Born in Cambridgeshire in 1838, Octavia Hill is widely recognised for her role in establishing the National Trust alongside Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley, who’s shared aim was to set up and preserve places of historic interest or natural beauty for the British public.

Beyond this, she was a key figure in the development of social housing, particularly in Southwark, and founded the Horace Street Trust, which went on to inspire numerous housing associations throughout the UK and even across the seas in America. 

In 1859, she also played a pivotal role in setting up the Southwark branch of the Army Cadet Force.

Her contributions are commemorated with a blue plaque at Red Cross Garden in Borough which you can visit today!

Image credit is: Octavia Hill in 1882, Wikipedia, Unkown Author