Geoffrey Musgrave, O.B.E., died in Selukwe, Southern Rhodesia, on 13th July, 1949, at the age of 67.
He was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, and was trained as a mechanical engineer, serving his apprenticeship with Messrs. Smith Bros. and Eastwood Valley Iron Works. From 1902 to 1906 he obtained practical engineering experience in England and Wales. In 1906 he went to Norway on his appointment as engineer and assistant and acting mine manager to Traag Mines, Ltd., and after eighteen months he joined Telemarken Copper Mining and Smelting Co., Ltd., at Aamdal. He left Norway in 1908 to take up the position of assistant mine manager to Altai Gold Concessions, Ltd., in Siberia, returning to England in 1909 for a few months’ work in London and Devonshire. In the same year he was appointed assistant engineer with Linchwe Concessions, Ltd., Bechuanaland, and in 1910 took over the management of the mines at Selukwe, Southern Rhodesia, for Rhodesia Chrome Mines, Ltd. In 1913 Mr. Musgrave inspected chrome deposits in Baluchistan, and then spent three months in practice at Selukwe as mechanical and mining engineer, while being retained by Rhodesia Chrome Mines, Ltd., as consulting engineer.
During the 1914-1918 war he served on the advisory side of the Ministry of Munitions in India, Burma, China, Japan, the U.S.A., and Canada, and returned to Selukwe in 1917 to continue his consulting work for Rhodesia Chrome Mines, Ltd., and Rhodesia Metals Syndicate, Ltd., his position with the former company being retained until his death.
Mr. Musgrave was the first chairman appointed to the Rhodesia Iron and Steel Commission, in which capacity he was responsible for setting up the steel works at Que Que, and he was also chairman of the Industrial Development Commission. He was a delegate to the Eastern Group Conference at New Delhi in 1940, and acted as assistant in Australia during the negotiation of a trade agreement with the Australian Government. He was awarded the O.B.E. in 1941. Until 1947 he was chairman of the Rhodesian National Industrial Council of the Mining Industry.
He was elected a Member of the Institution in 1924, and was Member of Council for Rhodesia from 1916.
Vol. 54, Trans IMM 1949-50, p.?
