Sir Francis Hill, 1899-1980

Sir (James William) Francis Hill was born in Lincoln on 15 September 1899 and was educated at the City School, Lincoln and Trinity College, Cambridge where he graduated MA, 1925. From 1926 he was a qualified solicitor and he became a senior partner of the solicitors firm Andrew and Company of Lincoln. Sir Francis enjoyed a long and successful career in the civic governance of the City of Lincoln, of which he was a member of the City Council 1932-1974 and Mayor 1945-1946. He became a member of Nottingham University College Council in 1934 and continued his involvement after the college received university status in 1948. He served as president of Council 1948-1968, Pro-Chancellor 1959-1972 and Chancellor 1972-1978.

Throughout his life, Sir Francis was an enthusiastic local historian, and published a series of histories of the City of Lincoln. He was awarded the CBE in 1954 and was knighted in 1958. Other awards included honorary degrees from the universities of Nottingham, Birmingham and Leicester. Beyond his civic duties, Sir Francis was keenly interested in issues of municipal government both nationally and internationally. He was chairman of the Association of Municipal Corporations 1957-1966, president of the European Conference of Local Authorities 1966-1968, president of the International Union of Local Authorities 1967-1971, and a member of the Royal Commission on Local Government in England, 1966-1969. Sir Francis Hill died on 6 January 1980.

The Royal Commission on Local Government in England was appointed by Royal Warrant on 31 May 1966 to consider the structure of local government in England, outside Greater London. It looked at the existing structure of local government and made recommendations to authorities on boundaries and functions. The commission, chaired by The Rt. Hon. Lord Redcliffe-Maud, G.C.B., C.B.E., published its report in 1969. The report's findings were influential in the major reorganisation of local government in 1973-1974.

From the guide to the Papers of Sir Francis Hill (1899-1980), Solicitor, Mayor of Lincoln and Chancellor of The University of Nottingham, 1768-1979, 1768-1979, (The University of Nottingham)