Humphrey Maurice Morgans died suddenly at his son’s home in Bristol on 7th October, 1951, at the age of 75.
He was educated at Leys School and was trained in the fitting shop of the Bristol Wagon and Carriage Works Co., Ltd., from 1892 to 1895, followed by a year at the Camborne School of Mines. He then worked underground for a year in collieries in Somerset and South Wales, and in 1898 entered the service of Messrs. T. & W. Morgans, mining and civil engineers of London and Bristol, of which his uncle, the late Mr. W. Morgans, was a partner. During the first few years with the firm he worked for the B.Sc. degree of the London University, which he obtained in 1901. Mr. Morgans became a partner in his firm and was the sole remaining partner when he retired from active work in 1949. He travelled extensively during his lifetime and specialized in the design of mine plant and machinery, much of his work being in connection with gold mines and collieries in India. He was awarded the O.B.E. (Civil Division) in 1944.
Mr. Morgans was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1902 and a Member in 1908; he was elected a Member of Council in 1912 and served continuously for 23 years until 1935. He occupied the office of Vice-President for the two periods 1916-19 and 1921-23 and was President of the Institution for the Session 1924-25. In 1950 he was elected an Honorary Member of the Institution in recognition of his long and distinguished services to mining. Mr. Morgans was also a Member of the Institution of Mining Engineers and served on the Council of that body for 25 years.
He contributed the following papers to the Transactions of the Institution: ‘Traversing winding engine for deep shafts’, vol. 12 (1902-3); ‘Operation of two winding engines’, vol. 21 (1911-12); ‘Power plants’ (Presidential Address), vol. 33 (1923-24); and ‘A dressing plant for “Bideford Black”’, vol. 39 (1929-30).
Professor J.A.S. Ritson writes: I have known Humphrey Morgans for years and, like many others, realize I have lost a sincere and loyal friend. Many members of the Institution will remember him sitting on the front bench at our meetings and commenting on the misuse of the English language by the author of the paper under discussion. One of his characteristics was pluck. I remember him visiting Turkey and later Czechoslovakia under conditions of considerable discomfort. Many men with a stiff back would have funked the job. Not so H.M.M.
For many years he was mining engineer to the Singareni coalfields in India and recently was mining agent for the Duchy of Cornwall. Incidentally, his labour of love in helping to preserve Cornish engines from destruction will not be forgotten.
He was Chairman of Examiners for the Colliery Manager’s Examination for 20 years and when reporting to the Examinations Board his comments were remarkable for their clarity and incisiveness.
Vol. 61, Trans IMM 1951-52, p.184
[See G.E. Morgans, his brother]
