Percy Hill was the youngest son of Sir Edward Stock Hill of Rookwood House in Llandaff and, like his elder siblings, he mixed his business career with a sporting one, playing county cricket for Glamorgan, and playing with success for Fairwater, St. Fagans and the South Wales Hunts.
Born at Rookwood and educated at Epsom College, he was the least talented, from a cricketing point of view, of Sir Edward’s sons, yet in 1897 when only sixteen, he played as a late replacement in the match against Wiltshire at Swindon. The withdrawl of David Mullens of Cardiff CC saw the schoolboy being drafted in – early editions of local newspapers however still referred to Mullens as batting at number 7 and making nought, but this was rectified the following morning. Percy though didn’t get a chance to bat again in the match as Glamorgan eased to a ten wicket victory.
The following year he played for his brother Vernon’s team which met Glamorgan in a two-day game at the Arms Park in early August. It was a star-studded eleven with CB Fry and Sammy Wood also appearing – the teenage Hill batted at number nine and made 4, besides a single wicket as first change bowler, as the light-hearted contest ended in a jolly draw.
Some decent performances in club cricket saw Percy play again for Glamorgan during August 1898 in their match with Cornwall at Penzance. He met with greater success with the bat, making 13 and 1 in what proved to be his final county game. Like his brothers, Percy spent time living in north-east Somerset, playing for Lansdown and the Somerset Stragglers.
During the closing years of the Great War, Percy also joined the Royal Flying Corps before living at the Manor House in St. Nicholas from which he ran the successful garage business known as the Queens and Royal in Westgate Street in Cardiff, opposite the Arms Park, and serving guests staying at the Queens and Royal Hotel, besides another garage in Cathedral Road.
HILL, Percy Montgomery Tickell.
Born – Llandaff, 28 September 1877.
Died – Clifton, 27 April 1944.