John Langhorne Francis died suddenly at Halkyn, Flintshire, on December 18th, 1944, at the age of 66.
He entered the Royal School of Mines in 1897, and on obtaining his A.R.S.M. in mining in 1900, entered into partnership with Matthew Francis, practising as Matthew Francis & Son, Mining Engineers, at Halkyn. The firm acted as consulting engineers and managers to various mining companies, mainly in the Halkyn district, including The Halkyn Mining Co., Ltd., The Halkyn District
Mines Drainage Co., The South Halkyn and Rhydymwyn Mining Co., the Llynypandy, Pantymwyn, Bryngwiog, and Llanarmon mining companies, Shropshire Lead Mines, Ltd., the Talysarn, Rhosmynach, and Snelston copper mines, and the North Wales Iron and Manganese Co., Ltd. In addition, he reported on lead, zinc, copper and barytes mines in Great Britain and Ireland, and on lead mines in British Columbia. His connection with the firm lasted until 1928, when the interests of a number of companies in the Halkyn district were amalgamated in Halkyn District United Mines, Ltd., to which company he was appointed chief engineer, and with which he was still connected at the time of his death.
Captain Francis — he had retired with that rank from the 2nd Volunteer Battalion of the Royal Welch Fusiliers in 1906 — was held in affectionate esteem by all his neighbours. He was a Justice of the Peace and an outstanding authority on the metalliferous mines of North Wales.
His only contribution to the Transactions of the Institution, however, was a paper, written jointly with Mr. J.C. Allan, on ‘Driving a mines drainage tunnel in North Wales’ (vol. 41, 1932).
He was elected an Associate of the Institution in 1908.
Vol. 55, Trans IMM 1945-46, p.566
