William John Smith died on 16th December, 1948, at the age of 50.
He began his career with The Glyncorrwg Colliery Co., South Wales, from 1916 to, 1919, gaining practical experience, and was employed for a short time with the Imperial Navigation Colliery Co., Duffryn, before serving in various departments of Messrs. Baldwins, Ltd., of Swansea, from 1920 to 1923. During these early years he studied privately and at part-time lectures and classes organized by the Glamorganshire County Council, gaining an honours certificate of the City and Guilds of London in mine surveying, the mine deputy‘s certificate, and the Home Office Mine Surveyor’s and Colliery Manager’s certificates of competency. In 1923 he became chief surveyor to the Taff Rhondda Navigation Collieries, Ltd., at Nantgarw, and, after four years, foreman and assistant to the manager of Blaenclydach colliery of the Cambrian Consolidated Collieries, Ltd., Llwynypia, South Wales.
In August, 1928, Mr. Smith was appointed chief surveyor of the manganiferous iron ore mines of the Sinai Mining Co., Ltd., at Om Bogma, Egypt, and in 1931 was promoted to the position of general manager. This he held for fourteen years until March, 1945, when he took up the appointment of consulting mining engineer to the Northern Mercantile and Investment Corporation, Ltd., London.
Mr. Smith was elected to Associateship of the Institution in 1930 and was transferred to Membership in 1942.
Vol. 59, Trans I.M.M., 1949-50, p.?
