John Hill
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Collection SummaryJohn Hill was elected to the first Sutherland Shire Council of 1907. He was a pioneer of the Cronulla area.BiographyJohn Hill was originally from Collingwood Victoria. He came from a family of boat builders. He must have had a love of boats and the sea as he had accepted an apprenticeship for sailing which he later abandoned due to pressure from his father.
At 15 years of age he and his family moved to NSW and settled in Balmain. His occupation was initially as a builder. In 1879 at the age of 21 he married Rose Harris which was registered in Paddington. He and Rose moved to what would become Sutherland Shire in about 1881 when John purchased land. By 1903 John had built a family home at the head of Burraneer Bay. John built and lived in “Hillcrest” Woolooware Road Cronulla. In 1909 John built a home on the corner of Woolooware Road and Hill Street, Cronulla. John and Rose had 13 children. Their first child was Violet. In 1910 John Hill was one of many locals who were agitating for a public school. As a father of a large family he was a concerned supporter. Some of his children attended school for a time at Cronulla Public School, which opened in 1910.
John operated a business trading as John Hill and son, boat builders of Burraneer. Son William was a boat builder like his father. Their speciality was the building of motor launches. John Hill owned a lot of land on Burraneer Peninsula. The boat building business was responsible for building and engineering ferries which were used on Port Hacking. They had a boatshed on Burraneer. He was the principal architect for the construction of wharves such as Lilli Pilli and Burraneer as well as bathing sheds on Cronulla Beach for men and boys. The boatshed was also responsible for building 2 whaleboats which were sent to Lord Howe Island. He also created plans for the Gunnamatta Bay baths in 1915.
In 1910 the receiving office at Burraneer Bay was upgraded to a post office with John Hill made the post master having established a receiving office from his home in 1907. John served as Councillor on Sutherland Shire Council from 1906 to 1922 a total of 16 years. He was president of the Council in 1918 when peace was declared at the end of World War One. This must have had great personal significance as his son had served. William Tyrell Hill enlisted in World War One and was one of the lucky ones who returned home.
In 1911 he was in charge of the design of the archway at Cronulla used for the opening of the Sutherland to Cronulla Steam tramway. He was elected to the 1907 management committee of the members of the Cronulla School of Arts which had held its foundation meeting in 1903. He also served as President for a number of years from 1910. He was a foundation member of the Cronulla Masonic Lodge and a commodore of the Port Hacking Sailing Club. He was president of the Sutherland Shire Council when the Cronulla Ocean Wharf was officially opened in 1919.
He and his wife Rose celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1929. John died on 2nd December 1931 at age 73. He was buried in the Anglican section of Woronora Cemetery.
At 15 years of age he and his family moved to NSW and settled in Balmain. His occupation was initially as a builder. In 1879 at the age of 21 he married Rose Harris which was registered in Paddington. He and Rose moved to what would become Sutherland Shire in about 1881 when John purchased land. By 1903 John had built a family home at the head of Burraneer Bay. John built and lived in “Hillcrest” Woolooware Road Cronulla. In 1909 John built a home on the corner of Woolooware Road and Hill Street, Cronulla. John and Rose had 13 children. Their first child was Violet. In 1910 John Hill was one of many locals who were agitating for a public school. As a father of a large family he was a concerned supporter. Some of his children attended school for a time at Cronulla Public School, which opened in 1910.
John operated a business trading as John Hill and son, boat builders of Burraneer. Son William was a boat builder like his father. Their speciality was the building of motor launches. John Hill owned a lot of land on Burraneer Peninsula. The boat building business was responsible for building and engineering ferries which were used on Port Hacking. They had a boatshed on Burraneer. He was the principal architect for the construction of wharves such as Lilli Pilli and Burraneer as well as bathing sheds on Cronulla Beach for men and boys. The boatshed was also responsible for building 2 whaleboats which were sent to Lord Howe Island. He also created plans for the Gunnamatta Bay baths in 1915.
In 1910 the receiving office at Burraneer Bay was upgraded to a post office with John Hill made the post master having established a receiving office from his home in 1907. John served as Councillor on Sutherland Shire Council from 1906 to 1922 a total of 16 years. He was president of the Council in 1918 when peace was declared at the end of World War One. This must have had great personal significance as his son had served. William Tyrell Hill enlisted in World War One and was one of the lucky ones who returned home.
In 1911 he was in charge of the design of the archway at Cronulla used for the opening of the Sutherland to Cronulla Steam tramway. He was elected to the 1907 management committee of the members of the Cronulla School of Arts which had held its foundation meeting in 1903. He also served as President for a number of years from 1910. He was a foundation member of the Cronulla Masonic Lodge and a commodore of the Port Hacking Sailing Club. He was president of the Sutherland Shire Council when the Cronulla Ocean Wharf was officially opened in 1919.
He and his wife Rose celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1929. John died on 2nd December 1931 at age 73. He was buried in the Anglican section of Woronora Cemetery.
Photograph
Details
Lifespan1858 - 2/12/1931OccupationCouncillor
Connections
John Hill. Local History - Sutherland Shire Libraries, accessed 12/02/2025, https://localhistory.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/103800