Thomas Burns McGhie died on 2nd March, 1950, at his home at Wimborne, Dorset, at the age of 78.
After studying chemistry and allied subjects at the Allan Glen’s School in Glasgow for three years, Mr. McGhie left Scotland for South Africa in 1889 to assist his father in sampling and prospecting work in the Transvaal. At the end of that year he started work under the City Analyst of Glasgow, leaving after twelve months to attend the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College.
He was then engaged by Broken Hill Proprietary Co. as sampler and assistant at their London assay office, and he subsequently joined Messrs. Quirk, Barton & Co. as assayer at their lead desilverizing and refining works at Rotherhithe. He worked in that capacity until 1897, when he was promoted to the position of works manager and, later, chief metallurgist. He left Messrs. Quirk, Barton & Co. to take up metallurgical work with Messrs. Avelino Aramayo & Co., of London, with whom he stayed until his retirement in 1924.
Mr. McGhie was elected to Studentship of the Institution in 1893 and was transferred to Associate Membership in 1898 and to Membership in 1908.
Vol. 60, Trans IMM 1950-51, p.52
