John Condie Wylie
John Condie Wylie (1853-1899)
son of Allan C. Wylie
1899 Obituary [1]
JOHN CONDIE WYLIE was born in Glasgow, in the district of Hutchestown in the parish of Govan, on 2nd January 1853, being a son of Mr. Allan C. Wylie, engineer.
After receiving his early education from 1861 to 1868 at Arnold House, Hackney, London, he served his time from 1868 to 1873 with Messrs. J. and H. Gwynne, Hammersmith Iron Works, London, working his way through all departments.
He was afterwards employed in the workshops of Mr. John Stewart, Blackwell; Messrs. A. Chaplin and Co., Glasgow; the London and Glasgow Engineering Co., Glasgow; and for six months was draughtsman with Messrs. A. Ransome and Co., Chelsea.
From 1875 to 1880 he was engineer to the London and South African Exploration Co., who owned a diamond mine situated in Dutoitspan near Kimberley, Cape Colony, where he was personally acquainted with Mr. Rhodes, Dr. Jameson, and others since famous, but was not associated with their doings.
After a visit to England he became engineer and manager 1880-85 to the Standard Diamond Mining Co. and the Compagnie Generele, Kimberley.
Revisiting England in 1886, he then went to the Transvaal, and from 1886 to 1894 was engineer and general manager to the Lisbon-Berlyn Gold Mining Co., Lydenburg, for whom during his stay of seven years he was the means of acquiring the Frankfort mine, the only paying mine they possessed.
After another visit to England he went to the West Coast of Africa to manage the Appantoo Gold Mining property, and thence to Western Australia to investigate the Bamboo Creek property, whence after nine months' stay he sailed for England in the " China," aboard which he was a passenger when she was wrecked.
In 1897 he undertook the management of the Wassail Gold Mining property, Gold Coast, but becoming ill of fever eras compelled to return home in December 1898. Believing he had completely recovered, he went out again to the Gold Coast to resume his duties there; but in time the fever again attacked him and necessitated his return.
He reached home on 31st July, and died on 8th August 1899 at St. Ives, Cornwall, at the age of forty-six.
He became a Member of this Institution in 1895.