Harry Austin Piper died on March 2nd, 1917, aged 55 years. He had just returned home from Rhodesia when an attack of pneumonia terminated fatally shortly after his landing at Plymouth.
He was educated in Norwich and in Germany, and at the age of 20 went to the United States, where he had five years’ practical experience at the Drumlummon Mine of the Montana Mining Co., Ltd. He afterwards studied at the State Mining School, Golden, Colorado, where he obtained a degree in mining; and prolonged his stay in Colorado as manager to a gold mine in Lewisville.
He next proceeded to Peru, and spent two years in prospecting and reporting work for the Peruvian Corporation, Ltd., under Mr. R.J. Frecheville. In 1894 he went to Rhodesia to report upon the Matabele Company’s Concession, of which he was subsequently appointed general manager; and in conjunction with this appointment he also held the post of manager to the Globe and Phoenix Gold Mining Co., Ltd.
In 1901 Mr. Piper was appointed consulting engineer to the Consolidated Gold Fields of South Africa, Ltd., and, in addition, practised in London for several years as a consulting mining engineer, in partnership with Mr. J.A. Chalmers. In 1911 he returned to Rhodesia, and for six years carried on his work for the Consolidated Gold Fields of South Africa, making his headquarters at Bulawayo.
Mr. Piper was elected a Member of the Institution in 1896, and from 1905 to 1906 was a Member of Council.
Vol. 26, Trans I.M.M., 1916-17, p.275
