WEALTHY BARONET

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 12 June 1939, Page 5

WEALTHY BARONET

MINES IN CANADA ONCE PENNILESS PROSPECTOR lU.P.A —By Electric Telegraph— Copyriuht LONDON, Bth June. One the eve of last night’s announcement of a baronetcy for Mr Harry Oakes, the Canadian mining magnate, who was once a penniless gold prospector, it was revealed that he had given £IO,OOO to St. George’s Hospital, and had already given the hospital £BO,OOO. Sir Harry Oakes is one of the richest men in the world, and his income is estimated at more than £1,000,00 0a year from Canadian mines. Sir Harry Oakes, wh« was born in the United States in 1874, joined in the great “gold rush” to the Klondike in 1896. After gaining mining experience there and in Alaska he roamed the world, prospecting in the Philip- j pines, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico,. South Africa and other countries. In 1906 he took part in opening a mine in the Death Valley district of Nevada. Four years later he returned to Canada and staked out the Tough Oakes Mine and Lake Shore Mine in Northern Ontario.

Sir Harry Oakes devoted all his time to developing these properties. He formed Lake Shore Mines, Limited. a company of which he was president and managing-director. The mines became Canada’s richest source of gold, and in a few years he had a large fortune. He made many gifts for public purposes in Ontario. He often visits London, where he has a lease of a large house in Kensington. He also bought Tottingworth Park, a big estate in Sussex. In September, 1937, he visited St. George's Hospital, London, plans for rebuilding which were in suspense for want of funds. Before leaving he gave it £BO,OOO which enabled the authorities with money already in hand to arrange for the commencement of the rebuilding in a few months.