Hilda was born in 1872 to Quaker parents, and grew up at the botanical gardens that her parents were creating at Ventimiglia, Italy. In Italy she was closely involved with the training of nurses which led to her being decorated by Queen Elena. She founded the first school for nurses in Italy at Rome, for which the pope gave her the Benemerenti medal.

In 1913 she married James Currie, he was knighted in 1920, she became Lady Currie. (He died in 1937.)

She took up residence with her husband in Upham House and become deeply involved with the Liberal party, being a member of the Executive of Womens National Liberal Committee and also serving as its treasurer. Locally she undertook voluntary work, inthe field of nursing and helping the blind.

She stood for election in the 1922 General Election in the Devizes constituency, which at the time was a Unionist seat, which had not been Liberal since 1906. Although she did not win she substantially reduced the Unionist majority.

She died at home of pneumonia in 1939.