Wilfred Walter Varvill died at Portsmouth on 28th April, 1963. He was 75 years of age.

Mr. Varvill was educated at Armstrong College, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, from 1906 to 1909, and was awarded the degree of B.Sc. in mining. During the vacation he gained practical mining experience with Weardale Lead Co., Ltd.

His first post was that of analyst with Potters Cement Works, Newcastle; and after a short period there he went to South America to take up the position of surveyor and sampler to Colombian Mining and Exploration Co., Ltd., at Marmato gold mines. He returned to the United Kingdom in 1911 to take up the appointment of prize demonstrator at Armstrong College.

In March, 1912, Mr. Varvill joined Hafan Mining Co., Ltd., Cardiganshire, as surveyor, and a year later became acting manager to Kingside Mines, Ltd. Early in 1914 he examined and reported on iron ore properties in Portugal on behalf of Ebbw Vale Iron Co., but later that year returned to the United Kingdom. During the First World War he served with the Northumberland Fusiliers and later with the Royal Engineers. Mr. Varvill was awarded the Military Cross and was twice mentioned in despatches.

After the war he was appointed general manager of Greenhaugh Mining Co., Ltd., Yorkshire, at the same time jointly managing Bewerley Mines, Ltd.; he as associated with other mines in the area. From 1929 to 1936 he lectured at Birmingham University, also undertaking surveying and consulting engineering work. In 1937 he was awarded the degree of M.Sc. by Birmingham University.

Mr. Varvill’s next appointment was that of assistant general manager, Marlu Gold Mining Areas, Ltd., and in 1938 he became general manager of Konongo Mines, Ltd., on the Gold Coast. He remained there until 1945, when he returned the United Kingdom to lecture at the Royal School of Mines. In 1947 he was appointed general manager of El Oro Mining and Exploration Co., Ltd., and in the following year undertook consulting work in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Tanganyika. Thereafter, Mr. Varvill continued in private practice as a consulting engineer.

Mr. Varvill was the author of many technical papers and made frequent contributions to the discussion of papers published by the Institution. Among his own Institution papers are ‘The examination of abandoned mines’ (Transactions, vol. 45, 1935-36), ‘A study of the shapes and distribution of the lead deposits in the Pennine limestones in relation to economic mining’ (Transactions, vol. 46, 1936-37), and the joint paper entitled ‘Prospecting with the diamond drill for lead-zinc ores in the British Isles’ (Transactions, vol. 62, 1952-53). His paper ‘The future of lead-zinc and fluorspar mining in Derbyshire’ was presented at the Institution’s 1958 symposium on the Future of Non-ferrous Mining in Great Britain and Ireland.

Mr. Varvill was elected to Student Membership of the Institution in 1910, was transferred to Associated Membership in 1914, and to Membership in 1926. He served as a Member of Council from 1951 to 1956.

Vol.74 Trans IMM, pp.898-99

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For further detail of Varvill’s time in Yorkshire see: