Close window [X]   

	Clifton Rugby Football Club History	index sitemap advanced site search by freefind
	Worthington Wynn Hoskin

Worthington Wynn Hoskin joined Clifton in 1906/07 (he appears in the 1908/09 picture below). Although both Hoskin and Gardner played for Clifton during their vacations. Their first match was officially during the 1904-05 season v Bridgwater. The team for that Bridgwater match made rather unusual reading, for there were four Watkins Bakers - three playing on the line, A.J.Gardner, C.J.Gardner and the three Gardiner brothers - H., E and A. Worthington Hoskin ended the season scoring 1 try for Clifton. Hoskin knew of Clifton Rugby Club from a Clifton College master who had moved to St.Andrews College. He also went to Trinity College, Oxford with Clifton Captain Victor Fuller-Eberle. Hoskin appeared in 4 varsity matches in 1904-7. In the last of these he was captain of Oxford. He was the first Rhodes Scholar to win an Oxford Blue. He was a private tutor in England from 1908 - 1912.

Hoskin also played rugby for the Barbarians (while at Blackheath), Blackheath, Northampton and Gloucestershire. He left to become house master at his old school, St. Andrew's College, Grahamstown, South Africa and rose to become Vice-Principal there from 1925-39. He was 1st team rugby coach there from 1913. The college celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2005.

Hoskin was born on 8th May 1885 in Steynsburg, South Africa. His father came from England to teach at Bishops College in Cape Town. He met J. B. Robinson, the Kimberley mining magnate, on the ship and went to work for him on his farms in the Cradock, Middleburg, Steynsburg area (area to be confirmed).

Above J. B. Robinson, the Kimberley mining magnate.

Above W.W.Hoskin played John of Lancaster, son to King Henry IV, in this 15th June 1901 school production of Shakespeare's King Henry IV, Part 1 at St. Andrews College.

Above the St. Andrews College Rugby XV of 1902 with Charles Gardner seated 2nd left next to headmaster Dr Macgowan. Standing behind him 2nd left Worthington Wynn Hoskin.

Above Worthington Wynn Hoskin from the 1903 St Andrew's College rugby team. The first Rhodes Scholar to gain a Blue at Oxford.

Above the Lower Field at St Andrews College, Grahamstown, South Africa in 1898 where Hoskin, Gardner and Cronje learnt their rugby. This is still the colleges main rugby ground.

Above Oxford University XV with Hoskin 3rd right. Unknown date.

Back Row (L-R): W.W.Hoskin, J.V.Nesbitt, W.D.Kennedy, B.Cozens-Hardy, J.V.S.Wilkinson, E.G.Morris. Sitting: A.M.P.Lyle, J.G.Bussell, P.Munro, A.D.Stoop, V.H.Cartright, J.E.Raphael, H.Chenye. On Ground: R.S.Wix, A.E.Wood.

Above 1904 Oxford University XV with Worthington Wynn Hoskin, the first Rhodes Scholar to win an Oxford Blue. This was Adrian Stoop's last Blue and the following year he gained the first of 15 England caps. He is the greatest name in Harlequins' history: captain 1906 to 1914, secretary from 1920 to 1938, and president from 1920 to 1949. His name, until 2005, was immortalized in the Quins' Adrian Stoop Memorial Ground at Twickenham.

Above images from The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, published on the 24th December 1904, showing the 1904 Varsity rugby match which featured Clifton RFC player Worthington Wynn Hoskin. Cambridge won 15-10.

On 23rd September 1905 at the County Cricket Ground in Bristol, Worthington Wynn Hoskin played for Bristol against New Zealand. This was the 3rd match played by the All Blacks in their first tour of this country.

6,000 people watched the All Blacks win 41-0 with tries from Thomson (2), Hunter (2), Smith (2), Roberts, Seeling, Stead and Conversions by Wallace (7).

The Bristol forward, John Lloyd Mathias, later admitted that before the match the team was mainly concerned about how many points they would loose by.

On 7th November 1905 Hoskin and Garner played for Oxford University against New Zealand

The All Blacks won 47-0 with tries by Hunter (5), Booth (2), Wallace (2), Glasgow, Johnston, McGregor, Roberts and Conversions by Wallace (3) and Tyler.

Back Row (L-R): H.A.Hodges, A.A.Hoadley, I.Parker, J.V.Nesbit, N.F.Howe-Brown, C.J.Gardner. Sitting: A.A.Lawrie, W.W.Hoskin, B.Cozens-Hardy, P.Munro, A.M.P.Lyle, R.S.Wix, D.Davies. On Ground: N.W.Milton, N.T.White.

Above 1905 Oxford University XV with Worthington Wynn Hoskin and Charles Gardner.

Above drawing of the 1905 Varsity match which featured 2 Clifton players on the Oxford side, Charles James Gardner and Worthington Wynn Hoskin both South Africans.

Back Row: J.L.Waggett, R.C.Wingfield, H.V.Hunt, V.F.Eberle. Middle Row: D.T.Monteath, F.E.Steinth, N.Thirkel-White, W.W.Hoskin, H.A.Hodges. Seated: C.J.Gardner, H.E.Latham, B.Cozens-Hardy, R.M.Oliphant. On Ground: W.K.Flemmer, R.M.Chadwick, R.H.Williamson, T.Entwistle

Above 1906-1907 Trinity College, Oxford Rugby XV. This team include 4 Rhodes Scholars from St. Andrews College, Hoskin, Gardner, Flemmer and Williamson as well as Clifton's Victor Fuller-Eberle. Hoskin and Gardner had already started playing for Clifton the season before.

