Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1868-1978 (Creation)
Level of description
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.
Repository
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
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
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