Octavia Hill came from a family of wealthy social reformers. As a teenager, she began working with slum children and became very aware of the terrible conditions they were living under and the lack of interest from their profit loving landlords. As a result, she developed the idea of a model housing scheme where good living conditions were assured, with most of the profit from the moderate rents being put back into improvements. The Artisans Dwelling Act of 1875 owed much to her work.
Octavia Hill was also determined to improve people's lives by giving them access to green spaces: she campaigned to ensure that Hampstead Heath was not built on and was one of the co-founders of the National Trust in 1895. She also served on the Poor Law Commission of 1905.
