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John Addis - Manager Of Tronoh Mines
John Addis was probably one of the most famous mining managers of all time when he worked for Foo Choo Choon, who in 1897, employed him as the Mining Manager, specifically to introduce more economical mining methods to Tronoh Mines. John, a British engineer, applied the most advanced mining methods of the time to the existing mine employing underground shaft mining and open-cast methods at the same time.
Consequently, the Tronoh Mines became the most westernised Chinese mining operation; with a 420-foot inclined shaft initially which was followed by a perpendicular shaft. These strategies were so successful that Tronoh Mines became the most famous open-cast mine of its time and Foo Choo Choon became known as the “King of Tin”.
Our donor, Susan supplied the following details :
"I am attaching a photo for you of John ADDIS with his sons and maybe nephews (picture left). There is quite a family resemblance between the men in the photo and John's brother Benjamin who also came to Australia and lived in Ballarat. He had three sons, who were all miners, so some of them may have worked with John?
The next photo (centre) is John and probably his son George ADDIS in Ipoh with what is possibly Foo Choo Choon.
The final photo is John in the mining fields taken about 1897. I was told it was taken in Indonesia, but I don't think John was ever there, so it was probably taken in Ipoh.
John died in Ipoh on 4th July 1908. His son George who was working with him died in Ipoh also. Unfortunately I don't know the date of his death and was wondering if there is any way I can find out please?"
The fourth photograph in this entry is that of John Addis and Foo Choo Choon with a couple of his coolies, taken from "British Progress in Pumps and Pumping Engines - Volume II" by Philip R. Bjorling.
To read more about Captain John Addis, click here.
To read more about Towkay Foo Choo Choon, click here.
To see an illustrated letter of appreciation from the mining conference of 1907, click here.
To read more about British Progress in Pumps and Pumping Engines, click here.