Fred Hill (civil rights activist)

Fred Hill (1909 - 1984) was a British civil rights activist who protested against the compulsory wearing of crash helmets on motorcycles.^[1]

Hill was born in Yorkshire in 1909. During World War II he was a motorcycle despatch rider. He later became a school teacher and taught mathematics. He died 10 February 1984 in London's Pentonville Prison, aged 74.

Hill's campaign against the UK compulsory wearing of motorcycle helmets law intensified in 1976 after the Sikh community gained an exemption from the law. He made many speeches about equal treatment. He said that if one community did not have to wear helmets then nobody should have to, although he rarely made direct reference to the Sikhs' exemption and denied being racist.^[2]

Hill was frequently arrested for riding without wearing a helmet, including when on demos. He, consequently, accumulated a large number of summonses. It was his refusal to pay the fines, rather than the helmetless riding offences, that led to his imprisonment, the charges being the more serious one of "Contempt of Court". Although he was always polite to the authorities that pursued and imprisoned him, Hill was unimpressed by people in high positions, and was never intimidated by them. On one occasion a woman magistrate was endeavouring to chastise Hill for breaking the law, to which criticism, Hill, implicitly referring to Emmeline Pankhurst and the female emancipation movement, replied, "if it hadn't been for a woman breaking the law, you wouldn't be sitting there now madam".

Besides enduring many prison sentences, Hill supported the anti helmet law campaign by attending many MAG demos, at which he made speeches. Despite his age, Hill would ride considerable distances for which purpose he traded in his moped for a 250 Honda. No matter how far he had travelled or how bad the weather conditions were he always rode home the same day after a demo for his wife’s sake, and declined offers from MAG to provide him with bed and breakfast accommodation.^[3]

Hill was sentenced to a total of 31 prison sentences between 1976 and 1984. It was during Hill's 31st prison sentence that he suffered a heart attack and subsequently died while serving 2 months in London's Pentonville Prison. An inquiry, held to establish whether Hill's treatment had contributed to his death, found no evidence for this.

Memorial rides continue annually across the UK, allowing riders to show their gratitude and respect for Hill.^[4][5]

References