Penrose Thomas Halsey died on 8th November, 1954, at the age of 71.
He was apprenticed to the Thames Valley Engineering Co. at Richmond from 1898 to 1901, and then served in the South African war as a sapper in the Electrical Engineers, R.E. Volunteers. In January, 1902, he joined Messrs. Johnson and Fletcher of Bulawayo as electrical and construction engineer, but left in 1905 to work for Giant Mines, Rhodesia, Ltd., for a year and then for Eldorado Banket Gold Mining Co., Ltd., until the end of 1908. In April, 1909, he went to West Africa as chief mechanical and electrical engineer to Bibiani, Ltd., where he remained over two years, spending a vacation at Birkbeck Institute to study surveying.
He returned to Rhodesia in 1912 to become chief mechanical and electrical engineer to Kimberley (Mashonaland) Gold Mining Co., Ltd., and four years later was appointed manager. From 1918 to 1919 Mr. Halsey was resident engineer to Rezende Mines, Ltd., and early in 1920 was appointed manager of the Tip Top mine of Jumbo Gold Mining Co., and of their Shepherd Reef mine in 1924.
Mr. Halsey went to South America in August, 1927, as chief mining engineer to Bolivar Venezuela Gold Mines, Ltd.; he was appointed acting general manager in 1928 and general manager in 1929. On the amalgamation of the company with New Goldfields of Venezuela, Ltd., in 1931 Mr. Halsey set up a consulting engineering practice, working in London and South Africa, but returned to Venezuela three years later as consultant to the Western Dredging Syndicate. He worked for private interests during 1936, and in 1937 was appointed consultant in London to Paringa Mining and Exploration Co., Ltd.
During the war years Mr. Halsey was employed in a Ministry of Supply explosives factory in North Wales, and in 1946 took up the position of resident general manager in South Africa of the Tati Co., Ltd. He lived in Bechuanaland, and was made a Justice of the Peace of the Protectorate in 1950.
Mr. Halsey was elected to Associate Membership of the Institution in 1929 and was transferred to Membership in 1931.
Vol. 64, Trans IMM 1954-55, pp.475-476
