Oswald Sterling Finnie
| Oswald Sterling Finnie | |
|---|---|
| |
| Occupation | mining engineer |
Oswald Sterling Finnie was a mining engineer.[1]
He participated in the Klondike Gold Rush.[1] Following the Gold Rush he spent close to 30 years working for Canada's Department of Mining. He eventually became the second in command to H.H. Rowatt, when he was director of the "Mining Lands and Yukon" branch of the Department. When the Department was reorganized, in 1921, creating a new branch for the "Northwest Territories and Yukon", Finnie was made it director, instead of his former superior, Rowatt.
Through seniority Rowatt was eventually promoted to Deputy Minister of the Department, in 1931, its highest unelected position.[1] Rowatt then dissolved Finnie's branch, which forced him into early retirement.
Finnie's son, Richard Sterling Finnie, became a well-known Arctic explorer and director of documentary films.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Terry Cook. "Some of the Books are Worn Out": The Klondike Gold Rush and Records Conservation, Archivaria, 1986. Retrieved on 2024-01-02. “Oswald Sterling Finnie is an important figure in northern administration. After his Yukon career, he became Chief Mining Inspector of the Department of the Interlor and thus second-in-command in the large Mining Lands and Yukon Branch.”