Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Architect, of Cork. William Hill, who was born on 3 February 1798, was the eldest son of THOMAS HILL  THOMAS HILL and the elder brother of HENRY HILL HENRY HILL . He was apprenticed first, in February 1813, to EDWARD MARKS [1]  EDWARD MARKS [1] of Cork and then, in February 1818, to ALEXANDER DEANE [2]. ALEXANDER DEANE [2]. (1) He exhibited two perspective views of a street at the exhibition of the Cork Society for Promoting the Fine Arts in 1820, an architectural composition in 1821 and two architectural designs at the Mechanics' Institute Exhibition in Cork in 1828.(1) It is possible that he worked in the office of GEORGE RICHARD PAIN  GEORGE RICHARD PAIN before establishing himself in independent practice, for his brother Henry appears to credit him with the design of a window in St Michael's Church, Blackrock, Cork, which was built to designs of G.R. Pain in 1827.(2) Moreover the Hill collections in the Cork Museum and Ballymaloe House include several designs by Pain. Hill is listed as an architect in Connor's Directory of Cork for 1828, and may have formed a partnership with Henry Hill by 1835, when the two brothers are said to have been jointly responsible for the design of the Cork Corn Market. They are named together in the Cork Post Office Directory for 1843. William Hill may also have been a builder;  an item on the Midleton and Skibbereen workhouses in the Cork Constitution for 13 September 1839, states that a William Hill was the contractor for both these buildings.(3)  

William Hill died from brain fever in July 1844.(4) He had married Ellen, daughter of William Ridings, of Manchester and Cork, on 6 November 1830.(5) The couple had four sons and two daughters. WILLIAM HENRY HILL  WILLIAM HENRY HILL was their second son.

Addresses: 91 George's Street, 1838;(6) 22 George's Street, 1842-45.(7)

See WORKS.



References

All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from a letter of 27 Sep 1997 to A.M.Rowan from Thomas Hill's great-great-granddaughter, Mrs Myrtle Allen of Ballymaloe House, Shanagarry, Co. Cork, and from the Hill family tree in the possession of Colin Hill, 104 Bayard Lane, Princeton, NJ, 08540, USA (copy presented to IAA by Gerard Kennedy, Acc.2000/58).

(1) William Hill's indentures of apprenticeship to Edward Marks, 3 Feb 1813, and to Alexander Deane, 11 Apr 1816.(Photocopies of originals in possession of Colin Hill, as above, presented to IAA by Gerard Kennedy, Acc. 2000/58). 

(1) IALE I, 330; catalogues of these exhibitions are in RIA Haliday pamphlets 1188/8, 1199/9 and 1434/11 (information from Kenneth Severens).
(2) A sketch of this window, inscr. 'Blackrock Church/W. Hill architect/5 ft' is in Henry Hill's Notebook No. 4 (Cork Museum, Ref. G301).
(3)   Information from Ronnie Herlihy, Cork, Feb 2010.
(4) MS memoir of William Henry Hill, 1910 (copy presented to IAA by Gerard Kennedy).
(5) See note 3, above.
(6) Cork Standard, 26 Jan 1838 (nformation from Kenneth Severens).
(7) County and City of Cork Post-Office General Directory 1842-43, 1844-45.


5 work entries listed in chronological order for HILL, WILLIAM [1]


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Building: CO. CORK, CORK, INFIRMARY
Date: 1829
Nature: In progress.
Refs: Patrick Holohan, 'Cork Courthouse: the Pains, the Deanes, the Stonecutters', JCHAS 111 (2006), 85

Building: CO. CORK, CORK, JOHN REDMOND STREET, NORTH CHARITABLE INFIRMARY
Date: 1829p
Nature: 'Mr. Sampayo, a native of the city, but resident in London, contributed £1000 for the enlargement of the hospital accommodation, which having been increased by a bequest of £500 from Mr. Rochford and by other subscriptions, amounting in all to £3200, the trustees determined to erect a new building capable of containing
100 beds, on the ground belonging to the old infirmary. The building, erected by Mr. Hill, a resident architect, consists of a plain structure, of three stories, forming three sides of a quadrangle, 100 feet in front, with lateral returns of 75 feet each. The ground floor is appropriated to the dispensary department and to accommodation
for officers; the two upper stories are laid out in wards. The expense of its erection was £3760.13.6.' (Lewis)
Refs: Samuel Lewis, A Topographical dictionary of Ireland (1837), I, 427

Building: CO. CORK, MONKSTOWN, CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST (CI)
Date: 1832a
Nature: New cruciform church in Early English style, with tower and spire 70ft high. Completed Mar 1832. Cost £950.
Refs: Date of completion and name of architect given in inscription on church bell; S. Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837), II, 390; JCHAS 1927, 95;  exterior illus. in Claude Costegalde & Brian Walker, The Church of Ireland: an illustrated history (2013), 364.

Building: CO. CORK, CORK, ALBERT QUAY, CORN EXCHANGE
Date: 1835
Nature: By William and Henry Hill, containing museum of agriculture. £14,000. Builder: R. Howard.
Refs: APSD II, C, 148; J. Windele, Historical and Descriptive notices of the City of Cork (1849), ?

Building: CO. CORK, BLACKROCK, CHURCH ROAD, CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL (CI)
Date: 1836p
Nature: Restoration of church after its partial destruction by lightning, Jan 1836. (Also original church?)
Refs: Sketch of traceried window, inscr. 'Blackrock Church/W. Hill architect/5 ft' in Henry Hill's Notebook No. 4 (Cork Museum, Ref. G301) but church designed by G.R. Pain. Jones file contains photocopies of two lithographs of church of on 30 Jan 1836 after it had been struck by lightning: one is after a drawubg by Henry Hill, the other, which states that church was 'Built A.D. 1827, by Wm. Hill Architect', was drawn and lithographed by Unkles, Cork.