Wilfred Hill-Wood

Sir Wilfred William Hill Hill-Wood KCVO CBE (8 September 1901 – 10 October 1980) was an English financier and cricketer who played first-class cricket for Derbyshire between 1919 and 1936, as well as for Cambridge University and MCC.

Early life

Hill-Wood was born at Chelsea, London, the son of Sir Samuel Hill-Wood, 1st Baronet and his wife Hon Rachel Bateman-Hanbury. His father was Member of Parliament and had also played cricket for Derbyshire. He was educated at Eton and played for the first XI, appearing in the Eton-Harrow match in 1918, 1919 and 1920. He then went to Cambridge University.

Cricketing career

Hill-Wood made his debut for Derbyshire in the 1919 season when he took 2 wickets and scored a total of 49 in two innings against Northamptonshire. He played two more games in 1919 and next played one game for Derbyshire in the 1921 season. In 1921 and 1922 he was playing for Cambridge University. He took part in an MCC tour of New Zealand in 1922/23 and was a regular in the Derbyshire side in the 1923 season. He played two matches for Derbyshire in the 1924 season and five for them in the 1925 season in which years he also played for the Eton Ramblers. In 1932/33 he played during a tour of India, and performed again for Derbyshire in the 1935 and 1936 seasons. His last matches were in 1938 and 1939 for the MCC against the universities. Hill-Wood was a right hand batsman and played 60 innings for Derbyshire in 35 matches. His top score was 107 and his average 25.74. He played 21 innings in 14 matches for Cambridge University with a top score of 81. He was a leg-break bowler and took 49 wickets at an average 31.08 for Derbyshire. He took 14 wickets at an average of 28.85 for Cambridge University. His best overall match count was 5 for 62.^[1]

Financial career

Hill-Wood was Managing Director of Morgan, Grenfell & Co, and during the Second World War was with the British Purchasing Commission.^[2] He was Chairman of Eversholt Estate Development and Vice-President of St Pancras Housing Association^[3]

He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1946 while working for the Postal and Telegraph Censorship Department,^[4] and knighted as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1976.^[5]

Personal life

Hill-Wood died at Kensinton at the age of 79. As well as his father, Hill Wood's brothers Basil Hill-Wood, Denis Hill-Wood and Charles Hill-Wood played cricket for Derbyshire.

References