Ernest William Hilton

• Date of Birth       October-December 1878
• Marriage              July-August 1923 Gwendolen Frances Jones at Cheltenham
• Date of death      26 August 1933
• Burial                 29 August 1933 at Keynsham Cemetery

Ernest William Hilton was born at Altrincham in October-December 1878, the second son and one of five children of Henry R Hilton, estate agent, and his wife Emily. He was educated at Altrincham Grammar School before being articled to James Ryder of Gorton for 2 years. Later he attended Altrincham Technical School and worked as assistant to W W Christian of West Kirby for six months, and to Thomas William Hudson of Manchester. He commenced independent practice at Altrincham in 1902.

After World Wat One, he moved from Altrincham to Keynsham near Bristol to become works architect for J S Fry and Sons Limited. In 1919 Frys and Cadburys had merged financially. Egbert (Bertie) Cadbury joined the Fry part of the business, and he and Cecil Fry managed the move from the Union Street Bristol, to a purpose-built factory on 228 acres in Somerdale, Keynsham. Opened in 1923 on a site between the River Avon and the London-Bristol main line railway. Somerdale shared many similarities with the earlier garden village which Cadburys had promoted at Bourneville

On 4 December 1911 Ernest Hilton was elected a Licentiate of RIBA as part of the mass intake of that year. (RIBA Nomination Papers L v22 no. 1712). He resigned in 1919 and re-joined in 1927.

In 1923 Ernest Hilton married Gwendoline Frances Jones at Cheltenham. Bon in Gloucester, in 1911 she was living in Hale, Altrincham, working as a music teacher at a girl’s school. It appears probable that the two first met about this time. The marriage was childless.

Ernest William Hilton died on 26 August 1933 after a long illness and was interred at Keynsham Cemetery three days later.

Address
1906             Stamford New Road, Altrincham
1911-1916    Mossburn Buildings, Stamford New Road, Altrincham
1921-           c/o J S Fry and Sons Ltd, Keynsham

Residence
1881             Oxford Road, Altrincham
1901             Albert Road, Hale, Altrincham
1906             Mornington, Portland Road, Bowden
1911             Cloverdale, Priory Road, Bowdon, Greater Manchester, England
1923             Station Road, Keynsham
1933             Armor, Stockwood Vale, Keynsham, Somersetshire (probate)