The College is deeply saddened to announce the death of our Emeritus Fellow Dr Michael Hoskin.
Michael came to the College in 1969 on his appointment as Librarian (with responsibility for the Archives). Prior to coming to Churchill he read mathematics at London University and took a PhD in algebraic geometry at Peterhouse before becoming a Research Fellow at Jesus College. He then moved to history of science and in 1959 was appointed University Lecturer in Cambridge, becoming a Fellow of St Edmund’s College. He founded the Journal for the History of Astronomy, which he edited for 45 years.
In College he is fondly remembered not only as a pioneering figure as Librarian, but also as the College Fellow with responsibility for delivering the purpose-built Archives Centre. In addition, he was President of the SCR from 1981 to 1991, where he introduced the continuing and greatly valued traditions of Special Menu Dinners and Postprandial talks.
In 2015, Michael was awarded the 2015 Medalla de Oro de las Bellas Artes (Gold Medal of Fine Arts) by the Spanish Government in recognition of his work on Neolithic passage graves in southern Europe and north Africa, which led to the addition of those monuments to the World Heritage list. In 2017, the Andalusian town of Antequera honoured him with a bronze bust in recognition of this work.
Our thoughts are with Michael’s family at this difficult time.
