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Wed 12th Oct 2022 7:41pm
I was recently asked to look into the history of Hillman House. I had always assumed that it had something to do with Hillman Motors but this was not the case:
The post war building of the precinct proved to be a costly and lengthy process. Although the design was well planned the actual construction work was often beset by financial and technical problems. Initially the council were reliant on funding from the War Damages Commission but also required private companies to invest in the scheme. There were also technical problems such as the culverting of the river Sherbourne as well as a shortage of materials. Between 1959 and 1961 were serious issues with the construction of the Co-operative block and the council were forced to borrow in the region of £300,000 in order to ensure that it was built, much to the protests of many within the council.
The plans to develop the end of Smithford Way where it met with Corporation Street were first put forward in 1957 and by 1959 the intention was to construct a 16 storey Smithford Way tower block, housing a mixed retail and residential development. A 100 room pencil tower hotel was also planned to be built next door opposite the Market Tavern, but the Council were reliant on private developers to ensure this went ahead. In 1962 a deal was signed with London based development company, Calgary and Edmonton Land Co. Limited, who acquired the site from the council on a 99 year lease. Plans for the tower were put in in 1962. The architect was Coventry based, Arthur Ling of the City Architects, together with the London firm of Arthur Swift and Partners. The plans were for a department store on the bottom three floors then 24 one bedroom flats, 24 2 bedroom flats and a penthouse. The intention was to bring more people to live in the city centre in accordance with the council's stated policies. The estimated build cost was £410,000. The building works, undertaken by Lavender Macmillan (Coventry) Limited, were slow to begin and foundations were not started until April 1963. In July 1965 the Council had serious concerns about the hotel which had also been planned at a further cost of £400,000. Despite carrying out earth and land surveys no work had been started on the hotel. Following a meeting between the chairman of Calgary and Edmonton, Mr Isaac David Hillman and the chair of the Housing Committee, Alderman G. E. Hodgkinson the hotel plan was scrapped and the agreement was withdrawn. This started a battle between Mr Hillman and the Council which continued for the next 11 years. The Council were also informed that the tower block would be officially known as Hillman House after the company's chairman. The Council did not have any say in this. Hillman House was finally completed in February 1966 and the first show flats were opened. However there was no take up on the flats and in November 1966 it was reported that of the two wings at the bottom, one side was occupied by Boots the Chemist, and the other was vacant. Only 3 of the flats were occupied and another 3 were under negotiation and consequently annual rents were reduced from £320 to £250 (bedsits), £470 to £320 (1 beds) and from £595 to £795 to £418 (2 beds). The penthouse was reduced to £1,500. It was stated that "they were built for people with executive type income." but that "the rents were too high for Coventry". The Corporation Housing Committee refused to take the block over from Calgary and Edmonton, who continued to have to pay a ground rent to the council of £25,000 per annum. In 1969 another marketing attempt was made but only 15 of the 50 flats had been let. The sad saga continued and became even more acrimonious until in 1970, Calgary and Edmonton filed for voluntary liquidation claiming that Hillman House was ruining them. Various legal threats were made on both sides, including a claim that the properties would have been lettable if the council had placed a bus stop right outside instead of further along the street! These legal battles continued for the next 5 years until David Hillman died on 25th April 1975 and although the company continued to argue it's case this largely brought the episode to an end. The Housing Committee acquired the block (not including Boots and Allied Carpets) for £290,000 - The block had originally cost just shy of £500,000 to build. The council then had to spend a further £50,305 on repairs before tenants could be housed from February 1976, 10 years after the property was first opened. Tenant applications were heavily over-subscribed and the block was largely occupied for the first time, but on significantly lower rents than those originally envisaged. In 1986/1987 the council had to spend further monies to double glaze all the flats to prevent noise disturbance from the construction of West Orchards. The flats also lost their parking to the shopping centre at this time.
A bit more about the company - In 1959 23% of the share capital of Calgary and Edmonton was floated with 1s 6d shares selling for 10s 6d; within two weeks the shares were trading at 24s and the company also announced an increase in the proposed 25% dividend to 50%. The Daily Herald report asks "How rich can lucky speculators become in a couple of weeks? And who creates the wealth? This made David and his wife Rayner millionaires ["Land sakes!"] By 1963 the company is described as Mayfair based with holdings mainly in London but also Coventry and Preston (I think this is actually East Preston near Worthing where David's wife Raynor is described as the director of a chain of shops in 1939). Another report states that the company used to hold properties in Canada but was now London based ( I can't prove this and it may just be dodgy journalism). However by 1969 David Hillman states that Hillman House "is our biggest property and comprises more than half our net assets." In 1970 several of his companies are put into liquidation. Their registered office is 22 Bruton Street, Mayfair.
