Lord Hill of Wivenhoe Collection

The collection comprises papers and correspondence relating to the trade unions, the British Egg Marketing Board and the National Union of Seamen. Tape recordings, of Eammon Andrew's Show featuring Ted and Hannah Hill, and the 125th anniversary celebrations of the Boilermakers Society in 1959 also form part of the collection. A significant portion of the collection is newspaper cuttings from 1934. Lord Hill's maiden speech in the House of Lords and a programme of his funeral service provide much biographical detail.

Known as 'a man of the people', Lord Hill had a long career with the Society, from the age of fourteen when he entered the Boilermakers Society in Plaistow as an apprentice riveter. He became a full-time official of the Society in 1932, as a London District delegate after having held office as Branch President and being a member of the London District Committee. He also served as a member of various committees and councils looking out for the interests of boilermakers, shipwrights and blacksmiths. To this end, he authored a pamphlet "Coffin Ships" in 1935, which highlighted the practice of ship owners sending out un-seaworthy ships. During his tenure as General Secretary of the TUC from 1948 until his retirement in 1965, he realised his dreams of an amalgamated Society of Boilermakers, Shipwrights, and Blacksmiths; and a forty-hour week in the shipbuilding industry. In 1967, he received Life Peerage, becoming Lord Hill of Wivenhoe.

The collection of personal and administrative correspondence and ephemera was donated to the Library in 1970 by Lady Hill.

By written application to either the Librarian or Deputy Librarian. A letter of introduction may be required and prospective users will be obliged to sign an undertaking outlining the terms and conditions of access to the research materials.

This record was compiled by Yulu Griffith, UK Data Archive, using entries from:

Albert Sloman Library (2000) A Note on Special Collections , (University of Essex: Albert Sloman Library), p. 5.

Record entered by Nadeem Ahmad of Qualidata, UK Data Archive, University of Essex.

A record for all materials in the Special Collection is available via the Albert Sloman Library, Special Collections web page.

No part of the Special Collections material may be reproduced, published, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Albert Sloman Library. This may be obtained by application to the Librarian or Deputy Librarian.

In consultation with academic colleagues, the library special collections acquisitions staff evaluate collections by assessing their relevance to the teaching and research interests of the University.

No further accruals expected

University of Essex: Albert Sloman Library.