Bedford McNeill was born in Birmingham on the 1st April, 1861. He died at Claygate, Surrey, after a short illness, on the 18th September, 1916.
By his death the Institution lost one of its earliest, most useful and most-beloved members. His first appointment was in the laboratory of Messrs. Chance Bros., Chemical Works, Oldbury, in 1878. While in their employment he was awarded by the Birmingham and Midland Institute the Priestly Scholarship, granted in that year for the first time. He graduated (A.R.S.M.) at the Royal School of Mines (then established in Jermyn Street) in 1880, and the same year he joined the staff of the late Mr. John Darlington of 25A, Old Broad Street, E.C.; under whom he acquired his early training and with whom he remained until Mr. Darlington’s death. During this period he inspected and reported upon mining properties in Colorado, Mexico, Transylvania and elsewhere, finally carrying on Mr. Darlington’s business as a consulting mining engineer.
The first edition of the Bedford McNeill Mining and General Telegraphic Code was published in 1893 and the more complete work in 1908. Mr. McNeill’s technical knowledge of all phases of mining work is clearly shown in these books, which are regarded as standard works, the code being used by the mining industry in all parts of the world. The preparation and completion of the code was a herculean task, and will long remain an enduring memorial of the author.
In 1888 he was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry and also a Fellow of the Geological Society of London. From 1904 to 1907 he was a Member of Council of the last-named Society, and since 1912 was Treasurer both of the Society and of the Geological Club.
In 1895 he joined the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, and after 18 years of active membership became its President (1913-1914) delivering his presidential address on the 13th March, 1913. In this he dealt with the profession of the mining engineer, the essentially speculative and hazardous nature of mining, the relations between the mining engineer and the capitalist, and the raising of the status of the profession by the elimination of the unqualified self-styled ‘Mining Engineer.’ He was an enthusiast for his profession, and both by tradition and experience keen on upholding the highest standard of professional conduct. It was during his year of office that the Institution acquired its present freehold House, which was opened on January 13th, 1914 — the twenty-second anniversary of the founding of the Institution — by the then Lord Mayor, Sir T. Vansittart Bowater. Mr. McNeill will be remembered by his felicitous speeches, and this was exemplified in his remarks on this occasion, when he clearly set forth the aims of the Institution and the objects the Council had in view.
He identified himself energetically with whatever he undertook, and it was during his presidency that action was taken to obtain a Royal Charter, which was granted in 1915.
Mr. McNeill was a member of the Iron and Steel Institute, of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers and of the Royal School of Mines Advisory Board. He was also a member of the Standing Committee on mining appointed by the Privy Council Committee for Scientific and Industrial Research. In addition to these activities, he served on the Committee of the Royal School of Mines Old Students’ Association and the Committee of the Mining and Metallurgical Club, and organised the ‘I.M.M. Council Dinner Club.’ He also acted as Vice-Chairman of the Metropolitan Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital. He had a wide experience of mining in Europe and America, and in his later years was consulting engineer to several important mining companies.
Mr. McNeill was a man of high character, of an exceptionally kind and cheerful disposition, ever accessible and helpful, and his loyalty to the Institution and to his friends knew no bounds. R.E.C.
Vol. 26, Trans IMM 1916-17, pp.269-70
