Bedford McNeill (1861-1916), mining engineer
1916 Obituary [1]
BEDFORD MCNEILL died on September 18, 1916, at his home at Claygate, Surrey, at the age of fifty-five. He graduated at the Royal School of Mines, then established at Jermyn Street, and on completion of his course in 1880, he commenced his practical business training under the late Mr. John Darlington, an engineer of eminence in his profession. During his career Mr. McNeill inspected and reported on mines both in Europe and America, and in later years became consulting engineer of several important mining concerns and, at the time of his death, was a director of Menzies Consolidated Gold Mines, Ltd.
Unquestionably, his most important work was the compilation of his Telegraphic Code, first published in 1893. This achieved such a success that he extended and improved the work, and a revised edition was issued in 1908. Bedford McNeill's code is now generally adopted by those connected with the mining industry throughout the world.
In 1888 he was elected a Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry, and in the same year became a Fellow of the Geological Society, subsequently being appointed a Member of Council from 1904 to 1907-; he also held the position of treasurer for some years both to the Geological Society and the Geological Club. In 1895 Mr. McNeill was elected a member of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, and eleven years later was placed on the list of vice-presidents; he occupied the presidential chair for the year 1913-14, and his inaugural address is valued for its practical insight into the problems of the mining profession.
He was also a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers and of the Committee of the Royal School of Mines Old Students Association, the Royal School of Mines Advisory Board, and of the Mining Committee of the Advisory Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. He joined the Iron and Steel Institute in 1894.
1917 Obituary [2]
BEDFORD MCNEILL, born in Birmingham on the 1st April, 1861, died at Claygate, Surrey, on the 18th September, 1916.
After serving at Messrs. Chance Brothers’ chemical works, Oldbury, when he gained the first Priestley Scholarship, he graduated at the Royal School of Mines, and in 1880 became assistant to Mr. John Darlington, a well-known Mining Engineer.
In 1890, having acquired a varied experience of mining in Europe and America, he engaged in independent practice as mining, metallurgical and mechanical engineer and became Consulting Engineer to many important mining undertakings. He was the author of the telegraphic code bearing his name, and was a member of many scientific and technical societies.
In 1913 he was President of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy.
Mr. McNeill was elected an Associate Member of The Institution on the 7th December, 1897.