Higgs and Hill was a major British construction company responsible for construction of many well-known buildings in London.

History

The company was established in 1874 by the merger of the firm of Thomas Hill (managed by Rowland and Joseph Hill, grandsons of the founder) with the firm of William Higgs. It was originally called Hill, Higgs and Hill but changed its name to Higgs and Hill when Rowland Hill retired in 1879. The company was first based at Crown Works in Vauxhall but moved to New Malden in 1967.

Higgs and Hill

Sir Brian Hill, a member of the seventh generation of his family to work in the business, retired in 1992. In 1994 it announced a rights issue to finance the acquisition of land for housing but the issue was not well subscribed.

Higgs and Hill

In 1996 the company announced poor results arising from re-organisation charges and contract losses. The company was acquired by Hollandsche Beton Groep (later HBG) later that year, and was rebranded as HBG Construction with effect from 1 January 1999. HBG was itself acquired by Koninklijke BAM Groep in 2002.

Higgs and Hill

Major projects

Major projects undertaken by the company included:

Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge, completed in 1880

Surrey County Hall, completed in 1893

the Tate Gallery, completed in 1897

the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, completed in 1905

the London Fire Brigade Headquarters, completed in 1937

the North and South Blocks of London County Hall, completed in 1939

the BBC Television Centre, completed in 1960

the Queen Elizabeth Hall, completed in 1967

the Hayward Gallery completed in 1968

the South Bank Television Centre, completed in 1972

Hillingdon Civic Centre completed in 1979

Lord's Cricket Ground Mound Stand, completed in 1987

the restoration of Windsor Castle, completed in 1996

References

Companies established in 1874

Companies based in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

Construction and civil engineering companies of the United Kingdom

1874 establishments in England

British companies established in 1874

Construction and civil engineering companies established in 1874