John Harry Johns died at Bordighera, Italy, on November 23rd, 1932, at the age of 74.
He started work in Cornish tin mines at the very early age of 12, meanwhile studying at the evening classes of the Camborne School under the late Benedict Kitto, which enabled him to pass the examinations of the Science and Art Department, South Kensington, and the City and Guilds Institute. During 1880 and 1881 he studied at the Royal School of Mines with great credit, and in the latter year he was awarded the medal of the Mining Association of Cornwall and Devon.
In September of the same year he was appointed manager of the Nine Reefs Gold Mining Co., Ltd., in South India, and held the position for seven years. In January, 1889, he was engaged by Messrs. Wernher, Beit & Co., for their mines in South Africa, and on arrival in the Transvaal was appointed general manager of the Ferreira Gold Mining Co., Ltd., and in the following year also consulting engineer to the Worcester Exploration & Gold Mining Co., Ltd. He also managed the Wemmer Mine and the City and Suburban Mine. He was consulting engineer to the Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Co. from 1902 until his retirement in 1910.
Mr. Johns was elected a Member of the Institution in 1896.
Vol. 42, Trans IMM 1932-3, p.612.
