Sir Brian Hill, past president of the CIOB and former chairman of construction company Higgs & Hill, passed away on 5 November aged 84.
Hill was born in Streatham in 1932 and was educated at Stowe school. He studied land economy at Cambridge University and qualified as a chartered surveyor before joining Higgs & Hill in 1957.
Sir Brian Hill
He was the seventh generation of his family to work in the business and became managing director in 1972.
The company was known for its extensive work on many major London projects such as Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge, the London Fire Brigade headquarters, the Hayward Gallery, Lord’s Cricket Ground Mound Stand and the restoration of Windsor Castle.
He was president of the CIOB from 1987-1988, a position that both his father and grandfather had previously held.
He also held a number of other positions within the building industry, such as national president of the Building Employers’ Confederation, chairman of Vauxhall College of Building and director of the London Docklands Development Corporation.
He retired from Higgs & Hill in 1992.
Since 1998, he had been chairman of The Children’s Trust, a charity for children with multiple disabilities and complex health needs.
He is survived by his wife Janet, his three children William, Peter and Sarah, and 11 grandchildren.
Chief executive of the CIOB, Chris Blythe OBE, said: “It was a sad moment for the Institute when we heard that Sir Brian had passed away. He made a tremendous contribution over his time as both an officer and president.
“He was a great influence in the way our scholarships support young people in the industry. That work does not stop and like many of the great leaders in our history his legacy continues.”
There will be a Thanksgiving service held on 5 December at St Mark’s Church, Reigate, at 2.45pm.
