He based his reforms on the concept of penny postage, by prepaying for the stamp helped to facilitate in the speedy and safe delivery as well as cheap transfer of letters. In his later life he served as a government postal official and he is largely credited with originating many of the concepts of the modern postal service. He is also credited with the invention of the postage stamp.

He was born in Kidderminster, Worcestershire in central England. His father was an innovator in education and politics. At the age of 11 he became a student teacher at his father’s school, teaching astronomy as well as fixing scientific instruments, in his spare time he painted landscapes. He continued working in education particularly in educating the emerging middle class of society that was emerging in Britain at that time.

His interest in Postal reforms began in 1835, the following year he was given numerous books and documents to begin a detailed study and this led to his publishing ‘Post Office Reform its Importance and Practicability.’ He presented a copy to the then Chancellor of the Exchequer who suggested improvements which Hill then duly complied with, presenting his updated findings on January 28 1837.

At that time lots of the British mail was conveyed under the personal frank or mark of peers, dignitaries and members of Parliament. The postal system was mismanaged, wasteful and slow. Fraud was commonplace, letters were paid for on delivery, not by the sender. Coded information was written on the outside of the letter the recipient would look at the envelope and refuse the letter saying they would not accept it. Hill’s study stated that costs could be greatly reduced if postage were paid by the sender. Payment could be proven by the use of a postage stamp. Adhesive stamps had long been in use to prove things like taxes had been paid. His first proposal for postage costs was a penny per half ounce without regard to the distance to be posted. Previous complicated rates of distance and weight and added greatly to the cost.

In the House of Lords the ‘wild and visionary scheme’ suggested was denounced by the Secretary to the Post Office as preposterous and totally unsupported by facts. Merchants and bankers viewed the existing system as corrupt and a restraint on their trade. They pushed for it to be adopted and in 1839 Hill was given a two tear contract to run his new system.

The new rate was introduced as fourpenny for each item posted, then cut again to the penny rate on 10 January 1840. The new stamp was to be the penny black, introduced in May 1840. Between November 1839 and February 1840 paid correspondence increased by 120%. This largely resulted in the affordability for the majority of the citizens but eliminated the free franking privileges and fraudulent systems previously used.

Hill remained at the Post office until the Conservative Party won the election and Sir Robert Peel returned to office. Hill was dismissed in July 1842 amid rancorous controversy. He was made a director of the London and Brighton Railway and lowered the fares on routes as well improving the service. He and a group of friends formed a society called ‘Friends in Council’ to discuss questions of political economy. He also joined the Political Economy Club attended by many powerful businessmen and political figures.

The Conservatives lost the election of 1846 and Hill became Secretary to the Postmaster General, then Secretary to the Post Office from 1854 until 1864. For his services to the Post Office he was knighted (KCB) in 1860. he later became a Fellow of the Royal Society and was given an honorary degree from Oxford. He died in London on 27th August 1879. he was buried in Westminster Abbey.