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John George Weeks, President of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers from 1900-1902 began his working life as an apprentice mining engineer, later becoming a colliery managing owner and mining advisor to the Earls of Ravensworth.

Early life
Weeks was born in Ryton-on-Tyne. His father, Mr Richard Morce Weeks, both farmed his own land and kept an academy, two of the best known pupils being Sir Joseph Cowan, M.P. and Sir W.H. Stephenson. His mother was Fanny Elizabeth, daughter of Mr John Nicholson, of Winlaton. Mr Weeks was educated at home and at Newcastle Grammer School until the age of 12 when he went to Rossall where he soon showed the mathematical ability and retentive memory which aided him so greatly in his later life. On leaving in 1859 at the early age of 16, he was top boy in mathematics.

Career Development
In 1860, he began his apprenticeship as a mining engineer with the Stella Coal Company under the late Mr Robert Simpson and Dr. J.B. Simpson, to whose kindness, strict discipline and help he attributed the mining knowledge which stood him in good stead in after years. Contemporary apprentices were Mr Arthur Sopwith, Mr James Murtrie and Mr James A Maughan.

In 1865, he was made master sinker at the Addison Pit but left in the same year to take his first charge as manager of the Machen and Rhos Llantwit Colliery in South Wales under the late Mr Thomas Forster Brown. He remained at this colliery for two years and, in January 1868, accepted the post of manager at North Gawber and Willow Bank Collieries near Barnsley which he held until September 1872 when he was appointed head viewer and agent to the Bedlington Coal Company Limited.

Mr Weeks was then 29 years of age and his connection with this company, owning one of the largest groups of collieries in Northumberland, lasted to the date of his death on July 8th 1916, a period of nearly 44 years.

As might naturally be expected, many important changes and developments took place at Bedlington in his time; several additional shafts were sunk, all the heapsteads and screening plants were remodellled, the fur aces replaced by fans and electricity substituted for gas. He built a great many workmens houses and it was one of his sayings that “every new house built was an improvement on the last”. As a pitman, his early practical experience always proved of the greatest assistance. Careful and painstaking to a degree, he had the knack of gathering around him officials on whom he could rely, who gained every confidence in him and acquired his methods. Very hardworking himself, he would not tolerate slackness in others. He held strong views on managing his own pits and was of opinion that most of the obstacles to keeping up the output was due to a disregard of this essential. His relations with his workmen were good for he always gave then a fair crack of the whip and, though he constantly differed in opinion with them, they knew that they could rely on him dealing justly with any subject in dispute and on him keeping his word.

In addition to the Bedlington Colliery, he was connected with Messrs. Joseph Laycock and Company’s Seghill Colliery and became managing owner there in 1883, which post he retained until his death. He was also mining adviser to the late Earl of Ravensworth and his successors from 1903 onwards and held several other similar offices.

John George WEEKS The following from a memoir and portrait by R.J. Weeks Picture of John George Weeks between Pages 74 and 75 Transactions Vol  LV., Page 72:

