme

National Gardens Scheme

Opens (mainly private) gardens to the public to raise money for charity. Grew out of a need to provide finances for retired district nurses.

Group, Benefactor, Gardens / Agriculture

1 memorial
Local people (King's Cross)

Local people (King's Cross)

Local people fought and won against office development and created The Calthorpe Project, community gardens, play space and under fives' area.

Group, Community / Clubs, Gardens / Agriculture

1 memorial
Geoffrey Mills

Geoffrey Mills

Valuation surveyor involved in the creation of Burgess Park. He was piloting a Cessna 172 light aircraft when it crashed in a field near Biggin Hill Airfield, Kent. Three colleagues from work were ...

Person, Gardens / Agriculture, Property, Tragedy

1 memorial
Lieutenant Harry Leopold Pollak

Lieutenant Harry Leopold Pollak

Harry Leopold Pollak was born on 18 July 1885 in Marylebone, Middlesex (now Greater London), the second of the eight children of Joseph Pollak (1847-1927) and Emma Jane Pollak née Goldmann (1863-19...

Person, Armed Forces, Gardens / Agriculture, Argentina, France

War dead, WW1
1 memorial

Previously viewed

Metropolitan Police

Metropolitan Police

Founded in 1829 by Robert Peel under the Metropolitan Police Act 1829 and on 26 September of that year, over 1,000 men were sworn in in the grounds of the Foundling Hospital. (From Sarah Wise's boo...

Group, Emergency Services

13 memorials
Salviati

Salviati

Family of mosaic artists from Italy. When they moved into new premises in 1898 they decorated the frontage with mosaics - this is now the Regent Street Apple building.

Group, Craft / Design, Italy

3 memorials
Beryl Brownsword

Beryl Brownsword

Architect and conservationist. After WW2 she worked in the architectural practice run by Richard Sheppard. She was particularly active in the Bedford Park Society where she monitored planning appli...

Person, Architecture, Community / Clubs

1 memorial
Alfred Churchley

Alfred Churchley

Islingtonian who died in the South African War, 1899-1903

Person, South Africa

War dead, Other war
1 memorial
United Nations Association

United Nations Association

United Nations Associations are non-governmental organizations that exist in various countries to enhance the relationship between the people of a member state and the United Nations. They are not ...

Group, Peace

1 memorial