Lt.-Col. Arthur Hibbert, D.S.O., M.C., J.P., died at Christie Hospital, Manchester, on 19th December, 1947, at the age of 63.
Before beginning his professional training at the Royal School of Mines in 1907 he was engaged for four years on various mining activities in British Columbia and Alaska. He completed his course at the School of Mines in 1910, having gained the Associateship in mining, and went to Morocco in charge of a prospecting expedition, and in 1911 he entered the service of Copper Mines of Copiapo, Ltd., Chile, as assistant mine superintendent, and held the position of manager of the Dulcinea mine until 1913. He left in 1914 and was appointed assistant engineer to Ptarmigan Mines. Ltd., in British Colombia, but on the outbreak of war was commissioned in the Royal Garrison Artillery, later serving with the 172 Coy. R.E., and on its formation at the front was made commanding officer, with the rank of major, of the 3rd Canadian Tunnelling Coy. He was awarded the Military Cross and the Distinguished Service Order, and was three times mentioned in despatches.
In 1920 Col. Hibbert was appointed manager of Skouriotissa mine of the Cyprus Mines Corporation, and during 1923 and the early part of 1924 was doing reporting work for Mr. T.D. Lawther in Britain, India and Cyprus, remaining in Cyprus until the end of the year as manager of Eastern Minerals, Ltd. His long service with Millom & Askam Hematite Iron Co., Ltd., began with his appointment in January, 1925, as general mines manager of Florence mines, Egremont, Cumberland, and in February, 1926, he was made manager also of Ullcoats Mining Co., Ltd. From 1927 he held the position of consulting engineer to Alquife Mines and Railway Co., Ltd., operating iron ore mines in the south of Spain. He was made a member of the Advisory Committee to the Government for the Metalliferous Mining Industry in 1930. Col. Hibbert became general manager of the Millom & Askam Hematite lron Co. in 1931 and managing director of North Lonsdale Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., in 1932. He was also a director of Ullcoats Mining Co., Ltd., and Whitehaven Hematite Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. He served with the Home Guard during the 1939-45 war.
He was elected to Studentship of the Institution in 1908, and was transferred to Associateship in 1913 and to Membership in 1926, and was a Member of Council from 1943 to 1947.
Vol. 58, Trans IMM 1948-49, p.587
