Octavia Hill Birthplace House
Octavia Hill Birthplace House is a museum located the South Brink, of Wisbech, Cambridgeshire England. It is an independent museum and a Grade II* listed building.
History
[edit]The house was once owned by the Hill family.
The most known owner was the nonconformist James Hill (c.1800–1871), banker, corn merchant and Owenite social utopian. James Hill's third wife, Caroline Southwood Hill (1809–1902), writer and educationist, daughter of Dr Thomas Southwood Smith. The most well known resident, until the age of two was Octavia Hill after whom the museum is now named.[1] The Octavia Hill Society was established in 1992 and one aim was to create a museum to collect, exhibit, preserve, interpret and document materials that reflect her work and to act as a focal centre for the Society in her birthplace town.
The present building
[edit]After the Hill family moved out the building was divided and sold, remaining divided until the museum reunited the parts. Peter Clayton MBE was instrumental in establishing this museum. There are two blue plaques on the building, one was place on the left hand of the museum and the second added after the final part was purchased. The first plaque marks Octavia's role as a cofounder of the National Trust and the second as a pioneer of the Army Cadet Force. An upper floor was used to create the ACF National Museum.
The museum holds an extensive library of books connected with Octavia and her family. There also items both old and new celebrating her work.[2]