John Cole Gwillim died at Kingston, Ont., on August, 19th, 1920, aged 51 years, after a long illness.
He began his professional career in July, 1890, in association with Mr. J.B. Tyrrell on the Canadian, Geological Survey in Manitoba, and after a year’s attendance at classes at St. John’s College, Winnipeg, he took part in the geological survey of Lake Winnipeg, Athabasca and the Churchill River country, and in 1898 he was on survey, with Mr. D.B. Dowling, G.S.C., in the Keewatin district.’ In 1895 he graduated with First Rank Honours in natural science as B.App.Sc. at McGill University, Montreal.
After engaging in mine and survey work in Slocan, B.C., during 1895, he became partner in the firm of Gwillim & Johnson at Slocan City, carrying on the business of assaying and engineering. In 1899 Mr. Gwillim spent three months in conducting the Rossland School of Mines, and in May of that year he was appointed to the permanent service of the Geological Survey of Canada, when he examined and mapped the Atlin District of Northern British Columbia.
In 1901 he resigned his post on the survey to engage in consulting work at Nelson, B.C., but in the following year he entered the service of the Canadian Consolidated Mining & Smelting Co., of Trail, B.C., and was occupied in prospecting and opening up coal lands. In 1902 he was appointed acting Professor of Mining Engineering at the School of Mining, Kingston, Ont., and in the following year became full Professor, although he still retained his connection with the Canadian Consolidated Mining & Smelting Co. during the summer vacations.
Mr. Gwillim was elected a Member of the Institution in 1910.
Vol. 30 Trans IMM 1920-21, pp.471-2
