Sir William Hillary

Title: Sir

Epithet: Founder of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1824

Record type: Photographs

Biography: William Hillary’s family had a strong farming background, but he was born in the maritime port of Liverpool, England on 4th January 1771. His father was a merchant with interests in the West Indies and both parents were devout Quakers. William grew up with one older brother and one younger sister.

After a spell working in the family business, Hillary toured Europe as an equerry and diplomat before returning to London, England to marry his first wife, Frances Disney-Fytche. They returned to the family home on Merseyside and had twins, Elizabeth Mary and Augustus William, but later moved to Essex to Frances’ family home. During early 1800s at the time of the Napoleonic Wars with France, Hillary raised a regiment of volunteers in case of an invasion of Britain, and was awarded a baronetcy in return.

Partly due to funding the regiment out of his own purse and partly due to legal issues surrounding his inheritance of land and enslaved people in the West Indies, Hillary fell into debt. He was accused of various financial wrong-doings and was divorced from Frances.

In a bid for a new start, Hillary moved to the Isle of Man in 1808, ultimately taking up residence at Fort Anne, overlooking Douglas Bay. He married a local woman, Emma Tobin and became involved in Manx public life. From his home he would have witnessed many ships struggling to make the safety of Douglas harbour during winter storms. Despite being a non-swimmer, he led and participated in many sea rescues, helping to save and estimated 300 people.

Events around the coast of the Isle of Man during the winter of 1822-1823 motivated Hillary to push for a nationally-supported and fully equipped maritime lifesaving organisation. He published a pamphlet describing the objectives and governance of such a society, originally called the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, founded in 1824 and becoming the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1854.

Hillary continued his work to make Manx shipping as safe as possible, often using his own money. He drew up plans to improve Douglas harbour and was responsible for the construction of the Tower of Refuge on Conister Rock in Douglas Bay.

Although financial problems continued later in his life, culminating in the sale of many of his artworks and his home at Fort Anne, Hillary remained committed to the cause of preservation of life from shipwreck, often advocating for the institution when it fell on hard times. Emma died in 1845 and the inscription on her tomb written by her grieving husband said that “her loss is irreparable”.

Two years later on 5th January 1847, Hillary died and was buried with Emma in the tomb in St George’s churchyard, Douglas. Each year in January, a service of commemoration is held in his memory and wreaths are laid in the Hillary tomb.
Today, the inscription on the tomb includes the quote;

What his wisdom planned and his power enforced, more potent still his great example showed

Gender: Male

Date of birth: 1771

Date of death: 1847

Name Variant: Hillary, William, Sir

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