John Henry Cordner-James

He developed a prolific career as a gold mining engineer and consultant, travelling[1] extensively to Russia, Australia, South America and South Africa, and was one of the first owners of a motor car in England.

In South Africa, Cordner-James notably formed the Gold Recovery Syndicate to acquire the patent rights to practice the MacArthur-Forrest gold cyanidation mining process in 1922.

[2] In Australia he had various business interests with fellow director of the Oroya-Brownhill mining company, future US President Herbert Hoover.

[3] In 1912 he was elected to the position of Vice President of the English Council of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy.

[5] Cordner-James suffered from arthritis towards the end of his life and in 1934 at the age of 76 built a new home near Aldeburgh, Suffolk, on account of its private location and low rainfall, which he lived in until his death in 1946.