Billy Hill: London’s Underworld Kingpin
William Charles “Billy” Hill, born on December 13, 1911, in St Pancras, London, became one of the most powerful and feared figures in the British criminal underworld during the mid-20th century. Linked to violent robberies, smuggling, protection rackets, and high-society cons, Hill’s criminal career spanned four decades and left an indelible mark on London’s gangster history.
Early Years and Rise to Crime
Born into a large, impoverished family of 16 children, Hill was exposed to criminality from an early age. His father, Septimus James Hill, and mother, Amelia Jane Sparling, raised him in an environment where crime was a survival tactic. Hill committed his first stabbing at the age of fourteen and quickly graduated from petty theft to more elaborate crimes.
During the late 1920s and 1930s, Hill specialized in smash-and-grab raids, targeting furriers and jewellers. His proficiency in burglary and violence earned him respect—and fear—on the streets. In 1934, he married Agnes Kirkwood, but his personal life remained secondary to his criminal ambitions.
Wartime Opportunism and Post-War Power
World War II provided new opportunities for criminal entrepreneurs like Hill. He became heavily involved in the black market, trading in rationed goods such as food and petrol. He also forged documents for deserting servicemen and ran protection rackets in London’s West End, often in collaboration with notorious gangster Jack Spot.
Hill’s activities eventually caught up with him. Fleeing a burglary charge in the late 1940s, he escaped to South Africa but was arrested for assault and extradited back to England. After serving his final prison sentence, Hill never again saw the inside of a jail cell—a testament to both his caution and his connections.
After his release, he partnered with Phyllis Blanche “Gypsy” Riley, a woman as sharp and street-savvy as Hill himself. She would remain his common-law wife and business partner for the rest of his life.
The Heist Mastermind
In the 1950s, Hill masterminded some of Britain’s most audacious robberies. The 1952 Eastcastle Street postal van robbery netted £287,000—equivalent to over £10 million today. Two years later, he orchestrated a £40,000 bullion theft. Despite widespread investigations, no one was ever convicted for either crime.
During this period, Hill also ran smuggling operations out of Morocco. His reputation grew, and he was seen as the unofficial “boss of Britain’s underworld.” In 1955, he published his memoir, Boss of Britain’s Underworld, which was ghostwritten by journalist Duncan Webb. In it, Hill explained the ruthless practicality behind his knife-fighting tactics, famously stating, “Only mugs do murder.”
War with Jack Spot and Government Wiretaps
Hill’s uneasy partnership with Jack Spot turned to open warfare by the mid-1950s. In 1956, Spot and his wife were violently attacked by Hill’s men, including the infamous “Mad” Frankie Fraser and Bobby Warren. The violence and gang rivalry drew the attention of the Home Office, and Home Secretary Gwilym Lloyd George authorized Hill’s phone to be tapped.
The intercepted communications became part of a legal scandal when they were used to investigate Hill’s barrister, Patrick Marrinan, for misconduct. The incident led to a government inquiry into phone tapping and reinforced Hill’s infamy as a gangster who was, at times, too big to ignore—even for Parliament.
The Clermont Club Scam: High-Society Hustler
In the 1960s, Hill shifted his focus to white-collar crime. Teaming up with John Aspinall, Hill ran one of the most sophisticated gambling scams in British history at the exclusive Clermont Club. Using a technique known as the “Big Edge,” Hill’s team marked cards by subtly bending them—low cards width-wise and high cards lengthwise. This gave the house a significant advantage, and they fleeced some of Britain’s richest aristocrats out of millions.
On one night alone, tax-free profits reached £14,000 (about £290,000 today). The scam ran for two years before the risk of exposure shut it down. Hill respected Aspinall’s decision to end the operation, and their partnership ended quietly.
Later Life and Legacy
Despite his criminal history, Hill managed to transition into semi-legitimate ventures. He purchased a large nightclub in Tangier, Morocco, for his wife Gypsy to manage, and engaged in property development. His affair with dancer Diana Harris led to the birth of a son, Justin, in 1973. When Harris died by suicide two years later, Gypsy and Hill adopted the boy.
Hill died of myocarditis at his Bayswater home on January 1, 1984, aged 72. His death certificate listed his profession as “demolition”—a fitting euphemism for a man who spent his life tearing down the rules of society.
Billy Hill’s legacy is one of calculated brutality, criminal innovation, and an uncanny ability to adapt to the changing landscape of organized crime. From the alleys of St Pancras to the baccarat tables of Mayfair, Hill left a permanent imprint on the world of British crime.
