Gottfried (sometimes Godfrey) Andreas Watermeyer, surveyor and mining expert, was the son of Gottfried Andreas Watermeyer and his wife Anna Susanna Ziervogel. He received his secondary education at the South African College School, Cape Town, from 1886 and matriculated in the first class through the University of the Cape of Good Hope in 1888. He continued his studies at the South African College and was awarded the BA degree with honours in mathematics and natural science by the University of the Cape of Good Hope in 1892. He had been studying surveying at the same time and passed the University's Survey Certificate Examination in 1891. He was admitted as a land surveyor in the Cape Colony in 1893 and in the Transvaal Colony in September 1902. In 1897, after studying at the Royal School of Mines in London, he became an associate of that institution (ARSM).

Watermeyer started his career as a land surveyor in Hidalgo, Mexico, in 1898. The next year he returned to South Africa to take up a position as surveyor at the Luipaardsvlei Estates gold mine, Krugersdorp. In 1900 he started in private practice at Barberton, Mpumalanga, where he remained until 1913, when he was appointed chief surveyor to the General Mining and Finance Corporation. This position he held until his appointment in 1921 as professor of mining and surveying at the University College, Johannesburg (from 1922 the University of the Witwatersrand). In 1934 his department was split to form separate departments of mining and of surveying and he became professor of surveying until his retirement in 1939. Over the years he developed a full degree course in surveying.

Watermeyer's most important publication, in collaboration with S. N. Hoffenberg, was Witwatersrand Mining Practice, an early standard work of reference on the subject. However, his main strength and interest was in surveying. Papers by him included "Application of the theory of probability in the determination or ore reserves" (Journal of the Chemical, Metallurgical and Mining Society of South Africa, 1919), "The survey of the Union of South Africa" (South African Geographical Journal, 1919), "Surveying and geodesy" (an historical review, South African Geographical Journal, 1929), "Precision test of a Wild theodolite" (South African Survey Journal, 1932) and "Mining and surveying in Barberton" (South African Journal of Science, 1933).

Watermeyer's expertise and popularity is shown by his prominent role in many local scientific and technical societies. He served on the council of the Institute of Land Surveyors of the Transvaal from 1923 to 1927. Earlier, in April 1919, he had represented that Institute, of which he was president at the time, on the Joint Committee of Technical Societies and on its Constitution Subcommittee and played a prominent role in the subsequent foundation of the Associated Scientific and Technical Societies of South Africa in 1920, serving as its president in 1933. He was the first president of the Institute of Mine Surveyors of South Africa (1923) and president of the Chemical, Metallurgical and Mining Society of South Africa (1922/3). He became a member of the Geological Society of South Africa in 1915, served on its council for many years from 1923 to his death in 1951, and as president in 1931. His presidential address dealt with the connection between geodesy and geology. In 1929, when the British Association for the Advancement of Science met in South Africa, he served as joint vice-president of Section E (which included geography). During 1926/7 he was a member of the council of the South African Association for the Advancement of Science and in 1933 was president of Section A. He served as joint vice-president of the South African Geographical Society during 1923-1926 and then as president for 1929.

Watermeyer was survived by his wife, Alice Ellen Watermeyer. He is remembered for his thoroughness, efficiency, and friendly nature.

List of sources:

Anhaeusser, C. R. (Ed.) A century of geological endeavour in south Africa, 1895-1995. Johannesburg: Geological Society of South Africa, 1997.

Cape of Good Hope. Report of the Surveyor-General, 1893.

Fischer, R. C. and Thomas, P. W. The Institute of Government Land Surveyors of the Cape of Good Hope. South African Survey Journal, 1979, Vol. 17(1), pp. 7-43.

Gottfried Andreas Watermeyer. Geni. Retrieved on 12 January 2022 from https://www.geni.com/people/Gottfried-Watermeyer/6000000081326831852

Hall, A. L. A bibliography of South African geology. Geological Survey, Memoirs no. 25 (1927) and 30 (1937).

Harger, H. S. Historical notes on the Geological Society of South Africa. Proceedings of the Geological Society of South Africa, 1939, Vol. 42, pp.lxvii-lxxiv.

Journal of the Chemical, Metallurgical and Mining Society of South Africa, 1940, Vol. 41(1), Past presidents.

Journal of the Institute of Land Surveyors of the Transvaal, 1905, Vol. 1(1), List of members of the institute; 1909, Vol. 1(8), List of members.

Journal of the Institute of Mine Surveyors of South Africa, 1923, Vol. 1(1), Office bearers.

Murray, B. K. Wits - the early years. Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press, 1982.

National Automated Archival Information Retrieval System (NAAIRS). http://national.archives.gov.za/naairs.htm Documents relating to Gottfried Watermeyer.

Orr, J. Presidential address. Associated Scientific and Technical Societies of South Africa, Annual Proceedings, 1938, pp. 15-86.

Proceedings of the Geological Society of South Africa, 1920, Vol. 23, pp. xii-xvi, List of members.

Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, 1929, Office bearers.

Ritchie, W. The history of the South African College, 1829-1918 (Vol. 2). Cape Town: T. Maskew Miller, 1918.

South African Geographical Journal, 1919-1929, Vol. 3-12, Office bearers and papers by G. A. Watermeyer.

South African Journal of Science, 1926, Vol. 23, Officers and Council; 1933, Vol. 30, Presidential address Section A.

South African Survey Journal, 1923-1932, Vol. 1-4, The Institutes of Land Surveyors; paper by Watermeyer.

South African Who's Who, 1919-1920.

University of the Cape of Good Hope. Calendar, 1917-1918.

Watermeyer, G. A. and S. N. Hoffenberg. Witwatersrand Mining Practice. Johannesburg, 1932.

Compiled by: C. Plug

Last updated: 2022-01-12 11:37:42