Sir George Francis Hill,
KCB,
FBA (22 December 1867 – 18 October 1948) was the
director and principal librarian of the
British Museum (1931–1936).[1] He was a specialist in
Renaissance medals.
In 1893, Hill joined the British Museum in the Coins and Medals Department. At that time, the department was the centre of study of Greek coins. Hill continued the work of Barclay Head and
Reginald Poole; in 1897 was published the first volume of a catalogue of
Greek coins. Hill subsequently produced catalogues of many of the British Museum's collections in his area. In 1912, he became keeper of the department.[2] In 1931, he was appointed Director and Principal Librarian of the British Museum.[2] Whilst director, he purchased the
Codex Sinaiticus from the
Soviet Union and, with the
Victoria and Albert Museum, the
George Eumorfopoulos oriental antiquities collection.
In 1897, he married Mary Paul, whose parents lived in
Rome,
Italy.
He retired in 1936 and died in
London in 1948.[4][5]
Bibliography
Hill, George Francis,
Historical Greek Coins, London : Archibald Constable and Co., 1906.
Ward, John,
Greek Coins and their Parent Cities, London : John Murray, 1902. (accompanied by a catalogue of the author’s collection by Sir George Francis Hill)