Above the Oxford University and South Africa sides that played on 7th November 1906 at Iffley Road, Oxford. Clifton's Worthington Wynn Hoskin and Charles Gardner labeled WWH and CJH respectively. This was the first Springbok side to tour England, captained by Paul Roos. The Oxford University side included 7 South Africans. South Africa won 24-3

Ticket from the 1906 Oxford University v South Africa match.

Back Row (L-R): T.B.Batchelor, H.H.Vassall, F.E.Steinthal, N.F.Howe-Brown, A.A.Hoadley, N.T.White. Sitting: N.W.Milton, D.Davies, W.W.Hoskin, B.Cozens-Hardy, R.S.Wix, H.A.Hodges, C.J.Gardner. On Ground: R.H.Williamson, W.K.Flemmer.

Above 1906 Oxford University XV with Worthington Wynn Hoskin and Charles Gardner.

Above the 1907 Oxford University XV with Clifton RFC player and Oxford University captain Worthington Wynn Hoskin. Vassall (1 cap Blackheath 1908) , Tarr (4 caps Leicester 1909-13) and Williamson (5 caps Oxford University 1908-09), went on to play for England, he was also from St.Andrews College as was Hoskin and Cronje. Hodges (2 caps Nottingham 1906) and Roberts (3 caps Harlequins 1907-08) had already played for England. Martin (5 caps Edinburgh Academicals 1908-09) and Cunningham (8 caps Oxford University 1908-11) went on to play for Scotland. Davies (1 cap Llannelli 1907) was already a Welsh international. Henry Holland Vassall was nephew of the ex England captain Harry Vassall (who scored a hattrick on his debut for England). Oxford won the 1907 Varsity match 17-0.

George Cunningham was the last British Governor of Pakistan. Harold Hodges was killed in action at Mons on 22nd March 1918. Lawrence Blencowe was killed in action on 29th June 1917.

Above left Hoskin from the Illustrated London News on 14th December 1907. Above right MacLeod the Cambridge captain.

Above action shot from the Illustrated London News on 14th December 1907 of the 1907 Varsity match.

Above action shot from the Illustrated London News on 14th December 1907 of the 1907 Varsity match.

Above action shot from the Illustrated London News on 14th December 1907 of the 1907 Varsity match.

Stephanus Cronje toured with the 1912 Springboks but didn't play in any internationals. He was, like Hoskin and Rupert Henry Williamson, from St. Andrew's College, Grahamstown, South Africa.

Above Stephanus Nicholas Cronje from the 1912-13 photograph of the 2nd Springboks.

Above formal photographs of Rhodes Scholars Hoskin and Cronje.

Worthington Hoskin also occasionally played cricket for Oxford University and Gloucestershire.

The 6 First Class cricket matches he played in were

Hoskin missed out on a Cricket Blue at Oxford after breaking his ankle.

Clifton RFC 1st XV 1908-09 with Worthington Wynn Hoskin.

Back Row (L-R): C.E.Brown (Vive-President), R.A.Roberts (Hon.Sec.), E.S.Bostock-Smith (President), H.Lowther, C.J.Woolf. Standing: ?, V.Fuller-Eberle (Clifton), W.W.Hoskin (Clifton), F.Feltham (Bristol), A.Redding (Cinderford), H.Berry (Gloucester), A.Teague (Cinderford), J.H.Tratt. Sitting: ?, E.Fuller-Eberle (Clifton), J.Hyndham (Cinderford), W.Johns (Gloucester), A.Hudson (Gloucester) (Captain), ?, B.Davy (Cheltenham), W.Stichcombe (Lydney), M.A.Neale (Bristol), J.Hart (Hon.Treas). On Ground: D.R.Gent (Gloucester), ?.

Above a photograph of the Gloucestershire side that played Australia on 1st October 1908 at Kingsholm, Gloucester with Clifton's Worthington Wynn Hoskin, Victor and Ellison Fuller-Eberle. For details of this match click here

A closeup of Hoskin in the Gloucestershire side that played Australia.

Above February 1909 after Hoskins fellow St. Andrews Rhodes Scholars tried to play for Gloucestershire they were all banned including Hoskin. Cornwall won

In the book "Fifty Years of Sport at Oxford and Cambridge" published in 1913 Hoskin's address is listed as 2 Oakfield Road, Clifton, Bristol.

Above 2 Oakfield Road, Clifton, Bristol. It is situated on the corner of Oakfield Road and Pembroke Road and has now been converted into offices for a Computer Company called Northgate.

Hoskin played for The East Midlands v Devon in the semi-final of the County Championship at Northampton in January 1912. He is listed as a Northampton player. Devon won 18-3. He still had associations with Gloucestershire and it is recorded that he played cricket for Gloucestershire v Hampshire in May 1912.

Hoskin married Constance Rita Dold and had 2 daughters Joan and Claire.

Above photo of Hoskin. Unknown date.

Part of a calendar dated 1928. Each day has a saying from a member of the Grahamstown community. This was Hoskin’s.

Hoskin retired at the end of 1939. He moved to Salisbury in Rhodesia, and ended his days in George. He died on 4th March 1956 in East London, South Africa. His youngest daughter is still alive and living in South Africa. I received a message from her via St.Andrews College apologizing that she never listened to her father when he talked about rugby and never realized what he had achieved.