Octavia Hill, pioneer of social housing: rebel with a cause

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to consider the legacy of Octavia Hill in the UK, one of the early pioneers of what is now called social housing.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper sets out the background of Octavia Hill, and the context in which she operated before moving on to a discussion about the current relevance of her work.

Findings

In the centenary year (2012) of the death of Octavia Hill her work has come under some criticism. The authors consider this and seek to defend her reputation, pointing to the many ways in which her work and thinking anticipated the lessons still being learned today in the management of social housing.

Originality/value

The paper gives an account of the achievements of Octavia Hill and evidences their relevance to modern social housing.

Citation

Hindes, G. and Chung, K. (2012), "Octavia Hill, pioneer of social housing: rebel with a cause", Housing, Care and Support, Vol. 15 No. 4, pp. 155-160. https://doi.org/10.1108/14608791211288552