John Anthony Sidney Ritson died on 16th October, 1957, at the age of 70.
He was born at Pelton, Co. Durham, and educated at Uppingham School from 1902 to 1905. He spent the next four years as a mining apprentice at Burnhope and Preston collieries in Durham and Northumberland, also attending Armstrong College, University of Durham, where he obtained the B.Sc. degree in coal and metalliferous mining in 1910. He was assistant manager at Preston colliery from 1911 to 1912 and left on his appointment as H.M. Inspector of Mines in Scotland, a position he held until 1921. During the period between graduation and the outbreak of the first world war he played Rugby football for England in several international matches.
During the 1914-18 war, Professor Ritson, mobilized with his territorial battalion, was first posted to the 8th Durham Light Infantry and served in France with the 50th Division until he was severely wounded. He later commanded the 12th Royal Scots in the 9th (Scottish) Division with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was awarded the D.S.O. and Bar, the M.C. and the Territorial Decoration, and was four times mentioned in dispatches. He received the O.B.E. (Military) in 1935.
His later work with the Mines Inspectorate was in South Yorkshire (1921-22), where he also acted as mine rescue-apparatus testing officer for the Home Office and Mines Department, and in South Wales as Senior Inspector.
In 1923 he was appointed Professor of Mining at the University of Leeds and from 1st January, 1936, until his retirement in 1952, occupied the Chair of Mining at the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College of Science and Technology. He was Dean of the Royal School of Mines from 1947 to 1949. After his retirement he was appointed Professor Emeritus of Mining in the University of London and in was elected an-Honorary Fellow of Imperial College.
Professor Ritson visited many mining fields abroad and engaged in a considerable amount of professional work in a consulting capacity. Much of this was concerned with the improvement of rescue apparatus and shot-firing techniques.
His public services, both during and after the second world war, were of major importance. He was Director of Mining Supplies and later, Production Director at the Ministry of Fuel and Power, and, from 1942, was Crown Mineral Agent in Great Britain. He was a member of many boards and committees, including the Body of the Geological Survey, the Non-Ferrous Metal Mines Production Committee of the Ministry of Supply, the Mineral Development Committee of the Ministry of Fuel and Power, the Lord President’s Natural Resources (Technical) Committee, and, from 1942, the Coal Commission.
Professor Ritson was elected to Membership of the Institution in 1936 and served on the Council from 1940, as Vice-President during the sessions 1942-46 and 1952-53, and was President for 1953-54. He was also a Past-President of the Institution of Mining Engineers.
He was the author of many technical articles, principally on coal-mining matters, and contributed a paper to the Institution entitled ‘Notes on mining education and postgraduate training’ (Transactions vol. 58, 1948-49), as well as his Presidential Address — ‘Recruitment to the profession of mining engineering’ (Transactions vol. 62, 1952-53).
Professor C.W. Dannatt writes: Professor Ritson was a man of considerable personal charm, and his friendly disposition made him a most pleasant and welcome colleague. To any matter that caught his interest, he brought a remarkably youthful enthusiasm that could win whole-hearted support for a good cause. Essentially practical in his outlook, his early contact with-fatal winding accidents in the coalfields roused his interest in mine safety appliances and safety regulations, a matter that attracted little attention in academic circles but was of major importance to the mining community. To this cause, much of his life and work were devoted.
The poor health that afflicted him during recent years was met the same courage that, in his younger days, had won for him military honours and distinction, and he will be long remembered as a congenial colleague, a trusty friend, a good sportsman and a very gallant gentleman.
Vol. 67, Trans I.M.M., 1957-58, pp.138-9
