Thomas Reginald Amery Windeatt died suddenly at Torquay, Devon, on 25th August, 1959, at the age of 68.
He was educated at Cheltenham College and received his training at the Camborne School of Metalliferous Mining from 1908 to 1911, where he obtained a first-class diploma. He went immediately to Malaya to join Messrs. Osborne and Chappel, mining and consulting engineers of Ipoh, Perak, with whom he remained for over 30 years. He worked first on hydraulic tin mines as assistant manager to Tekka, Ltd., and from 1914 to 1915 as acting manager of Gopeng Tin Mining Co. He then managed Heawood Tin, Ltd., and Kamuning Tin, Ltd., for a year; Tekka Taiping, Ltd., during 1916-17 and the Lahat Mines, Ltd. (opencast and deep lead mines) from 1917 to 1920. He also acted as visiting manager of Idris Hydraulic Tin, Ltd., during 1919.
In January, 1920, Mr. Windeatt was made a partner in the firm of Messrs. Osborne and Chappel, and continued in his capacity as mining and consulting engineer until he retired from the firm soon after the end of the second world war. He had been a Member of Council of the F.M.S. Chamber of Mines for some years, and was several times its President. He was also an Unofficial Member of the Federal Council of the Federated Malay States for the last five years’ of his residence in Malaya. On leaving Malaya he settled at Torquay but retained an active association with Malayan mining through his many directorships.
When the 1914 war broke out he joined the Malay States Volunteer Rifles. During the second world war Mr. Windeatt, already a member of the A.R.P., later Civil Defence, attained the position of chief warden of the Torbay Area which he filled with distinction until the end of the war. He was awarded the M.B.E. (Civil Division) in recognition of his war services.
Mr. Windeatt joined the Institution as a Student in 1910, and was elected to Associate Membership in 1917 and to full Membership in 1923. He served the Institution as Member of Council for Malaya for the four consecutive sessions 1934 to 1937.
Vol. 70, Trans IMM 1960-61, p.76
