From the Hoskins Trust to a Lithgow scholarship

Charles Hoskins, an Australian steel industry pioneer, initiated the Hoskins Trust in 1919 for charitable purposes, endowing a fund to support the Hoskins Memorial Church, which was completed in 1928 as a family memorial and gift to the people of Lithgow. The Hoskins family subsequently expanded the Trust to include additional purposes, including this scholarship.

The Hoskins Lithgow Scholarship was awarded by the Trustees of the Hoskins Trust for the first time in 2006. Its purpose is to encourage and enable young Lithgow residents to achieve their full potential, while honouring Charles Hoskins and commemorating the Hoskins family’s connection with the City of Lithgow, which began in 1908.

Lithgow and the steelworks

In 1908 G & C Hoskins Limited purchased the insolvent Eskbank Ironworks and developed the enterprise into Australia’s first successful iron and steel works. The steelworks were moved to Port Kembla in 1928 to gain easier access to raw materials and larger markets. The company became Australian Iron and Steel Limited, later acquired by BHP in 1935.

The scholarship is now awarded annually to an eligible student residing within the Lithgow Local Government Area who wishes to undertake a tertiary course of study. Study is not limited to university courses.