I've added this Biography of Isaac David Hillman:
Isaac David Hillman was born on 2nd May 1900 to Jakob and Fanny Hillman. Jakob was born near Warsaw in Poland and had settled in Russia where his three eldest children including David were born, In 1903 Jakob and his family and Jakob's elder brother, Lazarus and his family, escaped from Russia just before the Pogroms began. Both families arrived in Stepney in the Spring of 1903, but I can only find naturalization records for Lazarus. He was a tailor and quickly established a business in the East End before later moving to East Finchley, where he had a tailoring company Stylish Modes Limited in the 1930s. Lazarus's parents were Moshe and Frieda Hillman.
Jakob was a Cloths and Trimmings dealer. The 1911 census shows the family living at 344 Commercial Road, Stepney. There were 9 children including David who was the second child and eldest boy.
The 1921 census gives a bit more detail, with the family now living at 339 Commercial Road. The record states that Jakob (born c 1873) came from Turek, a town 200 km west of Warsaw and had lived in Bridseva in Russia where his wife was born. The record also shows sons, David and Maurice both working for their father, whilst a younger child, Israel, is running his own market stall outside 83 Chrisp Street, Poplar, Their eldest daughter Celia and one of the sisters, Metta are running a Milliner's shop at 81-83 Chrisp Street. This shop appears to have expanded with them also manufacturing and selling ladies' blouses and baby clothing.
Little is then known until the 1939 register when David appears as a guest staying at the Cumberland Hotel, Great Cumberland Place, Marble Arch. He is listed as a company director and retail market trader. The record also states he is divorced, however further investigation reveals a record for a Rayner Hillman born 5th February 1910, residing at "Felsted", Sea Road, Angmering-on-Sea, East Preston near Worthing. She is described as a director of chain shops. There are two records which are still closed (presumably her children) and a cook, Greta Neunten? and a childrens nurse, Isobel Forbes, living with her.
David next appears in a Land Tribunals decision of 1952, when he is appealing to London County Council regarding a compulsory purchase order and compensation offered by the War Damages Commission. He next appears as the director of the "Calgary and Edmonton Land Company Limited". There is some suggestion that this company may have held property in Canada. This appears in a newspaper report but I cannot find any evidence that David Hillman's company had any connection (There was a Canadian Company with the same name but this was much earlier in 1911).
In 1959 he floated the company on the stock market and he and his wife became a paper millionaire in a fortnight. He then invested in Coventry, signing an agreement with Coventry Council to build what became Hillman House and also a 100 room hotel next door. The total expected build costs of the two properties was £810,000 (about £25 million today). At the same time as negotiating with Coventry, he made an attempt to purchase Manchester Racecourse at Hurst Park. This was a 130 acre site ripe for housing development, but he was outbid by another developer Central and District Properties who paid around £500,000 for the site. It seems that David was trying to hedge his bets and this led to a delay in the Coventry project which ultimately resulted in the Council withdrawing the agreement to build the hotel. This led to the feud between Hillman and the Council. Which continued until his death. Hillman House proved to be a white elephant and by 1969 was "ruining the company". In May 1970 he placed all his companies in Liquidation - these comprised Calgary and Edmonton Land Co. Limited, Stanhope Gate Property Company Limited, Brillbrite Property Company Limited and Hillman Property Company (Marylebone) Limited (there were also some smaller subsidiary companies).
David Hillman then appears to have spent the next 5 years up to his death on 25th April 1975 (at his home at 3 Stanhope Gate, Mayfair) in legal disputes with his creditors and Coventry City Council. His probate reveals he left an estate valued at £22,060.
In summary It seems that David Hillman rose from being a simple market trader selling fabric to build up a property portfolio in London. He was then able to cash in on a stock market gamble which made him a millionaire overnight. He then invested most of it in Coventry and practically lost the lot. Although he still had his house in Mayfair and a seemingly comfortable life, it looks like he died a bitter man fighting Coventry Council to the end! I may be speculating a bit here but that seems to me a fair interpretation of events.
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