Albert Huddleston died in hospital at Jinja, Uganda, on 11th July, 1961, at the age of 46.

He was born in Millom, Cumberland, and studied at Hatfield College, Durham University, from 1933 to 1937, gaining a first-class B.Sc. honours degree in geology. He worked during the vacations in the laboratories of Millom and Askam Haematite Iron Co., and took part in the National Union of Students three-month expedition to Spitzbergen in 1936.

Dr. Huddleston was awarded the degree of M.Sc. (Geology) by the University of Durham in 1946, and in 1952 that of Ph.D. (Geology) by the University of South Africa.

His first engagement after graduation in 1937 was with Gold Coast Selection Trust, Ltd., as junior mining geologist, and two years later he joined the Gold Coast Geological Survey Department. A few months later he was commissioned in the 53rd Gold Coast Field Coy., and was attached to various commands, his military service being mainly on geological and geophysical investigations connected with underground water supplies in Kenya, Tanganyika, Abyssinia and Somalia. He was demobilized in February, 1944, with the rank of captain.

Dr. Huddleston resumed work with the Gold Coast Geological Survey Department until his transfer in 1946 to the Mines and Geological Department, Kenya Colony. There he was largely engaged in regional geological survey of Kisii and Kakamega goldfields, and was the author of published reports on those areas. In 1952 he returned to the Gold Coast to take up the appointment of Deputy Director of the Geological Survey there, and held that post until his retirement in 1956.

He went back to Kenya and worked for a time as administrative secretary to the East African Veterinary Research Organization, but in 1959 joined the Uganda Geological Survey Department where he was serving as geologist at the time of his death.

Dr. Huddleston was elected a Student of the Institution in 1939. He was transferred to Associate Membership in 1943 and to Membership in 1952. He was also a Fellow of the Geological Society.

Vol. 72, Trans IMM 1962-63, pp.59-60

Back to index page