Frederic Hill

Frederic Hill (29 June 1803 – 1896) was a prison inspector in Scotland and England, and a social and economic reformer.

Frederic Hill was born at Hilltop, a house at the summit of Gough Street, Birmingham, the sixth child of Thomas Wright Hill and Sarah, his wife, whose maiden name was Lea. He was educated in the small school run by his father, becoming an assistant teacher there at the age of thirteen.

In 1819 the family moved from Birmingham to Edgbaston and a bigger, better school which they named ‘Hazelwood’. Frederic became involved with the movement for political reform with his brothers, Rowland, who would introduce the Penny Post, and Matthew, who would become an MP for Hull. The people were not represented by Parliament, but only a section of the ruling class, mainly the land-owning aristocracy. Political Unions were set up all around the country to press for change and Frederic became a prominent member of the Birmingham Union. As a result of this pressure the Reform Bill of 1832 was passed.

Two years later Frederic obtained the post of parliamentary secretary to Mr. Sergeant Wilde (afterwards Lord Truro). As part of his brief he had to provide his employer with accurate information on any subject on which he intended to speak. In 1835 the Duke of Richmond introduced into Parliament a Bill to appoint Inspectors of Prisons, four for England and one for Scotland. Frederic Hill decided to apply.

“Well do I remember the arrival of the letter from Lord John Russell,” Frederic wrote many years later, “ informing me that I was appointed an inspector of prisons. I was sitting reading in Matthew’s chambers in Chancery Lane, and such was my delight that I skipped about the room for joy, and, tradition says, jumped over a chair!”

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