James Hocking died at his residence at Witham, Essex, on July 9th, 1939, at the age of 74.
At the outset of his professional career he was employed for about five years at the East Pool Mine in Cornwall, and at the same time was attending science classes instituted by the Mining Association and Institute of Cornwall.
In 1886 he was engaged by the Rio Tinto Co. in Spain, and remained with that company until 1890, when he was appointed mine agent at the Frontino and Bolivia mines in the Republic of Colombia. He reached the position of assistant manager, but four years later left the company to take charge of a prospecting and sluicing company in the Argentine Republic, a position which he held for two years.
Then followed a similar period in charge of a group of copper mines in Granada, Spain, and for six years subsequently he held the position of general manager of the Myall United Gold Mining Co., Ltd., and the Myall and Peak Hill Gold Mines, Ltd., in New South Wales. In 1906 he took over the general management of the Broken Hill Proprietary (Block 14) Co., Ltd. Later, he returned to Spain, where he had several interests.
Mr. Hocking was elected an Associate of the Institution in 1892 and was transferred to Membership in 1907.
Vol. 49, Trans IMM 1939-40, p.736
