Westropp James Wilson died on 8th May, 1960, at the age of 68.
Mr. Wilson was a student at the University of Durham for three years and was awarded the B.Sc. degree in mining in 1916. He served with the Royal Engineers during the 1914-18 war, and on demobilization in 1919, took up employment with Messrs. Laws, Rumbold and Co. as assistant engineer to the Niger Co., Ltd., so beginning a career spent entirely in Nigeria. In 1925 he was transferred to Nigerian Base Metals Corporation, Ltd., as area manager at Rishi, and two years later his services were lent to Ex-Lands Nigeria, Ltd., for work on prospecting and production, and to manage Shua area.
From 1929 to 1947 Mr. Wilson was in charge of the Gold and Base Metal Mines of Nigeria, Ltd., Group prospecting and surveying departments. He continued his work with Finsbury Pavement House as field manager supervising production at all the Group’s mining camps from 1947 to 1950, and subsequently, until his retirement in 1954, held the position of technical assistant and officer in charge of prospecting.
Mr. Wilson was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1924, and transferred to Membership in 1952.
Vol. 70, Trans IMM 1960-61, p.680