James Sandow Penberthy died as the result of an explosion at his home in Middleton-in-Teesdale, Co. Durham, on 12th January, 1954, at the age of 51.
He entered Camborne School of Mines in January, 1918, and on completing the three-year course in secure a position as assistant engineer with Guggenheim Bros., and was engaged on topographical surveying in the Bolivian Cordillera for six months. He joined Compañia Estañifera de Llallagua in January, 1921, and worked for them for four years before being appointed assistant engineer, Patiño Mines and Enterprises (Cons.) Inc., where he remained for twelve months.
Mr. Penberthy left Bolivia in April, 1926, to take charge of a base camp and carry out prospecting for Rhodesian Congo Border Concessions, Ltd., in Northern Rhodesia, and from May, 1928, to May, 1929, he was on the Gold Coast running alluvial diamond washing plants for African Selection Trust, Ltd. He returned to England for nine months as assistant manager, sampler and surveyor, Polhigey Tin, Ltd., Cornwall, and subsequently worked on the Gold Coast for eleven years; from 1931 to 1937 on the staff of West African Diamond Syndicate, Ltd., then in the position of chief surveyor, underground manager and acting manager for Ashanti-Adowsena (Banket) Goldfields, Ltd., for a year, and from 1939 to 1942 again with West African Diamond Syndicate, Ltd., on alluvial diamond mining.
On his return to the United Kingdom he was engaged on prospecting, sampling, surveying and diamond drilling at Greenside lead mine, Cumberland, from May, 1943, to June, 1944, and during the summer of 1944 made a survey of old mine dumps for Non-Ferrous Minerals Development, Ltd. At the end of that year
Mr. Penberthy went to South America as chief surveyor to Frontino Gold Mines, Ltd., Colombia, becoming mine agent and subsequently chief mine agent during the period of five years he remained with that company.
He returned to the United Kingdom and from January, 1950, held the position of general manager of Seghill and Coldberry lead companies, Middleton-in-Teesdale. He had resigned his appointment only a short time before the accident in his home which killed him.
Mr. Penberthy was elected to Studentship of the Institution in 1926, and was transferred to Associate Membership in 1935.
Vol. 64, Trans I.M.M., 1954-55, p.36
