Adolphus Beckerleg died at his home at Madron, Penzance, on January 3rd, 1944, at the age of 56.
He was trained at the Cornwall School of Metalliferous Mining, Penzance, and obtained his Diploma in 1954. He then spent nearly a year prospecting in India and in 1906 went to South Africa as assistant metallurgist with the Randfontein Estates and Gold Mining Co., Ltd. He remained with this company for seven years, filling successively the posts of sampler, shift boss, chief underground assistant and assistant underground manager.
In 1913 he took up an appointment with the Bisichi Tin Co., Ltd., in Nigeria, and on the outbreak of war in 1914 returned to England to join the Royal Engineers. After serving in France and Russia he was demobilized in 1920 with the rank of Major, having been awarded the Military Cross and the Russian Order of St. Anne, 1st class.
From 1920 to 1922 he was director of a company operating flax and jute mills, but he returned to mining in 1923 and took a post in Nigeria with Mongu Tin Mines, Ltd. In 1924 he was appointed general manager of Tanganyika Gold Fields, Ltd., and in 1927 returned to Nigeria as assistant general manager of Associated Tin Mines of Nigeria, Ltd., leaving in 1930 to take up a similar position with Panama Corporation, Ltd. In 1933-34 he was underground manager at the Bibiani mine, Gold Coast, and in 1934 was appointed consulting engineer to Watende Mines, Ltd. Shortly afterwards he was associated with the Marsman interests in the Philippine Islands, where he remained until his retirement at the outbreak of the present war.
Mr. Beckerleg was elected an Associate of the Institution in 1925.
Vol. 54, Trans I.M.M. 1944-45, pp. 257-8
