WILLIAM ARTHUR HOSKINGS

DEATH OF MR. W.A. HOSKINGS WELL-KNOWN NEWBURY BUILDER
We regret to record the death of Mr. William Arthur Hoskings, of "Lamorna" Horns Hill, which occurred in Newbury District Hospital on Monday evening after a month's illness. Mr. Hoskings, who was 68 years of age came of a Cornish family. His father, the late Mr. Richard Nicholls Hoskings, settled in Hungerford, where he started a builder's business, after which it was carried on by Mr. William and his brother. In 1904 the deceased came to Newbury and took over the business of Mr. C. Adey of the Waterside. Then his brother died and Mr. F.T. Pond became associated with him, the firm carrying on under the name of Hoskings and Pond. Mr. Hoskings retired from activeparticipation in the business about three years ago, since when he has not been in the best of health.

Mr. Hoskings was a specialist in ecclesiastical building and he erected and restored churches all over the counties of Devonshire, Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire. The firm also did good class housework. Their principal work in the town was when they were chosen as builders of the new Catholic Church in the London road. At the opening of the church the architrect said it was one of the soundest buildings he had ever had anything to do with, whilst Father Green stated that it would ever be a source of pride to him and his people that their church was built by their fellow townsmen.


An expert wood carver, Mr.Hoskings, when carrying out church work, would often take his coat off and do a lot of carving with his own hands. For years he was associated with his old friend, Mr. Caleb Cambum, of Hungerford, in lantern lectures on church architecture and other subjects. Mr. Hoskings was a member of the Newbury District Field Club, and his fount of information about archaeological matters made him an asset in the society.

Everyone liked Mr. William Hoskings, for he had a charming personality, although of rather a retiring disposition. All his life he was an earnest Wesleyan Methodist, and he was intimately concerned with every department of the church's work. He was a trustee of the Northbrook-street Church, had been circuit steward, a representative to Conference, and a member of the special Synod Committee for the Oxford and Gloucester District. At one time he was a teacher in the Sunday School. He married a Miss Gibbons of Hungerford, who died within a few years of their coming to Newbury. The death of his only son, Mr. Wilfred Hoskings, some four years ago, was also a great grief to him. He is survived by a sister and two daughters.

The funeral takes place today (Thursday) at the Methodist Church, Northbrook-street, at 2.30pm.
Newbury Weekly News

17 January 1935

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Died 14 January 1935 aged 68 Buried 17 January 1935 Bk 1917p.185 no.11073

A BUILDER OF CHURCHES

Mr. Willie Hoskings was first in business in Hungerford and with his brother migrated to Newbury early in the present century to take over the old-established building business along the waterside, known as Adey's. Mr. Hoskings had artistic tastes and has done a lot of clever work as an amateur photographer, an artist, a wood carver and metal worker. He was a charming man to go on a jaunt with, as he was a student of archaeology and knew a lot about nature. His firm made a name for itself in ecclesiastical building and church restoration work in Devonshire, Dorset, Hants and Wilts. The recently erected Catholic Church in the London-road, Newbury, was built by him and will remain a monument of his work.

Newbury Weekly News 17 January 1935