Henry Hay died at Los Angeles, California, after a long illness, on September 13th, 1938, in his 68th year.
He was born of Scottish parents in Dunedin, New Zealand, but when he had attained his twelfth year the family moved to Los Angeles. After completing his school education he was employed for about a year on the staff of the California Southern Railroad as a surveyor, and then entered the engineering school of the University of California at Berkeley, from which he graduated in 1894 with the degree of B.Sc. On leaving the University he was for upwards of two years engaged as assistant engineer of irrigation and electric railway enterprises in California.
In 1896 he went to South Africa to take up an appointment as surveyor on the Simmer & Jack Proprietary, Ltd., and the Meyer & Charlton Gold Mining Co., Ltd. In the following year he was appointed manager of the Rand Nigel Gold Mining Co., and in 1898 he became manager, and later general manager, of the Witwatersrand Deep, Ltd., a position which he held until 1910. In that year he resigned to accept the appointment as consulting engineer for the Gold Coast Amalgamated Mines, Ltd., and Fanti Mines, at Tarkwa, but for family reasons relinquished the position in 1914, and came to England to engage in consulting practice. He was, however, persuaded to go to Chuquicamata, as assistant manager of the Chile Exploration Co., and while so occupied unfortunately sustained an injury which necessitated the amputation of his right leg. This accident brought his professional career to a close, and he returned to California to spend the remainder of his life in the cultivation of oranges on land that he acquired for that purpose.
Mr. Hay was elected a Member of the Institution in 1901.
Vol. 52, Trans IMM 1942-43, p.396
