 When his father died Thomas Hill inherited the majority of his father's estate.By 1785 Thomas Hill owned mills at Wollaston, Brookmoor and Wombourne, ironworks and a bank at Stourport, and various properties including Wollaston Hall, Prestwood House, Broome House (with a farm), and land at Chaddesley.When the leases on land around Blaenavon, also known as Lord Abergavenny’s Hills, were not renewed Thomas Hill, as senior partner, with Thomas Hopkins and Benjamin Pratt, took the chance to invest £40,000 in the area which they knew was rich in mineral deposits.