Haddon King
KING Haddon Rymer Forrester, BAppSc(Mining Engineering) HonFIMM HonDSc (1905-1990)
Mining engineer who played a pivotal role in the development of the iron ore industry in WA.
Haddon was born in Georgetown, British Guiana, on February 4, 1905, the son of George Forrester King and his wife, Jessie Ann King, nee Kingsland.
In 1926, Haddon was working with the British Guiana Geological Survey and achieved his Surveyors Licence in 1929.
Haddon moved to Canada in 1930 and studied mining engineering at Toronto University. He graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Mining Engineering) in 1934. He has been exposed to emerging exploration techniques during his vacation employment in the Timmins and Sudbury Basins.
He was recruited to Western Mining Corporation Limited in Western Australia in 1934, becoming Senior Geologist in 1936. He was specifically recruited to apply modern exploration technology.
He married, firstly, accountant Noreen Sheahan, at Saint Mary’s Cathedral, in Perth, on January 19, 1937. They had one son and two daughters. The family lived in Ward Street, Kalgoorlie.
He enlisted in April 1942, describing his occupation as Mining Engineer, serving in the Australian Army Engineers, Australian Army Ordnance Corps and the Australian Infantry Service. He served overseas in Bougainville and rose to the rank of Captain.
In 1943, his mother in law, Mary Ellen Sheahan died and his family moved to the Airlie Street property in Cottesloe.
In 1946, Haddon was appointed as Chief Geologist with the company Consolidated Zinc Pty Ltd and the family moved to Broken Hill.
In 1953 Haddon moved to Melbourne becoming the Chief Geologist at Consolidated Zinc Pty Ltd. With the merger of his company with Rio Tinto he became Director of Exploration at Conzinc Riotinto of Australia (CRA). With John Hohnen, Director of Operations CRA, he played a pivotal role in the development of the iron ore industry in Western Australia and the formation of Hamersley Holdings. Haddon was also pivotal in developing the Panguna copper deposit on Bougainville.
His wife, Noreen died January 1965 and Haddon married, secondly, secretary Eleonore Umbach, on August 16, 1969, at the Collins Independent Church, Melbourne.
He retired in 1970. He then worked as a consultant, in geology and exploration, to companies including CRA, until 1986.
Haddon received many awards for his scientific contribution to geology. In 1970, he was awarded the Penrose Medal by the Society of Economic Geologists.
Haddon was awarded the William Branwhite Clarke Medal of the Royal Society of New South Wales and the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Medal in 1973.
He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of New England, Australia and an Honorary Fellowship of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy (London), both in 1975. He was awarded the W R Browne medal of the Geological Society of Australia in 1984.
Haddon died on March 11, 1990, in Brisbane, aged 85. He was survived by his three children from his first marriage and his second wife.
The Haddon Forrester King Medal was established in 1993 and named in his honour.
References:
Canberra Times, 14.1.1974, p. 9.
D. F. Branagan, King, Haddon Rymer Forrester (1905–1990), Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/king-haddon-rymer-forrester-12740/text22981, accessed online 12 January 2026.
Alan Trengrove, Adventure in Iron, Hamersley’s first Decade, Stockwell Press, 1976.
Compiled by Chris Fitzhardinge January 24, 2026
