Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1878 - 1960 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
15 boxes and 2 volumes
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
William Hills (1869-1959)
William Hills came to South Africa in 1895 as reporter for the "Port Elizabeth Advertiser", and thereafter worked on several newspapers in Pretoria, Port Elizabeth and Durban. He served as special war correspondent in the last campaign against the Zulu in Magatoland 1898 and interviewed Cecil Rhodes after the Jameson Raid. Later he formed the Amalgamated Press in 1921, and was the editor of 6 Rand papers. He undertook extensive tours overseas which were reported in his chain of newspapers. William Hills was interested in matters of education, religion, labour movement.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
66 notebooks containing his diary from 1888-1959. While primarily a record of personal and family events, the diaries include references to political and social events of the day. Also 10 photograph albums of tours by Hills 1936-1956 to various parts of the world; correspondence with family, friends and others on his journalistic career and on subjects such as religion, education and the labour movement. Correspondents include Bishop G. Clayton, J. Keir Hardie, Sir R. Jones, Bishop A.B.L. Karney, Sir E. Oppenheimer and L. Weinthal.
Also personal documents, printed items and notebooks.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Alternate title: Hills, William