With the arrival of the sunny weather, the growth in strawberry consumption and tennis racquets at the ready for Wimbledon next week, it is time to crack the Pimm's open. But how do all these elements relate to RCSI you ask? Through the man below, Dr. Joshua Pim.
Dr. Joshua Pim was not only a descendent of James Tee Pimm, the celebrated creator of the drink Pimm's, but also a holder of the Singles and Doubles Irish Championships and Wimbledon titles in 1893 and 1894.
Pim burst onto the tennis scene with his first major win at the tender age of 21. Pim along with his partner Frank Stoker (a relative of the author Bram Stoker and the RCSI surgeon William Thornley Stoker) won both the English and Irish doubles championship in 1890. But he had been playing since the age of eleven and was coached at the Lansdowne Lawn Tennis Club by the great Irish player Thomas Burke. At this time the Irish Championships was one of the most prestigious lawn tennis tournaments in the world.
Between 1890 and 1893 Pim was to reach the finals of all the major singles tournaments; Irish Championships, North England Championships, London Championships, County Dublin Championships and Wimbledon. Only to be narrowly beaten by such tennis greats as Willoughby Hamilton, William Renshaw and Wilfred Baddeley. On the doubles court Stoker and Pim were very successful winning the Irish Championships doubles titles in 1890 and 1891.
But 1893 was to be Pim's year. In May of that year he won the singles title in the Irish Championships followed a few weeks later by his first singles title at Wimbledon. On the doubles court with his partner Stoker, Pim did the same. Stoker and Pim won both doubles titles at the Irish Championships and Wimbledon. This had never been done before. Pim went on to win both singles titles again in 1894 and in 1895 played in an international tournament in West Newton, Massachusetts alongside English and American players. During his tennis career Pim played for Ireland against England in 1892, 1893, 1894 and 1896. He even played in the Davis Cup in 1902 despite not being well at the time.
Before gaining international success in tennis, Pim had trained and qualified as a doctor. Joshua Pim was born in May 1869 in Bray, Co. Wicklow. It was here he grew up with his brother and two sisters until the death of his Father, Joshua Pim Snr in 1871. The family then moved up the coast to Kingstown or modern day Dún Laoghaire. Pim entered RCSI on 13th June 1888 and his signature at registrations can be seen in the Student Register (RCSI/STR/18) below
Pim received his license from the College in February 1891 and became a Fellow in 1896. He went on to hold the positions of Medical Officer in the Rathdown Union Infirmary and Resident Surgeon in Jervis Street Hospital. The position that he held most of his life and where he was seen as a friend not just a surgeon was at St. Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown. Pim was Medical Officer there for 42 years.
Dr Joshua Pim died in Killiney on 15 April 1942 at the age of 73. His house 'Secrora' on Killiney Hill still has a tennis court on the grounds, a gentle reminder of the legendary sports hero who once lived and practised there.
- Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy
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| Dr. Joshua Pim with the Wimbledon Singles trophy |
Dr. Joshua Pim was not only a descendent of James Tee Pimm, the celebrated creator of the drink Pimm's, but also a holder of the Singles and Doubles Irish Championships and Wimbledon titles in 1893 and 1894.
Pim burst onto the tennis scene with his first major win at the tender age of 21. Pim along with his partner Frank Stoker (a relative of the author Bram Stoker and the RCSI surgeon William Thornley Stoker) won both the English and Irish doubles championship in 1890. But he had been playing since the age of eleven and was coached at the Lansdowne Lawn Tennis Club by the great Irish player Thomas Burke. At this time the Irish Championships was one of the most prestigious lawn tennis tournaments in the world.
Between 1890 and 1893 Pim was to reach the finals of all the major singles tournaments; Irish Championships, North England Championships, London Championships, County Dublin Championships and Wimbledon. Only to be narrowly beaten by such tennis greats as Willoughby Hamilton, William Renshaw and Wilfred Baddeley. On the doubles court Stoker and Pim were very successful winning the Irish Championships doubles titles in 1890 and 1891.
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| Dr. Joshua Pim and Wilfred Baddeley in the Men's Final at Wimbledon -Courtesy of Getty Images |
Before gaining international success in tennis, Pim had trained and qualified as a doctor. Joshua Pim was born in May 1869 in Bray, Co. Wicklow. It was here he grew up with his brother and two sisters until the death of his Father, Joshua Pim Snr in 1871. The family then moved up the coast to Kingstown or modern day Dún Laoghaire. Pim entered RCSI on 13th June 1888 and his signature at registrations can be seen in the Student Register (RCSI/STR/18) below
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| RCSI Student Register from 1888 (RCSI/STR/18) |
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| Dr. Joshua Pim's signature can be seen second from the bottom on the RCSI Roll of Licentiates (RCSI/LIC/02) |
Dr Joshua Pim died in Killiney on 15 April 1942 at the age of 73. His house 'Secrora' on Killiney Hill still has a tennis court on the grounds, a gentle reminder of the legendary sports hero who once lived and practised there.
- Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy