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

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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

Wacy 2000

Wacy 2000

Wacy 2000 stands for 'World Association for Celebrating Year 2000'.   It was founded by John Goodman, a children’s entertainer based in Golders Green.  The Montreal Gazette of 19 March 1970 intervi...

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1 memorial
Kensington Gardens

Kensington Gardens

Royal Parks say: "William III bought what was originally part of Hyde Park in 1689.  An asthma sufferer, the king found the location quiet and the air salubrious and so he commissioned Sir Christop...

Place, Gardens / Agriculture, Royalty

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Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford

Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford

Interested in rural science and one of the chief patrons of the Bath and West Agricultural Society of which he was President at the time of his death. His youngest politician brother, William (176...

Person, Gardens / Agriculture

1 memorial

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Event, Armed Forces, Tragedy

403 memorials
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Geraldine Mary Harmsworth

Geraldine Mary Harmsworth

Mother of Lord Rothermere.   Born in Dublin as Geraldine Mary Maffett, the daughter of an Irish land agent.  1884 married a barrister, Alfred Harmsworth, and had a number of children: Alfred, Geral...

Person, Friend / family

3 memorials
Greenwich Historical Society

Greenwich Historical Society

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Mary E. Nightingale

Mary E. Nightingale

Associated with the Wesleyan Schools, Leswin Road, 1883. Because her first name is given rather than just an initial it's possible that Mary was a child in 1883, in which case perhaps she was a pup...

Person, Education

1 memorial