Born in 1872 at Dunedin, New Zealand, son of the Hon T W Hislop, who was mayor of Wellington for several years. He was educated at Waitaki and at the University of Otago, and coming to Britain graduated at the University of Edinburgh. He served for a time as resident medical officer at the National Hospital for Consumption, Ventnor, Isle of Wight, and then returned to New Zealand. Here he entered into partnership with the Hon Dr W E Collins. The partnership lasted for ten years, after which Hislop practised on his own account, becoming surgeon to the Wellington Hospital. He died on 7 September 1937 at Willis Street, Wellington, NZ. His brother, T C A Hislop, like his father was mayor of Wellington. W J H Hislop was an elusive personage about whose life it has proved difficult to obtain details in spite of many enquiries. He is described as being of a very friendly and amiable disposition, good-natured and tolerant; loved and respected by everyone with whom he came in contact. He lived a quiet and philosophical life, and took but little interest in sport or public matters. His professional work was marked by painstaking thoroughness and careful attention to technical details.