DIAMOND KING’S DEATH

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28481, 10 January 1958, Page 12

DIAMOND KING’S DEATH

Dr. J. T. Williamson (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) DAR-ES-SALAAM, Jan. 8. Dr. John T. Williamson, a Canadian-born lumberjack’s son who became a multi-millionaire diamond king, died last night—a bachelor and a recluse—at the age of 50.

Last November he sent Princess Margaret a £15,000 diamond from his mine at Mwadui, Tanganyika. He had been too ill to present it in person during her 1956 tour of East Africa.

His wedding gift to Queen Elizabeth was the priceless “Princess Pink” diamond of fifty-four carats. One of the mourners at the funeral was Mr I. C. Chopra an Indian Q.C. who had staked Dr Williamson on his final safari which resulted in the discovery of his famous mine.

A brilliant geologist, the young Dr. Williamson believed that diamonds in plenty were to be found in the Mwadui area, but experts rejected his theory. He hunted till 1940, when he found the first stone.

He spent the rest of his days at the spot, running the mine which is said to produce more than £3,000.000 worth cf diamonds a year. He received five hundred marriage prpposals a year. Dr. Williamson showed little interest in money and turned most of his profits back into the undertaking. He lived in a small bungalow ’ inside the mine enclosure, among his books and records. $Dr Williamson’s fortune ,|k reputed to exceed 100,000,000