Robert Percy Hill
1901: office boy to wholesale clothier.
1911: unemployed.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Robert Percy Hill was the son of George and Annie Hill (née Bradley).
His father George was born in Sneinton, Nottingham, in 1844 and his wife Annie was born in 1845 at Radford, Nottingham. They were married at Nottingham St Ann on 2 March 1871 and had six children, two of whom died in infancy or early childhood. Five children have been traced: James Bradley b. 1872 AMJ d. 1872 AMJ, Ada Gertrude birth registered 1873 JFM, Robert Percy b. 1876, Edgar Bradley b. 1879 and Ida Gwendoline birth registered 1886 JFM. A daughter, Hephzibar, is named on the headstone marking the family grave in Nottingham General Cemetery.
George and Annie together with their three children, Ada, Robert and Edgar, were living at 53 Portland Street, Radford in 1881; their first child, James, had died in 1872. The family was still living at the same address in 1891; George was employed as an office clerk, his wife was a shopkeeper (grocer) and their eldest daughter, Ada, was a milliner's apprentice, Robert, Edgar and Ida were school age.
By 1901 George, a clothier's assistant, and his wife were living at 85 Wilford Road, Meadows. In the home on the night of the census were Ada, a milliner on her own account (working from home), Edgar, a cabinet maker, and Ida who was still at school. Robert, an office boy to a wholesale clothier, was a patient in Nottingham General Hospital; his record on the census was annotated 'feeble minded.'
George died on 22 May 1905 at his home, 218 Arkwright Street, Meadows.
His daughter Ida Gwendoline married Avery Archer on 19 October 1907.
In 1911 the widowed Annie was living at 11 Burnham Street, Sherwood Rise, Nottingham, with her two sons, Robert Percy (34) who was out of work and Edgar Bradley (32), a cabinet maker. Her daughter, Ada Gertrude, has not yet been traced after 1901.
Annie died at 7 Huntingdon Street, Nottingham, on 25 July 1919 aged 75 years.
Edgar married Charlotte GW Lottie Cooper (b. 1892) in 1919 (JAS). In 1921 they were living at 7 Huntingdon Street but were recorded on the 1939 England & Wales Register at 126 Huntingdon Street; Edgar was still working as a cabinet maker.
Edgar died in 1948, residence 126 Huntingdon Street. His sister Ida Archer died in 1959, her husband predeceased her.
Robert Percy Hill enlisted at Nottingham and served with the 1/6th Battalion (Territorial) Northumberland Fusiliers. Two Army records, UK Soldiers Died in the Great War and Registers of Soldiers' Effects, have his first names as 'Percy Robert'.
The 1/6th Battalion served with the BEF France from April 1915 but it is not known if Robert served overseas.
Robert died at Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, in March 1916 at the age of 39; military records give his date of death as 27 March 1916. Robert was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery (grave ref. 6997) on 13 May 1916; the date of death on the headstone is 26 March. No reason has yet been found for the delay between Robert's death and his burial six weeks later.
CWGC Additional information: Son of the late George and Annie Hill, of Nottingham.
Nottingham General Cemetery, headstone inscription: 'In loving memory of George Hill who departed this life May 22nd 1905, aged 62 years. Resting in Hope. Also Robert Percy second son of the above who died March 26th 1916, aged 39 years. Not our Will O Lord but Thine. Also Annie, wife of the above George Hill, who died July 25th 1919 aged 75 years. Peace after pain. Also Edgar Bradley younger son of the above beloved husband of Lottie died March 22nd 1948 aged 69. At Rest. Also James Bradley and Hephzibar (-).'
CWGC Additional information: Son of the late George and Annie Hill, of Nottingham.
Registers of Soldiers Effects: 5879 Private Percy Robert Hill, died Gosforth 27 March 1916. His mother, Annie, was his legatee.
UK Soldiers Died in the Great War: 5879 Private Percy Robert Hill died (home), 27 March 1916.
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 25 May 1905: ‘Hill. On the 22nd inst., at his residence, 218 Arkwright-street, George, beloved husband of Annie Hill, representative of George Crosland, Huddersfield. Interred General Cemetery, Friday, at 2.30.’ (www.britishnewspaperachive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Marriages’, 22 October 1907: ‘Archer-Hill. On the 19th inst, Avery, third son of Charles Archer, to Ida Gwendoline, younger daughter of the late George Hill, both of this city.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 28 July 1919. ‘Hill. On July 25th, 1919, at 7 Huntingdon-street, Annie, widow of the late George Hill. Funeral General Cemetery, top end, Tuesday, 2.30.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Additional research Peter Gillings. Additional material RF (Aug. 2025)
Photo of Robert Percy Hill
Nottingham General Cemetey
Photo of Robert Percy Hill
Family headstone, Nottingham General Cemetery. Photograph Simon Root (6 September 2025)