George John Hoskins
George John Hoskins (1847-1926)
1926 Obituary [1]
GEORGE JOHN HOSKINS was born in London in 1847, but spent most of his life in Australia.
He was educated at the Model National Schools at Melbourne and apprenticed on 1863 to Messrs. James Martin and Co., Millwrights and Mining Engineers, in the Ballarat (Victoria) district.
In 1871 he was appointed engineer to the Surface Hill Gold Mining Co., Smythsdale, and in the following year was engaged by Messrs. A. Roberts and Sons, Bendigo. He has written his reminiscences of these pioneer gold days in book form.
In 1875 he entered into partnership with his brother and together they developed the firm of G. and C. Hoskins, Ltd., which became an important factor in the industrial life of New South Wales: Mr. Hoskins possessed inventive talent and perfected labour-saving appliances for cast-iron pipe founding, and steel pipe manufacture.
Amongst other works his firm constructed 170 miles of 32-inch steel pressure mains for the Coolgardie Gold Fields water supply, for the West Australian Government.
He became a Member of this Institution in 1902 and died on the 25th May 1926.