Hill was born at Gressenhall Hall in Norfolk, the second son in a family of five sons and six daughters of John David Hay Hill, lord of the manor of Gressenhall, and Margaret (second daughter of the hop merchant and former MP for Cashel, Ebenezer John Collett).
[1] In 1857 he obtained an exhibition at Caius College, Cambridge, migrating as scholar to Trinity Hall, where he graduated LLB in 1862.
[2] He joined the south-eastern circuit, but soon devoted his energies to journalism and to literature, interesting himself especially in poor law and labour questions, and working as almoner to the Society for the Relief of Distress in the East of London.
[1] In letters to the press during 1868 Hill called attention to weaknesses in the poor laws, and urged a more scientific classification of paupers (The Times, 9 January 1868).
'[1] There as director Hill advised applicants for assistance, and founded and edited Labour News to improve communication between masters and men seeking work.
A man of rare natural wit, something of a poet, and the brightest of companions, he threw himself eagerly into the Society's work, and more particularly devoted his time and energy to an attempt to deal with the problems of unemployment.
Among flowers and books also Mr. Hill can take his ease, and forgets, as his preface tells us, that there are newspapers to edit and philanthropy to organise.