Thomas David Jones, C.B.E., was killed in a road accident on 30th August, 1947, at the age of 48.
He was educated at Swansea Technical College, University College, Cardiff, and Birmingham University, where he graduated in mining in 1922. He remained at Birmingham doing research work under the late Professor J.S. Haldane, mainly on atmospheric conditions in mines, and was awarded the M.Sc. degree in 1923 and Ph.D. in 1924. He then held the position, until 1935, of senior research investigator at the mining research laboratory at Birmingham University and carried out research on spontaneous combustion, lighting, silicosis, and other aspects of mine conditions. From 1928 to 1931 he was consulting mining engineer to Abram Coal Co., Ltd., Lancashire, and from 1931 onwards was consultant to Bickershaw Coal Co., Ltd., of Leigh, Lancashire.
In 1935 he returned to the Mining Department, University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire, as Professor of Mining of the University of Wales, and when the mining research laboratory was established there in 1939 as a centre for the investigation of mine dust diseases he became its first director of research. His valuable work in that capacity became well known, and in 1916 he visited Belgium and Holland to advise on mining problems and early in 1947 went on a similar tour to Australia and New Zealand. His absence abroad prevented his attendance at the Joint Conference on Silicosis, Pneumokoniosis [sic = pneumoconiosis], and Dust Suppression in Mines, arranged by the Institution of Mining Engineers and the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, to which he had contributed two papers on dust suppression and the organization of dust research in Great Britain. Shortly before his death Professor Jones had been appointed to the Chair of Mining in Birmingham University. He was made a C.B.E. in the New Year’s Honours of 1947 and a Commander of the Order of the Crown of Belgium in June, 1946.
He was elected to Membership of the Institution in 1939 and was a Member of Council of the Institution of Mining Engineers.
Vol. 57, Trans IMM 1947-8, p.473
