Claires belcher biography of william hill
The company dates back to the early s when Mr William Hill cut his betting teeth on pony and greyhound racing. Following his retirement, the burgeoning company changed hands multiple times. Its path to becoming a recognised and respected global brand is fascinating. Its founder, Mr William Hill , was, like the Shelby family in the award-winning series, from Birmingham.
He came from humble beginnings and was one of 11 children. By the age of 17, he had also spent time in Ireland as a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary. True to form, by the s, William Hill was taking bets as an illegal bookmaker.
Claires belcher biography of william hill: She was a Bible
It was an unlikely background for a person who would go on to create one of the oldest, most respected and most recognised bookmaking brands globally. He would become a regular bookmaker at the pony racing track and the numerous thriving greyhound stadiums dotted around London at the time. William Hill rails bookmakers pic.
Such was his initial success, Hill quickly joined the ranks of bookmakers accepting telephone credit bets and postal bets. By the early s, William Hill boasted over , customers and had extended its operations to Scotland.