Leicester Walter Elsum died on 25th February, 1959, at the age of 70.
An Australian, Mr. Elsum began his mining career in 1911 at Taiping, Federated Malay States, as an assistant to the late Mr. I.W.H. Fenner, and shortly afterwards worked at Taiping Hydraulic Mines, Ltd., as assistant and acting manager. He joined Ampang (Kinta) Tin Mines, Ltd., in 1913, and was later transferred: Kinta Association, Ltd., as mine manager. He was promoted acting general manager and attorney after two years but left on completion of his agreement in order to enlist in H.M. Forces. He eventually joined the French Foreign Legion and was transferred to Aviation Militaire Française as a pilot, was wounded and returned to Australia to convalesce.
In February, 1919, Mr. Elsum went back to Malaya and prospected there and in Siam on his own account and for private syndicates until 1920 when he was appointed general manager of Naihoot Juita Tin Mines, N.L., of Langsuen, Siam From 1926 to 1928 he was managing director of a new company in Melbourne Elsum and Bogert Pty., Ltd., but returned to Malaya to represent Naihoot Juina and other Australian mining groups in litigation, also prospecting and reporting on several mines in Lower Burma for Heinze Basin Tin Syndicate. For the following twelve months Mr. Elsum managed Thabawleik tin mines, Tenasserim District, for Anglo-Burma Tin Co., Ltd., and then operated on his own account in Burma until 1930.
He joined Consolidated Tin Mines of Burma, Ltd., in June, 1930, as superintendent of Taungpila mines and in the following year was appointed general manager and attorney for the company, a position he held for two years. In 1933 Mr. Elsum went to India and worked in Kashmir until 1947, when he returned to Burma, with business in Rangoon. He was appointed general manager of Yawa Tin Lodes (Pyicha), at Mergui, Lower Burma, in 1951, and was actively engaged until his death.
Mr. Elsum was elected to Associate Membership of the Institution in 1932.
Vol. 69, Trans IMM 1959-60, p.82
