George Arthur Mitcheson
George Arthur Mitcheson ( -1934)
1934 Obituary [1]
GEORGE ARTHUR MITCHESON was a grandson of George Mitcheson, a friend of George Stephenson, both of whom were officials at Killingworth Colliery. On Stephenson's recommendation, George Mitcheson was appointed general manager of Mr. W. H. Sparrow's Lane End Collieries and Ironworks, Longton, Staffs., where Mr. Mitcheson was born in 1858.
He was originally trained as a mechanical engineer, and was articled to Messrs. Hartley and Arnoux, Stoke on Trent.
In 1878 he joined his father, who had succeeded as general manager to Mr. Sparrow's collieries, and in 1880 he himself was appointed general manager of that group. He held this position till 1888, while from 1880 to 1886 he had also acted as consulting engineer to the Turnhurst Collieries and Ironworks. From that time he was engaged principally on consulting work as a mining engineer and surveyor.
He subsequently became general manager and agent of several collieries in Staffordshire, a director of the Mossfield Colliery Company, Longton, and mining engineer to the North Staffordshire Railway. One of his principal interests was the application of machinery to mining. At the Florence Colliery, Longton, he introduced the first Parsons turbine used in colliery work, and installed for the Stafford Coal and Iron Company the very early turbines which used the exhaust steam from winding and furnace-blowing engines.
He was a pioneer in the introduction of chain coal-cutters, in face conveying and the machine-getting of coal, in mechanical haulage underground, and in scientific coal-washing and screening. In addition he took an active interest in education and acted as examiner to the Board of Education for the Home Office examinations for nearly fifty years.
In 1892 he was elected to Membership of the Institution.
His death occurred on 22nd February 1934.