William Martin
William Martin (1878-1944)
1946 Obituary [1]
WILLIAM MARTIN, who was born at Ayton, Berwickshire, in 1878, was elected a Member of the Institution in 1916. In addition he was a Member of the Association of Certificated Engineers of South Africa. He received his general education at Berwick Grammar School and his technical instruction at the Hawick Science and Art Schools.
On the completion of a five years' apprenticeship with Messrs. James Melrose and Sons engineers, of Hawick, in 1899, he gained further experience for a few months with Messrs. McEwan Clark and Company, electrical engineers. In 1902 he went to the Transvaal and during the remainder of his career, extending over forty years, maintained a close connection with that country. His first position being that of maintenance engineer at the Van Ryn gold mine which he held until 1905. He then successively held the post of resident engineer to the Rana Collieries and the Van Dyk Proper Mines until 1910 when he became assistant engineer to the Simmer Deep gold mines.
On the conclusion of a year's engagement as resident engineer to the Sub Nigel mine he returned in 1915 to Simmer Deep, in the capacity of resident engineer. On the closing of that mine in 1922 he received the appointment of manager to the African Iron and Steel Products Company, Ltd. Some ten years later Mr. Martin relinquished this position and became consulting mechanical engineer to the African and European Investment Company, Ltd., continuing in this work up to the time of his death, which occurred on 25th April 1944.