I was recently asked by a blog reader why so many of Swindon’s ‘worthies’ were members of the non-conformist faith. Charles Hill is another such example.
Referring to the obituary published in the North Wilts Herald, Rev. A. Brown said it was a fine resume of the life of Mr Hill and could have gone on for another two or three columns had there been space.
Charles Hill was born in Newton Abbot in 1853. He married Elizabeth Ann Spackman in 1878 and the couple had three children, Mabel, Elsie and Percival. The story of his life follows here:
image published courtesy of Local Studies, Swindon Central Library.
Death of Mr C. Hill, J.P.
Former Mayor of Swindon and Chairman of the Education Committee for 12 Years.
The news of the death in the early hours of Saturday of Mr Charles Hill, of 32 Victoria road, Swindon, will come as a severe shock to thousands of people in Swindon and Wiltshire who knew him so well.
The news will be the more unexpected in view of the fact that right up till Friday he was apparently in his usual health and good spirits, and as recently as Thursday was seen walking in the streets of Swindon, and, indeed, recorded his vote in the municipal elections.
It was only last month that he retired from the many public offices he held in the town.
Foot Amputated.
Mr Hill underwent a severe illness about 18 months ago and had his foot amputated, but though this entailed a temporary retirement from public duties, he returned to them zealous as ever on his recovery.
Mr Hill’s life is the romance of the orphan of a farm, who, by dint of hard work combined with good spirits and geniality, rose to become the Mayor of the town of his adoption, and a magistrate of the county in which he came to live and work.
In April, 1853, he was born near Newton Abbot, and spent his early years working as an orphan boy on a Dartmoor farm. He came to Swindon in 1872, and obtained employment as a porter on the GWR station, later going into the factory.
Then when the old broad gauge track from Swindon to South Wales was converted in 1872, he was a member of what was known as a transport.
Then he went into the R Shop, where he worked for 12 years, first as a labourer, then as a machineman, and finally as chargeman. Leaving the Works, he became a part time agent for several insurance agencies, and in 1896 he was appointed local superintendent of the Sceptre Life Insurance Society.
Service on the Council
In 1894 Mr Hill was elected as a member of the New Swindon Urban District Council and on the incorporation of the borough in 1900 he was elected a councillor. With the exception of one year – 1896 – he completed, on his retirement for the council a week or two ago, 40 years’ continuous service.
There had been 13 Mayors of the borough before Mr Hill became Mayor, and he had served under every one of them. Then in 1913-14 he became Mayor himself, during the year the great war broke out.
For many years he had also served on the Wilts County Council, and until last March, when he retired, had held an aldermanic seat on the County authority for 21 years. His work also extended to the Wilts Standing Joint Committee, and though he had severed his connection with the County Council, he still held a seat on the County Small Holdings Committee.
Work for Education
But it was his work for education which had made him best known. He was appointed to the Education committee when it was established in 1903, and served continuously since that time until he retired about a fortnight ago, being vice-chairman from 1913 to 1919, and chairman since 1922.
In that position he won the affection and respect of his colleagues, and the hearts of children in the schools. He was a familiar visitor to all the schools, and at each of them he had some quaint little story, or a knotty problem with which to amuse the children.
At the time of his death he was the principal and director of C. Hill and Co., insurance agents.
In politics Mr Hill was a progressive Liberal. He was hon. secretary of the North Wilts Liberal and Radical Association, and took part in the winning contest of 1898, 1900 to 1906.
He had been one of the pillars of Methodism and for some 40 years was superintendent of the Sunday School connected with the Regent Street Primitive Methodist Church – now the Methodist Church. He was for some time secretary of the church trustees.
The Funeral
Many public bodies were represented at the funeral service at Regent Street Methodist Church, on Wednesday afternoon.
Mr Hill requested that there should be no flowers and no mourning, and amongst his papers there was found a message asking that those who thought of sending floral tributes should send instead a donation to the Mayor’s Unemployment Distress Fund.
Extracts from North Wilts Herald, Friday, 9 November, 1934.
Charles Hill died at his home, 32 Victoria Road, aged 81 years. He was buried on November 7, 1934 in grave plot E7419 which he shares with his wife Elizabeth Ann who died in 1921 and his daughter Mabel Emma who died in 1965.
Radnor Street Cemetery 