Hill was born in
Magpie, Victoria, son of
Archibald Hill (c. 1808 – 10 February 1868), a native of Glasgow, Mrs Hill was proprietor of Hill's Hotel, previously Carriers Arms Hotel, Skipton Street, Ballarat. He attended
Redan Primary School, but left at an early age, perhaps to assist his widowed mother. At some stage he was working for McCartney and Co., coachbuilders, also taking night classes at the Central State School. He later became an auctioneer in partnership with George Wicks, as Wicks and Hill, from April 1883 to November 1883, when the partnership was dissolved and Hill took control of the business. He was later in partnership with W. L. Paine at the Federal Auction Mart, 5 Armstrong Street, also referred to as Dana Street, then from 1898 to his last days with James M. Grose at City Auction Rooms, Armstrong Street, though not actively involved in later years, having relinquished much of the business to L. A. Blackman. The following year his candidature was opposed by John Eva for the Labor faction, but Hill's friends and supporters were many, and he was elected with a substantial majority and unopposed thereafter. In 1909 he was elected mayor of Ballarat City by his fellow-councillors in a departure from the rotation system which had obtained for 25 years. The mayoral allowance at the time was £400. He was elected mayor again in 1916 and once more in 1920. At the same meeting, the success was announced of a plebiscite, agreeing to the amalgamation of the two councils. A few kilometres to the east, J. A. Pittard was elected mayor of the rival council. On 25 May 1921 a joint meeting of the two councils was held, chaired by Pittard, at which Hill was unanimously elected mayor of the new council.
Other activities Apart from his business interests, and youthful interest in self improvement which led to the Skipton Street Debating Society and the South Street Society, followed by 16 years as a councillor and three terms as mayor, he was also: • a member of the Water Board, and several terms as a water commissioner • Justice of the Peace in 1912, sworn in by his old friend
Sir John Madden • president of the Orphanage committee • briefly represented the district municipalities on the Health Board • a member of the School of Mines Council • a member of the High School Board • for 14 years secretary of the old Ballarat Liedertafel • for 20 years secretary of the board of St Andrew's Kirk • founded Ballarat's Tourists' Bureau. • hon. secretary of the Queen Carnival, held in 1916 • president of the Ballarat Fish Acclimatisation Society • member of the Caledonian Society for many years • secretary of the Agricultural and Pastoral Society, in conjunction with Lyle Blackman, M.C. ==Recognition==