[1] They were social photographers with studios at different times in: London (society), Harrow, Eton, and Rugby, all locations of leading schools, Oxford and Cambridge, and Aldershot & Sandhurst (centres of the British army).
The partnership of Robert Hills and John Henry Saunders was dissolved in 1889, although members of both families continued to operate local branches under the same name.
In 2019 the historic company was acquired by its Oxfordshire based contemporary, Gillman & Soame, in order to preserve the extensive archives and ensure the future of the prestigious Victorian photographic studio.
London Studios[3] 1868-1869 - 48 Porchester Terrace, Bayswater, Kensington 1868-1886 - 36 Porchester terrace, Bayswater, Kensington 1893-1895 - 47 Sloane Street, Chelsea Negatives / records believed destroyed Studio no longer exists Harrow Studio 1861 - first recorded date in records 1865 - first advertisement Closed in the 1980s Negatives / records still exist - and can be found at Iconic Photographs Eton Studio 1864-1894 to date.
still going - Hills & Saunders is owned currently by Richard Shymansky ABIPP, AMPA and is now based in Dorney Reach, Maidenhead, but is still the Eton studio.