Jack Ernest Larkin Manners, a Life Member of the WA School of Mines Graduates Association, was born in 1922 in Kalgoorlie. He was the eldest son of Joe Manners, General Manager of Boulder Perseverance Limited—one of the major mines on the Golden Mile. Jack was the first second-generation graduate of the WA School of Mines and represented the third generation in his family to work in the mining industry.

While his father was stationed in London with Rio Tinto Ltd, Jack attended Colet Court, St Paul’s Preparatory School, for five years.

After returning to Kalgoorlie, Jack worked on the Boulder Perseverance and Lake View and Star mines. Following his graduation from WASM, he moved to Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), where he joined Rhokana Corporation as a Mine Captain.

In 1960, Jack returned to Australia and was appointed Chief Mining Engineer at North Broken Hill Ltd in Broken Hill. In 1965, he moved to Melbourne to become General Manager of R Hare & Associates (later known as Metals Exploration NL), during the peak of Western Australia’s nickel boom.

In 1967, Jack returned to Western Australia and joined Western Mining Corporation (WMC) in Kalgoorlie as Chief Mining Engineer. His work was focused largely on the Kambalda operations, and in 1969, he was appointed Assistant Resident Manager – Administration at Kambalda Nickel Operations under John B. Oliver.