James Leslie Thompson died in London on 18th February, 1951, at the age of 65.
He received his training at the Royal School of Mines from 1906 to 1910, gaining the A.R.S.M. in Metallurgy and the degree of B.Sc. (Eng.) (Met.). He remained at the School until 1912 as demonstrator in mine surveying, leaving to take up the position of mining engineer and surveyor to Messrs. John Cochrane & Sons, Ltd., contractors.
From 1914 to 1916 he was engaged as assistant surveyor, tunnelling, on the Post Office (London) Railway construction, and then served with the Ministry of Munitions for the next three years as an assistant inspector.
In 1919 he joined the firm of Beard and Fitch, Ltd., mechanical engineers, and became a director, remaining with the firm for ten years. He returned to railway construction and tunnelling in 1930 as assistant resident engineer with the London Electric Railway, and in the following year was made resident engineer. He continued as senior resident engineer with the London Passenger Transport Board, his work including the Bakerloo and Highgate extension and the Leicester Square interchange subway. He was also engaged on the construction of Home Office tunnel shelters. He left the L.P.T.B. in 1948 on completion of his contract.
Mr. Thompson was admitted to Studentship of the Institution in 1908 and became an Associate in 1913.
Vol. 61, Trans IMM 1951-52, p.80
