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

The collection comprises papers of Sir Francis Hill (1899-1980) relating to his involvement in Lincoln City Council, his interest in the history of Lincolnshire, the Royal Commission for Local Government in England, and other bodies concerned with municipal and local government, both nationally and internationally. Principal series present include:

• Personal papers including correspondence, newspaper cuttings, historical papers and photographs. 1879-1979;
• Papers of membership of the City of Lincoln Council including correspondence and printed papers. 1937-1976;
• Manuscript and printed items from Sir Francis Hill's library, primarily concerning the history of Lincolnshire and British local government including manuscript copies of charters of Lincoln and Grimsby, pedigrees of Lincolnshire gentry, and historical notes on Boston. 1768-1977;
• Papers relating to Hill's membership of the Royal Commission of Local Government in England (Redcliffe-Maud Commission) including printed minutes and maps, evidence submitted to the commission, reports and statistics. 1966-1969;
• Papers relating to Hill's membership of the International Union of Local Authorities including printed circulars and correspondence. 1960-1970;
• Papers relating to Hill's membership of the European Conference of Local Authorities including printed circulars and correspondence. 1960-1972;
• Papers relating to Hill's membership of the Association of Municipal Corporations including printed circulars and correspondence. 1942-1972;
• Papers relating to Hill's membership of the local Authorities Municipal Investment Trust including printed papers and correspondence, 1961-1967;
• Papers relating to Hill's membership of other bodies of concern to local government including: Local Government Boundary Committee 1945-1950, Local Government Summer School 1948-1950, 'People in Local Government' management committee 1964-1970, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries River Board 1948-1951, and the Committee on the Management of Local Government 1958-1966;
• Papers relating to Hill's chancellorship of The University of Nottingham and membership of the University Council. c.1948-1978.

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.

The collection has been divided into sections according to subject. Only the papers concerning the Royal Commission on Local Government in England (RC) have been catalogued at present. This section had an existing filing system which has been adhered to.

ACCESS: Restricted pending full cataloguing. Contact the Department for advice.

LANGUAGE: English

• Copyright on all finding aids belongs to The University of Nottingham.
• A catalogue of papers relating to Hill's membership of the Royal Commission of Local Government in England (Redcliffe-Maud Commission) (FHL RC) is in the reading room of The University of Nottingham's Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections: Typescript Catalogue, 5pp
• A catalogue of papers relating to Hill's membership of the Royal Commission of Local Government in England (Redcliffe-Maud Commission) (FHL RC) is at the Historical Manuscripts Commission, London: Typescript Catalogue, 5pp

• Other collections are listed on the National Register of Archives

COPYRIGHT: Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Keeper of the Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections (email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk). The Department will try to assist in identifying copyright owners but this can be difficult and responsibility for copyright clearance before publication ultimately rests with the person wishing to publish.

REPROGRAPHIC: Photocopies and photographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposes only, depending on the condition and access status of the documents.

In 1970, Sir Francis Hill passed papers concerning his involvement in the Redcliffe-Maud Commission to The University of Nottingham's Department of Manuscripts. These were joined after his death in 1980 by his personal, university and local historical papers.

• London School of Economics; British Library of Political and Economic Science: Papers of John Primatt Redcliffe-Maud, Baron Redcliffe-Maud, including official papers of his time as chairman of the Royal Commission on Local Government in England, 1966-1969. Reference: GB 97 REDCLIFFE-MAUD
• London School of Economics; British Library of Political and Economic Science: Papers of Derek Senior including papers of his time as member of the Royal Commission on Local Government in England, 1966-1969. Reference: GB 97 SENIOR
• Public Record Office: Papers of several departments relating to the Royal Commission on Local Government in England, 1966-1976. References: GB 66 HLG 69, EW 7/1347, EW 10/73, HLG 120/1323, HLG 155/4, HO 322-426,HO 241/126-128, LAB 20/1254, LAB 96/309
• Lincolnshire Archives: Correspondence, diaries and antiquarian papers of Sir Francis Hill, 1916-1978.
• The University of Nottingham, Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections: Records of University College Nottingham and The University of Nottingham including: a speech by B.L. Hallward proposing a toast to Hill as chancellor in 1978 (ACC 415) and a programme for the installation of Hill as chancellor in 1972 (ACC 1681 part). Reference: UN

• Royal Commission on Local Government in England, 1966-1969, Vol. 1, Report (The Redcliffe-Maud Report (H.M.S.O.: London, 1969)