Collection GB 0074 B/HIG - HIGGS AND HILL LIMITED {BUILDERS}

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 B/HIG

Title

HIGGS AND HILL LIMITED {BUILDERS}

Date(s)

  • 1868-1978 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

6.81 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

William Matthew Hill and William Higgs both established building firms in the 1850s : Hill and Sons in Islington, and Higgs in Westminster (later moving to Vauxhall). Friendship between the two families led to amalgamation in 1874 as Hill, Higgs and Hill. William Higgs' yard in Vauxhall became the company headquarters and was renamed "Crown Works". On the retirement of Rowland Hill in 1877 the firm's name was simplified to Higgs and Hill. The firm enjoyed several prestigious early contracts, including the Tate Gallery on Millbank, Harvey Nicholls department store in Knightsbridge, and work on the new St Thomas' Hospital at Westminster Bridge.

In 1898 the business was incorporated as a limited liability company; getting a flying start with the winning of a new contract - the largest yet - for the Royal Naval Training College at Dartmouth.

The company moved its headquarters from Crown Works in 1967, to New Malden, Surrey. The workshops were moved to Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, along with the joinery works which operated under the name of Foster and Dicksee Limited. As the business continued to expand, other building firms were taken over, including Holliday and Greenwood.

Archival history

GB 0074 B/HIG 1868-1978 Collection 6.81 linear metres Higgs and Hill Ltd , builders

William Matthew Hill and William Higgs both established building firms in the 1850s : Hill and Sons in Islington, and Higgs in Westminster (later moving to Vauxhall). Friendship between the two families led to amalgamation in 1874 as Hill, Higgs and Hill. William Higgs' yard in Vauxhall became the company headquarters and was renamed "Crown Works". On the retirement of Rowland Hill in 1877 the firm's name was simplified to Higgs and Hill. The firm enjoyed several prestigious early contracts, including the Tate Gallery on Millbank, Harvey Nicholls department store in Knightsbridge, and work on the new St Thomas' Hospital at Westminster Bridge.

In 1898 the business was incorporated as a limited liability company; getting a flying start with the winning of a new contract - the largest yet - for the Royal Naval Training College at Dartmouth.

The company moved its headquarters from Crown Works in 1967, to New Malden, Surrey. The workshops were moved to Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, along with the joinery works which operated under the name of Foster and Dicksee Limited. As the business continued to expand, other building firms were taken over, including Holliday and Greenwood.

The archives of Higgs and Hill Limited were deposited in the Greater London Record Office in 1968 (Accession number Ac.68/49) and 1996 (Accession number ACC/3716).

Records of Higgs and Hill Limited, builders, and of subsidiary or merged companies, 1868-1978. The records are largely of financial nature, but do include other administrative material and contract information. There is a particularly good run of tender books for the period 1906-1965, detailing all the jobs for which Higgs and Hill tendered, regardless of whether or not they won the contract.

The records are arranged by firm, beginning with Higgs and Hill themselves, and then the small firms which became attached to Higgs and Hill Limited: Holliday and Greenwood Limited {B/HIG/HG}, Foster and Dicksee Limited {B/HIG/FD}, Patman and Fotheringham Limited {B/HIG/PF}, And A. Hone and Sons (Brickmakers) {B/HIG/HS}. Within these groups the records are divided into four main categories - administrative records, financial records, records concerning contracts, and miscellaneous material. The records listed as Higgs and Hill Limited {B/HIG/HH} also contain material which relates to more than one firm in the Higgs and Hill Group.

Open access to most records, except wages books under 65 years old (indicated in list).

Copies may be made from the material for private study. Readers wishing to publish copied material should obtain permission from the Copyright rests with the depositors.
English

Fit

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. July to October 2009 Financial records Management Business management Industry Construction industry People People by occupation Personnel Construction industry personnel Builders Construction engineering Building operations Building construction Documents Information sources Business records Tenders Tendering Management operations Contract law Contracts Business administration Company archives Higgs and Hill Ltd , builders Civil law Legal systems Law Business

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The archives of Higgs and Hill Limited were deposited in the Greater London Record Office in 1968 (Accession number Ac.68/49) and 1996 (Accession number ACC/3716).

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of Higgs and Hill Limited, builders, and of subsidiary or merged companies, 1868-1978. The records are largely of financial nature, but do include other administrative material and contract information. There is a particularly good run of tender books for the period 1906-1965, detailing all the jobs for which Higgs and Hill tendered, regardless of whether or not they won the contract.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

The records are arranged by firm, beginning with Higgs and Hill themselves, and then the small firms which became attached to Higgs and Hill Limited: Holliday and Greenwood Limited {B/HIG/HG}, Foster and Dicksee Limited {B/HIG/FD}, Patman and Fotheringham Limited {B/HIG/PF}, And A. Hone and Sons (Brickmakers) {B/HIG/HS}. Within these groups the records are divided into four main categories - administrative records, financial records, records concerning contracts, and miscellaneous material. The records listed as Higgs and Hill Limited {B/HIG/HH} also contain material which relates to more than one firm in the Higgs and Hill Group.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open access to most records, except wages books under 65 years old (indicated in list).

Conditions governing reproduction

Copies may be made from the material for private study. Readers wishing to publish copied material should obtain permission from the Copyright rests with the depositors.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area