Celebrating a visit from Dr Trevor Hoskins (PrepB, ColB 40-50)

We were honoured to welcome Dr Trevor Hoskins (PrepB, ColB 40-50) and his wife during their recent visit to the medical centre and Christ’s Hospital Museum. Dr Hoskins, an esteemed Old Blue and Medical Officer at CH Horsham from 1969 to 1990, was the last resident Medical Officer at CH, serving over 20 years with dedication and skill.

Born in 1931, Dr Hoskins is celebrated for his remarkable deftness with needle and thread, and his keen interest in psychiatry, dyslexia, and learning difficulties. His contributions to medical research, particularly on Influenza, were regularly published in The Lancet.

Beyond his medical prowess, Dr Hoskins was passionate about drama, directing an ambitious production of Anouilh’s ‘Antigone’ in 1971, which combined talents from Coleridge House block and Horsham High School for Girls. His love for music also led him to become the Musical Director of Tunbridge Wells Opera, making a significant impact on the musical life at CH.

Elaine Kimber, Senior Nurse at Christ’s Hospital, reflecting on the visit, shared:

“It was a pleasure to meet Dr Trevor Hoskins and his wife who visited the Medical Centre and museum. Trevor was the last resident Medical Officer at Christ’s Hospital. He was very interested to see what had changed, our nurses’ office was once his surgery. We compared notes on the challenges of caring for the students in his time and today. A major flu epidemic and supporting research and early days of flu vaccination compared to our experiences of Covid 19 and the vaccination programme.

While we have a similar number of students, he said about 850, he was surprised the team is now much bigger. While we have regular deliveries each day from a local pharmacy, they appeared to keep a stock of medication he prescribed and had a dispensary. There was no mental health team but a visiting psychiatrist once or twice a term who he referred students to.”

In addition to his medical and artistic contributions, Dr Hoskins meticulously catalogued many items of our medical collection as a museum volunteer, further showcasing his diverse talents and dedication to preserving the Christ’s Hospital history.

Dr Hoskins’ visit was a poignant reminder of his enduring legacy and the profound impact he has had on our community. We are deeply grateful for his years of service and the lasting contributions he has made to both Christ’s Hospital and the broader medical field.