Edward Langhorne Francis died on 25th January, 1957, following an operation at Kumasi Hospital, Ghana. He was 50 years old.
Mr. Francis was educated at Giggleswick School, Yorkshire, and received his professional training at the Royal School of Mines from 1926 to 1930, gaining the A.R.S.M. in mining. He went to South Africa in 1931 to join Government Gold Mining Areas, Ltd., Brakpan, Transvaal, where he worked in various capacities for seven years, from assistant sampler to efficiency officer and acting mine overseer, and during 1936 he obtained the Union of South Africa Mine Overseer’s Certificate of Competency. Mr. Francis took up the position of shift boss at Venterspost Gold Mining Co., Ltd., Transvaal, in 1938, gaining further experience with this company until 1945 and receiving the Mine Managers First Class Certificate of Competency in 1940.
He returned to the United Kingdom in 1945, and worked as assistant to the owner and manager of Skewen Main Colliery, South Wales, for two years, becoming assistant to the managing director of Penmaenmawr and Welsh Granite Co., Ltd., North Wales, in 1947.
He left for West Africa the following year to join Ashanti Goldfields Corporation, Ltd., Ghana, as underground manager, and later was appointed chief of standards and controls. In this capacity he was responsible for planning and efficiency on the mines during the remaining years of his life.
Mr. Francis was elected to Associate Membership of the Institution in 1953.
Vol. 67, Trans IMM 1957-58, p.376
