NORMAN BAKER WRITES:


I joined C.E. in April '59 - Dr Fred Cornwall had overall responsibility for the labs with Dr Ackerman as Chief Chemist, Dr MacKinnon - Chief Geologist, Lance Garner - Admin, Tosh - accounts & Mike Doyle - transport. Later on MacKinnon left and John Osten took over the reins.


Out at Kasempa, Peter Freeman was the district geologist and under him were geologists like Bob Lyall, Dai James, Jim Downie & Pete Brinkman to name a few - was also a contingent of Canadian guys like Dick Addison etc. Field assistants were Alan Boisragon, Gerald Gibbs, Dave Gregory, Peter & Tony Moore, Chris Jones, Ken Clegg, Dirk Eva, Terry Compton and others Late '59 (I think) Ackerman left and Clyde Kruger became chief chemist. Used to stand-in for him when he was on holidays in S.Africa.


While at Kasempa, completed an advanced lab. tech. correspondence course from Sheffield University (did 6 monthly practicals at Nchanga mine lab & written exams at the convent).

In my last yr at Kasempa, worked with Steve Landsberg doing geophysical surveys at Lubufu (spelling?) and also set up a mobile lab on the other side of the Kafue river outside Mumbwa.

After 3yrs with C.E. didn't see any further prospects so requested a transfer to Rhokana mine lab which was granted towards the end of '62. 

Worked at Rhokana for 20 months before deciding to emigrate to the USA mid 1964. Went to Salisbury to say cheerio to the folks & took a temporary job in the Std. Bank assay office to tide me over while waiting for all the emigration jazz to come through. Joined the Bank social club, met the wife and that was the end of the trip overseas. Left the bank in 1965 and joined AECI as chief chemist. Met up with Clyde again when he left Lusaka and joined Prospecting Ventures in Salisbury - he moved to S.A. around 1977. Tosh joined AECI late 70s but didn't last all that long. Bumped into him occasionally at the BSA Police club over the next couple of yrs. After spending 8yrs chasing terrs' decided it was time to leave Rhodesia so emigrated back to the U.K. at the end of 1982.


Head of quality & chief chemist for multi-national chemical firm called Elementis - Management sent me to the USA in 1994 to give talks on the ISO 9002 Quality Standards at sister factories in Easton, Pennsylvania & East St Louis in Illinois.
The U.K. factory was shutdown in 1999 moving the works to China with the loss of 95 jobs. Fortunately I was able to retire at the young age of 61 yrs.


Visited my sister & family in Natal at the end of 2000 - also meeting up with Tony Moore in Howick and then spent a few days with the Krugers in Krugersdorp (saw Pete Brinkman) at the end of the holiday. In 2004 toured Scotland and spent a day with the Downies in Aberdeen (pic R). Also correspond with Chris Jones who moved to Canada from Zambia around 1976 (pic R below with wife in Edmonton 2004) and met up with Mike Doyle and spoke to Dai James over the phone in 2009 (inset in photo).


Pix below - taken in 2000 at the Krugers - Clyde, Pete & me, and below Alma, Clyde, Wendy and me  - plus a few typical "life-in-the-bush" photographs.