George Augustus Whitworth died at his home in Camborne, Cornwall, on 14th October, 1960, at the age of 67.
He was educated at King’s College, Taunton, and was apprenticed for four years between 1910 and 1914 with Messrs. Holman Bros. at Camborne, while taking a four-year mechanical engineering course at the evening Science School of Camborne School of Metalliferous Mining. He entered Armstrong College, Newcastle-on-Tyne, in 1914, to study mechanical engineering but the war interrupted his studies and he joined H.M. Forces, serving as 2nd lieutenant, 16th Durham Light Infantry, and as lieutenant, Machine Gun Corps, 72 and 31 Machine Gun Coys. in France, and was mentioned in despatches. He was wounded in 1916.
He resumed his training in 1919 by taking the Diploma course at Camborne, and gained a first-class Associateship of Camborne School of Mines in 1921 and a first-class pass in the City and Guilds of London Institute examination in Occurrence, Raising and Dressing of Ores.
Mr. Whitworth went to South Africa in 1922 to begin his mining career at Van Ryn Deep, Ltd., Transvaal, in the capacities of sampler and dust inspector and surveyor. He obtained the South African Government Mine Surveyors Certificate in 1923 and the Overseers Certificate in 1926. In May, 1928, he transferred to Government Gold Mining Areas where he was head surveyor of No.3 and No.4 Sections during the next seven years.
In September, 1935, he was appointed Head of the Department of Mining at the School of Metalliferous Mining (Cornwall) — now Camborne School of Metalliferous Mining — and manager of King Edward mine. He was appointed Vice-Principal in 1941 and became Acting Principal of the School later in the same year on the death of Mr. H. Standish Ball. After the war period he was made Principal in 1946. He retired in 1959.
During the 1939-45 war Mr. Whitworth first served in Civil Defence and later transferred to the Home Guard, commanding the 9th Bn. He held the rank of lieutenant-colonel and received the O.B.E. (Military Division) in 1945.
Mr. Whitworth joined the Institution as a Student in 1921 and was transferred to Associate Membership in 1929 and to full Membership in 1940. He served on the Council of the Institution continuously from 1947 to 1954 and had been their representative on the Cornish Engines Preservation Society. He was elected an Honorary Member in 1960 ‘in recognition of his services to the mining industry and profession, on the occasion of his retirement from the Principalship of the Camborne School of Metalliferous Mining’.
He was President of the Cornish Institute of Engineers for 1954-55, and member of their council from 1939 to 1959. He also took a great interest in the Cornish Mining Development Society and was a member of their executive committee.
Mr. F.B. Michell writes: The death of George Whitworth, just as he commenced a well-earned rest in his retirement, is a sad event for all those who enjoyed his friendship and for many scores of students who studied under him at Camborne. During twenty-five years of association with him one cannot but have been impressed by his personal charm, his friendly disposition and his untiring service to the Camborne School of Mines.
During the second world war his conscientious devotion to duty led him to undertake the command of the 9th Battalion Home Guard, an onerous and exacting task in addition to his responsibility as Acting Principal, and his untiring zeal won him the O.B.E.
Only six years after he was appointed Principal he suffered a serious illness from which he never quite fully recovered and which undoubtedly left its mark. In spite of this illness he refused to relax, often taxing his strength unduly with one object in view — the reputation of the ‘School’, which was very dear to his heart. He was a keen sportsman and rarely missed a rugby match but perhaps sailing and sea fishing claimed his greatest interest, and it was a bitter blow when his health forced him to give it up. His sincerity and feeling for others as well as his inability to bear malice made him a trusty and understanding friend and he will be long remembered as a good sportsman and a very gallant gentleman.
Vol. 71, Trans IMM 1961-62, pp.47-48
