Tom Pollard (1872-1948)
1949 Obituary [1]
"TOM POLLARD, who was born in Cornwall in 1872, spent almost the whole of his professional career in South Africa.
In 1895 he became a premium pupil in the works of the Earle's Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, of Hull, and after five years' training in the shops and drawing office continued with that firm as a junior draughtsman for a further period. He then obtained similar employment at the Northumberland Engineering Works, Newcastle upon Tyne, and with Messrs. Browell Lindley and Company, Ltd., of Patricroft, rising to be leading draughtsman.
Proceeding to South Africa in 1900 he was appointed in the following year constructional engineer to the De Beers Consolidated Mines of Kimberley. He subsequently held similar appointments with Messrs. H. Ekstein and Company, Ltd., of Johannesburg, and the Premier Diamond Mining Co, for the latter of whom he carried out the construction of a power plant and a crushing mill with a capacity of 30,000 tons a day. In 1914 he went into practice as a consulting engineer at East London, Cape Province, specializing in schemes for irrigation and cold storage plant. He continued in this work until his retirement in 1942. Mr. Pollard was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1921 and was transferred to Membership in 1925. His death occurred at East London on 22nd June 1948."