John Ernest Davies
John Ernest Davies (1883-1939)
1939 Obituary [1]
"JOHN ERNEST DAVIES had a varied career at home and overseas, principally in connection with mining engineering.
He was born at Gweleath, Cornwall, in 1883, and attended Truro College from 1896 until 1899. He was then indentured an apprentice to Messrs. Holman Bros., Ltd., Camborne, and simultaneously attended the Camborne School of Science. In 1904 he acted as assistant instructor at this school, but from 1905 to 1906 he went to Birmingham as an improver at the works of Messrs. Belliss and Morcom, Ltd., attending evening classes at the Birmingham Municipal Technical School, and later taking a course at the Royal College of Science, South Kensington.
In 1907 he was appointed assistant designer at Messrs. Newtons, Ltd., Taunton, specialists in electrical work, but left in the same year to become lecturer in engineering at the School of Mines, Camborne. Mr. Davies went abroad in 1909 as draughtsman and assistant designer at the Morro Velho Mine of the St. John del Rey Mining Company, Ltd., Brazil.
He returned to England in 1921 to take the position of chief draughtsman with Messrs. Sandycroft, Ltd., Chester, and in 1924 became manager of the works at Dorking of the Road Plant Construction Company, Ltd., London, and consulting engineer to Basalts, Ltd.
He again returned to Brazil in 1927 on a special mission for the St. John del Rey Mining Company, Ltd., and in the following year carried out some investigations for the Yorkshire Dye Works. From 1928 to 1934 he acted as ventilation engineer and officer for physical research to the Kolar Gold Fields in South India. From there he went to South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand as representative for the Climax Rock Drill and Engineering Works, Ltd. In 1937 he rejoined the Road Plant Construction Company, Ltd., and was connected with this firm until his death, which occurred at Leicester on 14th June 1939.
In connection with his mining activities he invented the Davies-Simpson flame anemometer for measuring the velocity of low-speed air currents. Mr. Davies was elected a Graduate of the Institution in 1905, and was transferred to Associate Membership in 1911."