Billy Hillman

William George “Billy” (or “Willie”) Hillman was born in Wisborough Green in 1900, the son of Henry Hillman, the village blacksmith and his wife Charlotte.  He had an elder sister Edith Barbara, born in 1898.  A younger sister, confusingly named Edith Irene, would be born in 1912.

Henry came from West Grinstead and had been employed as a smith both there and in Wisborough Green where he was employed by, and lived in the household of, Frederick Edmonds a general smith.  Henry married Charlotte Hards in Billingshurst in 1896.  They had probably met when Charlotte was in service for the Wyatt family in Harsfold Manor.

Billy also became a blacksmith working for Carter Bros. in their Reliance Works in Newpound.

Billy was a popular sportsman who played football and cricket for Wisborough Green and football for Horsham Town where, according to the West Sussex County Times, he “did good service at the back.”

He was due to play for Horsham against East Grinstead on 30th August 1924 but wrote to the club’s secretary saying he was too unwell to turn out.  Sad to relate, Billy’s condition worsened, and he was admitted to hospital in Guildford suffering from appendicitis where he died age 23 following an operation.

On the day he should have played against East Grinstead, Billy’s funeral took place in St. Peter’s church where, the West Sussex Gazette noted, “one cannot remember seeing such a large congregation before.”  The vicar of St.Peter’s, Rev. G.H. Newton, presided and gave “an appropriate and beautifully worded address.”

Billy’s parents, his sisters, the eldest of whom was by now married, and his fiancé Miss Grinstead were all in attendance.  The floral tributes included large wreaths from the employees of Carter Bros., and from the Wisborough Green, Kirdford, Horsham, Plaistow, Dunsfold and Ebernoe cricket and football clubs.  The West Sussex County Times had clearly been accurate in writing “All sportsmen will hear with regret of [his] death.”  Meanwhile, in Horsham at the match against East Grinstead, Horsham Town’s players all wore black armbands as a mark of respect.  (Horsham won the match by seven goals to two).

In the 1930s Henry and Charlotte moved to Horsham where Henry died in 1935.  He is buried in St. Peter’s churchyard where he lies with his son.  Charlotte moved to Cranleigh to be close to her two daughters.

This article first appeared in the August 2024 edition of the history society’s magazine The Wisborough Green Historian, free to all members.

Andrew Strudwick