George Attwood died, from heart failure, at his residence, Steyning Manor, Stogursey, Bridgwater, on February 9th, 1912, aged 67. He was born at Carlisle, and was educated as a mining engineer under Mr. David Forbes, F.R.S.
He began his professional career at the age of 16 under the supervision of his father, the late Mr. Melville Attwood, on gold mining and milling enterprises in California and from 1862 to 1870 was employed on the Great Comstock Gold and Silver Lode, in Nevada, as chemist, metallurgist and mine manager.
In 1870 he was appointed U.S. assayer to Carson City (Nevada) Mint and Refinery, and the following year he took over the management of the Eberhardt and Aurora Silver Mines, Nevada. From 1873 to 1877, Mr. Attwood had charge of the investigation of the affairs of the Emma Silver-Lead Mine, in Nevada. For eight years subsequently, he was occupied in opening up and working gold mines in South America, Montana, New Mexico, Costa Rica, British Columbia, Ontario and India, in which districts he superintended the building of large mining and reduction plants. He also opened up large copper and nickel mines in the Sudbury district of Ontario, and constructed smelting, crushing and winding plant for the same mines.
From 1895 to 1899, he was engaged in carrying out mining works in South Africa and surveys in Mexico, and thence to 1905 he undertook mining and civil engineering work in Spain, Greece and Algeria.
During his later years Mr. Attwood practised as a consulting engineer at 56, Moorgate Street, E.C., continuing in active business until the date of his death.
In addition to his association with the Institution, he was a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and a Fellow of both the Geological and Chemical Societies, and he contributed many papers to scientific societies, notably to the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Geological, Chemical and Meteorological Societies. He submitted only one paper to the Institution, on “Peculiarities in the Melting of Gold and Silver Bullion of Various Finenesses” (Trans. vi, pp.838-40). He was also the author of a book on “Practical Blowpipe Assaying.”
Mr. Attwood was elected a Member of the Institution in February, 1895.
Vol. 21, Trans IMM 1911-12, pp. 719-20
