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

Abstract

PurposeThis 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/approachThe 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.FindingsIn 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/valueThe paper gives an account of the achievements of Octavia Hill and evidences their relevance to modern social housing.