Interest in Local Affairs
Weeks became a member of the Local Board in 1876 and on this becoming an Urban District Council in 1876, was it first chairman. He continued as a member until 1913 when he retired although still keeping his connection with them by being appointed as their first representative on the newly-constituted Blyth Harbour Commissioners. He was a member of the Morpeth Board of Guardians from 1879 to his decease; chairman of the managers of several of the colliery schools; vicar’s warden for many years at the Parish Church and in various ways gave a helping hand to the many institutions, societies and undertakings in the district. That this was appreciated was shown by the presentation made to him by the officials and workmen of the Bedlington Collieries and the public, generally, of Bedlingtonshire in July 1914, consisting of a clock, bureau and address. In 1894 he was made a Justice of the Peace for the county, later becoming chairman of the petty divisional court and a member of the licensing committee. Mr Weeks will perhaps be best remembered in connection with the Coal-trade Association of Northumberland and Durham and the Mining Association of Great Britain. He became a member of the Northumberland Joint Committee at its inception in 1873 and remained on till the end 1913. Vigorous and energetic in action, his personality was marked by a fighting temperament which dominated him in all the operations that he undertook. Endowed with a splendid memory, no one could surpass him in his knowledge of the varied and changing customs and idiosyncrasies of the coal-trade; in argument across the table, he was at his best and altogether a tower of strength to his side. He took a prominent part in the Northumberland Coal-owners Association and in 1876, acted as arbitrator with Mr S.C. Crone in the Enginemens dispute and, together with the late chairman, Mr R. O. Lamb, gave evidence in London in 1891 on their behalf before the Royal Commission on Labour. In the minimum wage proceedings in 1912-1913, before Lord Mersey, the brunt of the practical evidence fell upon his shoulders. In 1913, he was made vice-chairman of the Association and held that office until his death. In the United Coal-trade Association he played, in later life, a leading part; when the clauses of the New Mines Act of 1911 were first published, Col W.C. Blackett and he were appointed to represent the Durham and Northumberland coal-trade in the committee appointed by the Mining Association of Great Britain and it was greatly due to their common sense, practical knowledge and vigorous efforts that the various provisions and special rules were pruned, altered and excised so as to make them as workable and comprehensible as possible. No position that he held was he more proud of that the Presidency of The North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers in the years 1900-1902. He became a member of the Institute in 1865, was elected to the Council in 1877, and served continuously till his death; he always took the greatest interest in its welfare and spared nothing to further its progress. He was also a member of the Council and of the Finance and Publications Committee of The Institution of Mining Engineers. He was, for many years, an examiner for colliery-managers certificate putting candidates at their ease on going before him for their viva-voce examination.

Recreational Pursuits
In the course of so busy a life, there was little time for recreation – in fact, his work was his life – but the one pleasure he allowed himself was shooting and, in later life, travelling abroad. A propos of the present war, the writer remembered him saying in 1913 on his return from one of such trips duing which he had spent several days in different parts of Germany, how immensely struck he had been with systematic drilling everywhere and the universal dislke and suspicion which was shown to anyone supposed to be British. He took little interest in politics and socially was quiet and reserved; to him, indeed, his home was his castle. He had a keen sense of humour and enjoyed a good story or an amusing play.

Later Life
His health broke down completely in April 1916 but it was characteristic of the man that his reply to a message of sympathy from a meeting of the Northumberland Coal-owners Association should be that he “hoped soon to be in harness with them again”. After an illness of three months, most bravely fought and patiently borne, he passed away on July 8th 1916 and was buried in Ryton Churchyard.

Family
He married in 1881 Frances Mary, only daughter of the late Mr Thomas Hunter Rutherford, of Seaham Harbour, whose uncle, Mr George Hunter, was the well-known mining agent to the Marquesses of Londonderry and John Buddle’s right-hand man. Mr Weeks left one son and two daughters.

MR REGINALD GUTHRIE (Newcastle upon Tyne) desired to be allowed to express his personal appreciation of the services rendered to the mining industry by the late Mr Weeks, whose unique knowledge and experience were always at the full disposal of the coal-trade and who was every ready and willing to advise on matters connected with the industry. His kindness in supplying to him, Mr Guthrie, information and advice was of enormous advantage to him and of the very greatest benefit to the coal-owners.

THE PRESIDENT, Mr John Simpson, said that probably there was no one present who had been in such close touch with the late Mr Weeks as he. He knew Mr Weeks when the latter first commenced to serve his time in 1860 and, in 1865, when Mr Weeks went to South Wales under the late Mr Thomas Forster Brown, he, Mr Simpson, was put under Mr Week’s charge and practically served that part of this apprenticeship with him. Ever since, they had been associated with each other and had worked a good deal together. A better friend and a truer and more straightforward person that Mr Weeks he had never known.