Dame Elizabeth Mary HillDBE (born Yelizaveta Fyodorovna Hill; Russian Елизаве́та Фёдоровна Хилл; 24 October 1900 – 17 December 1996) was a Russian-born British academic linguist. In addition to a career with the London University School of Slavonic Studies, she was course director of the Joint Services School for Linguists (JSSL), a UK Government training programme to produce linguists and interpreters of Russian, for military and intelligence purposes.[1][2][3]
Hill was born on 24 October 1900 in St Petersburg, the fifth of six children (and second of the three daughters) of Frederick William Hill (1860–1924), and his wife, born Luise Sophie Olga Wilhelmine Müller (1862-1928).[1] Her father was a businessman: members of the English Hill family had been trading with Russia since the middle of the eighteenth century.[1] Her mother was a product of the large German-speaking community in Russia.[4] The family had fled the Bolsheviks in 1917 in fear for their lives. Elizabeth celebrated her seventeenth birthday on the ship that carried them away.[1] They relocated to London where they found themselves suddenly all but destitute.[1][3]
Careeredit
Often known as "Lisa", Hill worked in several language teaching jobs before entering University College London, where she gained a First-class degree in Russian in 1924 and a PhD in 1931.[1] Her first university appointment came in 1936, when she succeeded A.F.Goody as university lecturer in Slavonic studies at Cambridge.[1]
According to her "Who's Who" entry, she was a "Ministry of Information Slavonic Specialist during [the] War of 1939-45"[5] Hill trained military recruits in Russian. A fellow of Girton College, in 1948, she became the first Professor of Slavonic Studies at the University of Cambridge.[5] She held this position until 1968.[3]
Personal lifeedit
In 1984, Hill married Stojan Veljkovic, described by one source as a "Serbian aristocrat",[1] but the marriage was dissolved in 1995, shortly before she died. Hill was noted for her 'capacity for long-standing friendships', especially with Doris Mudie, whom Hill first met in the late 1920s in London. In 1936, when Hill had gained her first lectureship, Mudie was reportedly 'penniless' and had suffered the first in a series of nervous breakdowns.[6]
Further readingedit
Elliott, Geoffrey, & Shukman, Harold. Secret Classrooms: An Untold Story of the Cold War, St Ermin's Press, 2003; ISBN1-903608-13-9
Referencesedit
^ abcdefghAnthony Cross, ‘Hill, Dame Elizabeth Mary (1900–1996)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 20 April 2013
^"HILL, Dame Elizabeth (Mary)", Who Was Who, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2008; online edn, Oxford University Press, December 2012; online edn, November 2012; accessed 28 December 2016.
^ abcBriggs, A D P (6 January 1997). "Obituary of Dame Professor Elizabeth Hill". The Independent. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
^Peter Day (12 October 2017). Trotsky's Favourite Spy: The Life Of George Alexander Hill. Biteback Publishing. pp. 236–237. ISBN978-1-78590-320-5.
^ abHill, Professor Elizabeth. A. & C. Black Ltd. p. 1416. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
elizabeth, hill, linguist, dame, elizabeth, mary, hill, born, yelizaveta, fyodorovna, hill, russian, Елизаве, та, Фёдоровна, Хилл, october, 1900, december, 1996, russian, born, british, academic, linguist, addition, career, with, london, university, school, sl. Dame Elizabeth Mary Hill DBE born Yelizaveta Fyodorovna Hill Russian Elizave ta Fyodorovna Hill 24 October 1900 17 December 1996 was a Russian born British academic linguist In addition to a career with the London University School of Slavonic Studies she was course director of the Joint Services School for Linguists JSSL a UK Government training programme to produce linguists and interpreters of Russian for military and intelligence purposes 1 2 3 Contents 1 Background 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Further reading 5 ReferencesBackground editHill was born on 24 October 1900 in St Petersburg the fifth of six children and second of the three daughters of Frederick William Hill 1860 1924 and his wife born Luise Sophie Olga Wilhelmine Muller 1862 1928 1 Her father was a businessman members of the English Hill family had been trading with Russia since the middle of the eighteenth century 1 Her mother was a product of the large German speaking community in Russia 4 The family had fled the Bolsheviks in 1917 in fear for their lives Elizabeth celebrated her seventeenth birthday on the ship that carried them away 1 They relocated to London where they found themselves suddenly all but destitute 1 3 Career editOften known as Lisa Hill worked in several language teaching jobs before entering University College London where she gained a First class degree in Russian in 1924 and a PhD in 1931 1 Her first university appointment came in 1936 when she succeeded A F Goody as university lecturer in Slavonic studies at Cambridge 1 According to her Who s Who entry she was a Ministry of Information Slavonic Specialist during the War of 1939 45 5 Hill trained military recruits in Russian A fellow of Girton College in 1948 she became the first Professor of Slavonic Studies at the University of Cambridge 5 She held this position until 1968 3 Personal life editIn 1984 Hill married Stojan Veljkovic described by one source as a Serbian aristocrat 1 but the marriage was dissolved in 1995 shortly before she died Hill was noted for her capacity for long standing friendships especially with Doris Mudie whom Hill first met in the late 1920s in London In 1936 when Hill had gained her first lectureship Mudie was reportedly penniless and had suffered the first in a series of nervous breakdowns 6 Further reading editElliott Geoffrey amp Shukman Harold Secret Classrooms An Untold Story of the Cold War St Ermin s Press 2003 ISBN 1 903608 13 9References edit a b c d e f g h Anthony Cross Hill Dame Elizabeth Mary 1900 1996 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford University Press 2004 accessed 20 April 2013 HILL Dame Elizabeth Mary Who Was Who A amp C Black an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc 1920 2008 online edn Oxford University Press December 2012 online edn November 2012 accessed 28 December 2016 a b c Briggs A D P 6 January 1997 Obituary of Dame Professor Elizabeth Hill The Independent Retrieved 19 April 2013 Peter Day 12 October 2017 Trotsky s Favourite Spy The Life Of George Alexander Hill Biteback Publishing pp 236 237 ISBN 978 1 78590 320 5 a b Hill Professor Elizabeth A amp C Black Ltd p 1416 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a work ignored help Elliott amp Shukman pp 17 18 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Elizabeth Hill linguist amp oldid 1169487086, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
