Background
Hillary was from a Yorkshire and Quaker background, his father being John Hillary of Birkrigg near Hawes and mother Mary Robinson his wife. His mother was the daughter of Richard Robinson of Countersett.
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Richard Hillary
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Around 1700 the family moved to Burtersett. They were linked to the Fothergill brothers, of the Carr End Quaker family: the eldest son Isaac was on good terms with Alexander Fothergill, the elder brother, while William and John Fothergill the physician were both apprentices of Benjamin Bartlett the apothecary, father of Benjamin Bartlett the antiquary. Hillary was a Liverpool shipowner from 1746, in a number of consortia.
He was in correspondence with John Reynell of Philadelphia by 1748.
Richard Hillary & Company were potters at Dale Street/Preston Street in Liverpool, from 1753. As merchants they took a lease from William Rowe.
Hillary is mentioned as a tanner, and as having a warehouse (new) in Tower Gardens, in 1757. A 1766 Liverpool directory has Hillary based in Oldhall Street.
The firm of Hillary & Scott consisted of Hillary and John Scott, a nephew: he was the son of Richard"s eldest sister Ann (born 1693), who had married Joseph Scott of Countersett.
They participated mostly in the West Indian trade. In 1766 they were based in the Old Churchyard, Chapel Street. They also traded from Old Hall (Oldhall) Street.
Hillary & Scott co-owned the Hillary, a snow.
Hillary became a plantation owner, in Jamaica. At one point the Hillary family business owned 900 slaves.
Hillary married a Quaker, Hannah Wynne or Winn in 1764, sister of Isaac Lascelles Winn. They had three children who survived to adulthood.
Mary Rolls the poet was the daughter of the marriage.
