John Edward Bernard Hill, 1912-

John Hill was born on 13 November 1912. He was educated at Charterhouse and Merton College, Oxford, where he obtained his M.A. In 1938 he was called to the Bar - with the Certificate of Honour (Inner Temple) - but a year later at the outbreak of WWII he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant R.A. (T.A.)

Later, during his active service, Hill became an Air Observation Pilot attached to 651 (Air O.P.) Squadron, during which time he went with the R.A.F. to Tunisia. He was wounded in action in 1943 and was invalided out in 1945.

Hill made extensive journeys abroad mainly as a member of United Kingdom parliamentary delegations, and of agricultural or Commonwealth committees. Significant trips include a 'gap year' visit to India in 1937, China in 1956, Southeast Asia in 1957, the United States in 1958, and West Germany and Berlin in 1959.

The Conservative Member for South Norfolk since January 1955, when returned at a by-election, Hill was from 1959-1960 an Assistant Government Whip and from 1960 until 1964 a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, becoming Opposition Spokesman on Education and Science in October 1965.

Mr Hill has farmed the Blyford Estate, Suffolk since 1944. He still lives at Watermill Farm near Wenhaston. He was married in 1944 to Edith Luard [deceased 1995], the widow of the late Commander R.A.E. Luard. They adopted a daughter, Linda.

Hill's activities included shooting and association football - he was an association football blue at Oxford - in 1934, becoming secretary of the Oxford University Association Football Club.

Hill has also been a member of the East Suffolk and Norfolk River Board from 1952-1962, and he was a member of the Governing body of Charterhouse School.

See also entry in Who's Who.

From the guide to the John Hill Archive: the papers, photographic and slide collection of John Edward Bernard Hill, 1912-, 1699-2000 (predominantly 1929-2000), (University of East Anglia)