John Somerville Geikie died at Kuching, Sarawak, on July 24th, 1920, from septic pneumonia following influenza, in his 41st year.
Passing out of Edinburgh University with the degree of B.Sc., he spent one year with Messrs. J. & G.H. Geddes, mining engineers, of Edinburgh, with whom he was chiefly engaged in surveying and visiting all the principal coalfields of Scotland. Then for three months he was with the Lothian Coal Co. at their Newbattle Colliery, gaining experience in the practical working of a large colliery, and for a further period of three months in Cornwall, where he obtained practical knowledge of work with the rock-drill, timbering, etc.
In 1902 he went to Sarawak, to join the personnel of the Borneo Co., where he was attached to the staff of the Bau Gold Mine, and gained experience in the locating, winning and treatment of low-grade ore, and in the management of native and Chinese labour. He was not there many years before he succeeded in obtaining increased extraction by means of a machine which he himself devised. At his death he was general manager of the Bau Mine.
As the second son of Professor James Geikie, of Edinburgh University, and nephew of Sir Archibald Geikie, Hon. M. Inst. M.M., late President of the Geological Society, it was scarcely matter for surprise that Mr. J.S. Geikie showed a natural bent towards geology. In 1906 he was awarded by the Institution the ‘Arthur Claudet’ Student’s Prize for his paper, ‘The Occurrence of Gold in Upper Sarawak,’ which was published in the Transactions, Vol. xv, 1905-6. He was held in great esteem in Borneo, and His Highness the Raja of Sarawak and all the Europeans within reach of Kuching attended the funeral.
Mr. Geikie was elected an Associate of the Institution in 1906.
Vol. 30, Trans IMM 1920-21, p.471
