Harold Beech

BEECH, Harold, MAusIMM (1882-1924)

Born in England at Audley, Staffordshire, Beech worked in the Staffordshire coal mines and was under head mechanic at Cardiff Navigation and Meiros Gas Coal Collieries in Glamorgan in South Wales between 1896 and 1904, when he emigrated to Western Australia.

After studying steam and electrical engineering at the WA School of Mines in Kalgoorlie, Beech became assistant electrical engineer at the Sons of Gwalia Ltd (MMGF, Leonora) in 1906 and its chief engineer in 1911. To generate electricity for the mine he installed producer gas engines which were fired by local mulga wood. When acting manager of the mine in 1921 he led the fight against a fire which severely damaged the mine’s engine room. He managed to save the slimes treatment plant, which remained in operation while the rest of the plant was rebuilt.

Beech was elected a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining Engineers in 1918.

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References:
JCMWA 1916, 1920;
ProcAusIMM 55, 1924, Lxxvi;
Reid;
ArcAusMM.