Ernest Russell Woakes died on 29th November, 1947, at Stevenage, Hertfordshire, at the age of 83, after a long illness.
He was educated at University College School, London, and received his professional training at the Royal School of Mines from 1882 to 1885, where he graduated with the A.R.S.M. in mining. In 1886 he was appointed assayer and assistant engineer to Tolima Mining Co., Ltd., Colombia, South America, and subsequently became assistant manager. He left in 1891 and in the following year took up the position of manager to Darien Gold Mining Co., Ltd., Panama, where he remained for seven years. From 1899 to 1903 he held the post of resident consulting engineer in British Columbia to a number of properties, and then went to Spain for Messrs. John Taylor & Sons to assume the managership of Linares Lead Mining Co., Ltd., Alamillos Mining Co., and Fortuna Mining Co., in 1904 receiving a Diploma from the Spanish Government for his work. He managed other lead and copper mines in Spain until 1910.
In that year he became consulting mining engineer in London to Messrs. John Taylor & Sons, a position which he retained until his retirement in 1942. In 1911 he went to Namaqualand for a short period to manage the mines of Cape Copper Co. In subsequent years he visited and reported on gold mines practically all over the world, and on lead, copper, wolfram, vanadium and molybdenum properties in many countries. In 1918 he was in Norway on behalf of the British Government in charge of work for the restriction of the enemy supply of molybdenum. In 1923 he was in India reporting on the copper mines which were acquired by the Indian Copper Corporation Ltd., to which company he remained a consulting engineer until 1932. From 1921 to 1932 he was a director and latterly chairman of Balaghat Gold Mines, Ltd., one of the mines on the Kolar Gold Field of South India. He was president of the Royal School of Mines (Old Students’) Association from 1919 to 1920.
He was elected to Associateship of the institution in 1893 and transferred to Membership in the following year, and he served the Institution as a Member of Council for the 28 years from 1915 to 1943. He contributed four papers to the Transactions of the Institution — ‘Notes on the Espiritu Santo mine at Cana: its drainage and recovery’ (vol. 3, 1894-5); ‘A modern coarse concentration plant for silver lead ore’ (vol. 12, 1902-3); ‘Molybdenum in Norway’ (vol. 27, 1917-18);’ and ‘Notes on ore-sorting and hand-picking’ (vol. 34(1), 1924-5).
Mr. Thomas Pryor writes: With characteristic self-effacement, the article by E.R. Woakes in the Mining Magazine of November, 1923, on the Darien gold mine, Panama, makes little mention of the part played by himself in that romantic and successful venture. Yet the whole credit for its success is due to him and to him alone: it was his careful research into the old records which showed that the previous unsuccessful prospecting in the area had never found the richest of the old Spanish workings, and it was his refusal to he daunted by formidable difficulties which led to the re-discovery and opening of the old mine with such conspicuous financial success. These qualities of personal modesty, professional integrity, technical competence and determination were displayed throughout his long career.
A member of the Institution practically from its foundation, he took keen interest in all the conduct of its affairs. For many years he was an active member and latterly Chairman of the Applications Committee. His judgement, both of men and of mines, was very rarely at fault. Always anxious to give young engineers opportunity for advancement, he was insistent upon a high standard of education and training for those entering the profession, whilst recognizing fully those qualities which could only he gained by practical experience.
The success and prestige attained by the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy is largely due to the example and work of men like E.R. Woakes, who raised the dignity and status of the profession over a span of years in which the range and scope of mining technique and the financial responsibility of the engineer have been so greatly increased.
Vol. 57, Trans IMM 1947-48, pp.480-81
