Thomas Richards died at his residence at ‘The Denny,’ Portishead, Somerset, on March 28th, 1916, after a long and painful illness, aged 72 years.
He commenced his training as a mining engineer at the age of 16, at the Devon Great Consols Mine, Tavistock, of which his father was manager for many years. In 1868, he went to Chile, and laid out three establishments for dressing copper ores – at Andacolla, Pangue and Brillador, in the province of Coquimbo. He remained in Chile for 18 years, during the latter part of which he prepared specifications for, and had sole charge of the erection of large pumping machinery, rock-drilling plant and haulage plant. In addition he made surveys of the shafts in which the underground machinery was afterwards installed.
From January, 1884, to July, 1885, he held the appointment of chief engineer of the Elqui Railway, then in course of construction. He designed and constructed the bridges on the section of the line from Serena to Vicuna, and designed and laid out the workshops at the former place for the repair of rolling stock. On the completion of this work, he took over the sole charge of the Aroa Copper Mines, belonging to the Quebrada Railway Land and Copper Co., in Venezuela, where extensive pumping and hauling machinery was erected under his direction. He had also the general supervision of the Company’s smelting works.
In September, 1894, Mr. Richards entered the service of the Nundydroog Co., Mysore, India, as superintendent of the mine, a position which he filled until March, 1910, when failing health compelled him to retire. From time to time he was entrusted with inspection work by Messrs. John Taylor & Sons, and in that capacity visited the Anantapur goldfield in 1905, in order to make a close examination of the extensive workings which had been discovered. Mr. Richards also held the position of superintendent of the Balaghat Mine from November, 1895, to March, 1910. One of his sons, Mr. C.H. Richards, succeeded him as superintendent of the Nundydroog Mine, while another was for a time at the Balaghat Mine.
Mr. Richards was an original Member of the Institution.
Vol. 26, Trans I.M.M., 1916-17, pp.275-6
[Began training 1860]
