William Arthur Odgers died on 24th August, 1951, at the age of 44.
Born in South Africa he studied chemical technology at the University of the Witwatersrand, and from 1926 until 1930 was an official learner at Rose Deep, Ltd. During that period he attended classes in mining subjects at the Witwatersrand Technical College, at which he was later a part-time lecturer.
From 1930 to 1934 he worked in various capacities at Springs Mines, Ltd., subsequently being appointed manager of Balfour Gold Mines, Ltd. He returned to employment with the Anglo American Corporation of South Africa group on resuming work at Springs Mines in 1935 as mine captain, and four months later was transferred to Daggafontein Mines, Ltd., as underground manager and chief of the Bedaux department. When East Daggafontein became a separate mine in 1937 Mr. Odgers was appointed manager and was responsible for bringing it to production, although during 1938 he returned to Daggafontein as acting mine manager for six months. In June 1939 he was transferred to Rhokana Corporation, Ltd, as assistant manager, and until 1943 he was a member of the Executive Committee of the Northern Rhodesia Chamber of Mines.
Mr. Odgers was appointed assistant consulting engineer to the Anglo American Corporation of South Africa, Ltd., in June, 1943, and at the end of that year was made consulting engineer. Until August, 1946, he was concerned with their copper and diamond interests and then dealt with diamond mines only until February, 1947. From that date he was fully responsible for the technical administration of a great number of the mines of the Corporation in the Witwatersrand, the Orange Free State and in Northern Rhodesia.
Mr. Odgers was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1938, and was transferred to Membership in 1949.
Vol. 62, Trans IMM 1952-3, p.80
