Frederick George Hilton Price
Frederick George Hilton Price | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Dalston, London, England |
| Died | March 14, 1909 (aged 66) Cannes, France |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, antiquarian, archaeologist, geologist |
| Known for | Extensive collection of antiquities; involvement in archaeological excavations; leadership roles in scholarly societies |
Frederick George Hilton Price (20 August 1842 – 14 March 1909) was a distinguished English banker, antiquarian, archaeologist, and geologist. He gathered an extensive assortment of antiquities and actively participated in a variety of scholarly organizations.
Life
Born in Dalston, London, Hilton Price was the eldest among seven siblings of Frederick William Price (deceased 1888) and Louisa Tinson. His father joined the banking house Child & Co. as a partner in 1867 and advanced to senior acting partner by 1874.
Carrying the middle name "Hilton" after an uncle, he was generally referred to as Mr Hilton Price. He received his education at Crawford College in Maidenhead and entered Child's Bank in 1860. He became a partner in 1887 and served as senior acting partner from 1901 until his passing. Much of his early personal time was devoted to chronicling the history of Child's Bank, culminating in the publication of Temple Bar, or some Account of Ye Marygold, No. 1 Fleet Street (1875; second edition 1902), which explored the bank’s seventeenth-century beginnings. In 1877, he authored A Handbook of London Bankers, with an expanded version appearing between 1890 and 1891. He held council positions at both the Bankers' Institute and the Central Bankers' Association.
In 1867, he wed Christina Bailey from Oaken, Staffordshire; together they had one son and one daughter.
Archaeology
Hilton Price devoted a significant portion of his life to archaeological pursuits, concentrating on both prehistoric and historic eras of London. His collection encompassed a wide array of items including artifacts from the Stone and Bronze Ages, Roman Samian ware imported from southern France, English ceramics dating from Norman times onward, tiles, pewter vessels, medieval ink-horns, coins, and tokens—many retrieved from burial pits at Christ's Hospital. This assemblage later became a cornerstone for the establishment of the London Museum at Kensington Palace in 1911.
He was instrumental in the excavation of Brading Roman Villa on the Isle of Wight, efforts that ensured the preservation of the site for public visitation. Together with John E. Price, he presented their discoveries to the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1880. Additionally, he took part in digs at Silchester (Calleva Atrebatum), acting as treasurer for its research fund and delivering presentations at the Society of Antiquaries of London in 1886.
Concurrently, Price amassed and studied Egyptian antiquities extensively. In 1886, he published an account of part of his collection within the Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology. A substantial portion was showcased at the Burlington Fine Arts Club in 1895, followed by a detailed Catalogue issued in 1897 and an additional supplement released in 1908.
Writings and learned societies
Price also collected fossils, particularly from the Gault formation near Folkestone, producing several scholarly articles on this subject. He was elected a fellow of the Geological Society in 1872 and contributed prolifically to the Transactions and Proceedings published by various learned societies. His illustrated series titled Signs of Old London appeared across several issues (ii.-v.) of the London Topographical Record.
He edited Sketches of Life and Sport in S.E. Africa (1870) and authored works such as The Signs of Old Lombard Street (1887; revised edition 1902) and Old Base Metal Spoons (1908).
His involvement extended across numerous academic institutions: he was a member and director (from 1894) of the Society of Antiquaries; served as president of the Egypt Exploration Fund beginning in 1905; held fellowship with the Royal Geographical Society; acted as vice president and treasurer for the Anthropological Institute; presided over the London Topographical Society; managed finances as treasurer for the Geologists' Association; held fellowship and vice presidential roles within both the Zoological Society of London and Royal Numismatic Society; and served on council as well as vice president for the Society of Biblical Archaeology.
His estate
Price passed away in Cannes on 14 March 1909 following an operation and was interred at Finchley, close to his father's resting place. He bequeathed £100 to the Society of Antiquaries Research Fund. His extensive collections—including books, coins, spoons, artworks, and Egyptian antiquities—were sold at auction from 1909 to 1911, generating substantial proceeds: £2606 10s. 6d. from general items, £12,040 8s. 6d. for Egyptian artifacts at Sotheby's in July 1911, and £2309 9s. from coin auctions held between 1909 and 1910.