William Hoskins

William Hoskins (17 February 1816 – 28 September 1886) was a Shakespearean actor from England whose later career was mostly in Australia and New Zealand, reputedly "one of the best actors who has ever trod our stage".

He first appeared on stage at the Southampton Theatre in 1835, then after years of experience in provincial theatres made Covent Garden Theatre on the 13 October 1843, in Dion Boucicault's comedy London Assurance, as Charles Courtley.

In 1837, with financial support of his father, who preferred his son to be in management, he took over Worthing Theatre, but lost his money and returned to acting.

In 1846 Mrs Mary Warner, Samuel Phelps and scene painter T. L. Greenwood (1806–1879), took the lease of Sadler's Wells Theatre, dedicated to performance of First Folio Shakespeare, and Hoskins was one of their first recruits, specializing in comedy parts. His first appearance for Phelps was as "Poins" in Henry IV, Part 1 on 25 July 1846. On 4 November 1846 he first played "Lucio" in Measure for Measure, the part in which, said Phelps, "he was without rival in this theatre." He went on to play "Modus" in Knowles's The Hunchback, "Gratiano", in The Merchant of Venice, "Guiderius" in Cymbeline, "Slender" in The Merry Wives of Windsor, and "Roderigo" in Othello. tenor Walter Sherwin (died 22 September 1881) and the pianist Linley Norman (died 16 October 1869). He was met by his brother Horatio Huntly Hoskins, a solicitor with a practice in Talbot, then continued the following day to Sydney, where he first appeared on 7 July 1856 at the Victoria Theatre as Goldfinch in The Road to Ruin, other players being J. C. Lambert (died 30 April 1875) as Old Dornton, T. S. Bellair as Barry Dornton; and Stuart O'Brien (died 25 August 1883) as Jack Milford. (another advertisement had his first appearance on 28 July 1856 as "Colonel Jack Delaware" at the "English Opera House" (Royal Lyceum, Sydney) in the farce Fast Train! ..., initially accompanying Bellini's opera La Sonnambula, performed by the Grand English Opera Company). He left Ballarat a year later, and with Clarance Holt leased Melbourne's Theatre Royal in 1861–62. Hoskins was lessee/manager of the Royal Haymarket Theatre 1864–1867 and, briefly, the same theatre renamed the Duke of Edinburgh in January 1868.

He moved to New Zealand around 1870, and in 1874, his wife having died in 1872, he married his leading lady; they then left for London.

He retired from the stage on 19 December 1884, taking his last bow at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne in Colman's comedy The Heir at Law. After making a farewell speech he was presented with a purse of sovereigns by George Coppin.

Hoskins died in Melbourne, and at a benefit performance held six months later at the Princess's Theatre for his widow and child, a message and contribution of 100 guineas was received from Sir Henry Irving, whom he had befriended some thirty years earlier. Harland, who was a sister of Lester Wallack and daughter of Henry John Wallack, accompanied Hoskins to Australia, but remained in Australia when he left for New Zealand. She died 19 August 1872.

Hoskins married again, in January 1874 in Christchurch, New Zealand, to Florence Mary Rice (known professionally as "Miss Florence Colville"), an actress who was with his troupe from 1870.