John William Evans died at Ware, Hertfordshire, on November 11th, 1930, at the age of 78.
He was educated at University College School, University College, and the Royal College of Science, and on completion of his course at the Royal School of Mines he was appointed demonstrator in geology at the School and University College.
In 1891 he made a trip to Brazil as geologist and mineralogist to the Matto Grosso Gold and Exploration Syndicate, and on the termination of this engagement he returned to the Royal School of Mines to carry out research work in geology and metallurgy. In 1893 he proceeded to India, where he was successively State geologist and prospector in the Junagadh State, and geologist and chief inspector of mines in Mysore State. From 1899 to 1904 he engaged in research work, with an intermediate visit to Bolivia as leader of an exploratory expedition. In 1904 he was appointed special assistant in economic mineralogy at the Imperial Institute, a position which he held for upwards of nine years.
From 1906 he was also lecturer at Birkbeck College. In 1913 he became lecturer in petrology at the Imperial College of Science and Technology, and in 1918 he took up the position of professional adviser to the Colonial Office on questions relating to minerals other than coal and petroleum, and representative of the Crown Colonies and Protectorates on the Governing Body of the Imperial Mineral Resources Bureau. For some time prior to his death he was chairman of the Geophysical Company, Limited, and in that connexion had gone to Egypt, Syria and South Africa to conduct exploratory work. Amongst other activities he was a member of the Colonial Survey Committee and of the Mineral Council of, the Imperial Institute.
He was a Fellow of the Royal Society, and was awarded the C.B.E. in 1923. He was a prolific writer on the subjects connected with his life work, and contributed from time to time to the discussion of papers presented to the Institution, though he never appeared in the Transactions as an author.
Dr. J.W. Evans was elected a Member of the Institution in 1919.
Vol. 40, Trans IMM 1930-31, p.450
