Always wondered why Year 6 pupils at Emanuel are known as ‘Hill form’? Mr Jones dips into the school’s history and explores the origins of its name.
Above is a photo of the first class of Hill form pupils (often known as ‘Hillies’) from the mid 1980s. It has only been in the last decade that Hill form has expanded into two classes, as opposed to the original one.
The name comes from Mr Charles Hill, a very popular Geography teacher at Emanuel School in the 20th century. Charles served in the final 18 months of the First World War, winning the Military Medal, and was often commended for his excellent map-reading and understanding of the contours of the trenches. This skill played a part in him choosing to study Geography at university.
Mr Charles Hill, pictured in 1918
Arriving at Emanuel in 1928, Charles remained connected to the school for the next 50 years as teacher until 1964 and then Governor. Lt-Col. Charles Hill was one of those rarities in education, for in addition to teaching Geography he commanded the OTC and later CCF, was Rowing Master in the late 1940s and early 1950s, helped organise the fundraising for the building of Emanuel’s boathouse (located at Barnes Bridge) and in 1943, became Headmaster of Emanuel’s tutorial classes which opened in London, whilst Mr Cyril Broom was Headmaster of Emanuel in Petersfield.
Charles was Housemaster of Marlborough at Emanuel for 34 years, founded the Geographical Society and was Head of the Lower School for over a decade. He also produced Christmas ‘rag’ plays, akin to staff revues of later years along with OTC teaching colleague Mr Stafford Hipkins.
During the Second World War he remained in contact with OEs serving across the world, saving their correspondences and assembling a collection of photographs of those who had fallen in the war. He was later elected President of the OEA, a position usually reserved for headmasters or prominent OEs. Charles was also on the governing boards of several schools in addition to Emanuel. In 1955 the Queen awarded him with the OBE, and he was cited as the longest serving commanding officer of a Combined Cadet Force in Britain. The award was recognition of a man who had given outstanding service to thousands of cadets.
He was an exceptionally popular and highly respected teacher and when he retired from teaching was given the incredible gift of a colour TV – still quite rare in those days. At the time of his death in 1980 he was travelling to a governor’s meeting at another school.
Mr Jones (Senior Librarian and Archivist)