Kenneth Vivian Cunliffe died on 10th September, 1952, at the age of 60.
From 1910 to 1913 he was employed by Village Deep Gold Mining Co., Ltd., Johannesburg, after an underground training course being appointed assistant sampler and later assistant surveyor. In 1913 he joined Randfontein Central Gold Mining Co., Ltd., as assistant surveyor.
He was mobilized for active service in the Imperial Light Horse in 1914 but was taken prisoner of war in German South West Africa. On his release in 1915 he returned to Randfontein Central as section surveyor, but the following year he joined the 4th South African Horse serving in German East Africa until December, 1916. He was invalided out in 1917 and resumed his work as section surveyor for a few months before holding a temporary commission in the army. After training in England he received a commission in the Royal Engineers early in 1918, and was drafted to India later that year, and saw service on the North West Frontier from July to October, 1919. On demobilization at the end of that year he rejoined Randfontein Central and was employed as chief surveyor until 1923.
Mr. Cunliffe was appointed mine overseer, Government Gold Mining Areas, Ltd., in 1923 and held that post, with periods as acting sectional manager, until 1933. From March to April of that year he was mine overseer at Witwatersrand Gold Mining Co., Ltd., and he then rejoined Randfontein Estates Gold Mining Co., Ltd., as sectional manager for the next seven years.
From 1940 to 1943 he was on active service and held the rank of major in the South African Engineer Corps.
He returned to Randfontein in 1943 as sectional manager, but two years later took the position of assistant mining engineer at African Associated Mines, Ltd., Bulawayo. He acted as mine manager at Monarch Mine, Francistown, and in 1946 became manager of Bushtick Mines (1934), Ltd. He returned to African Associated Mines, Ltd., Bulawayo, in 1952.
Mr. Cunliffe was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1922 and was transferred to membership in 1950.
Vol. 62, Trans I.M.M. 1952-53, pp. 297-8
