Lewis Thomas Leyson died in California in October, 1925.
Never very robust, his health was finally seriously undermined at the close of the war by his duties in East Africa, which consisted in examining for poison the wells left by the German forces in their successive retirements.
He received his technical training in a four years’ course at the City and Guilds Central Technical College, South Kensington, and on completion he was engaged for about two years with Messrs. Methane, Ltd., and the Gas Light & Coke Co. respectively, in analysis and research work. After a short engagement, terminated by ill health, as assistant chemist to Messrs. Cortaulds & Co., of Coventry, artificial silk manufacturers, he had an equally brief period with the Briton Ferry Steel Co., Ltd., in South Wales.
Towards the close of 1909, he was compelled to go to South Africa on medical advice, and obtained a post as assistant chemist with the Cape Explosives Co.; Ltd., Somerset West, Cape Colony. Thence he went to the Transvaal to join the metallurgical department of the Band Mines, Ltd., with whom he remained for some years, during that period being ‘lent’ to the Mines Trials Committee to carry out running tests on the Hendryx agitator at the Wolhuter gold mines.
He took part in the campaign in German East Africa during the war with the result already mentioned, and at the close of hostilities he left South Africa for California, where he joined the staff of Charles Butters. He did very useful work in connexion with the Tainton electrolytic-zinc process.
Mr. Leyson was elected an Associate of the Institution in 1913.
Vol. 35, Trans IMM 1925-26, pp.447-8
