Welcome to the blog

Welcome to this new blog, which was launched at the Geographical Association Conference 2019, held at the University of Manchester.

Over the next two years, I will post a brief biography of a past President of the Geographical Association, roughly one per week, along with other posts relating to their work, and the changing nature of the Association itself.
There have been just over 100 people who have held the post of President, and each one has their own story, and made their own contribution to the workings of the Association.

The biography will also include connections between the people and the broader geographical education landscape. It will describe changes in the Association itself, and also the wider world within which British school geography found itself.

I will draw on a number of key texts for the early years, particularly Rex Walford's history of Geography in British Schools, 1850-2000 and W.G.V Balchin's history of the First Hundred Years of the GA 1893-1993.
Separate blog posts will also mention other sources which will grow as the project develops. These will include books on teaching, on geography education and those with a wider scope, or which were written by the Presidents themselves. I have a fairly good collection of historical textbooks.

I have started writing each of the 100+ posts, and prepared a questionnaire for those Presidents who are still active, and I hope to write about them in a more collaborative way than I will with some of the older Presidents from past decades.

I have looked at many past copies of both 'The Geographical Journal' and 'Geography' to find out more about each President's work within the Association, and read their Presidential Address if it was available. There are also other GA publications which I have drawn on as well. These are all credited where relevant in the appropriate blog post.
There are also numerous connections that have become more apparent with the Royal Geographical Society, and later the Institute of British Geographers as well. The two organisations have worked in the same sphere for over a century, and many of the prominent figures in the GA's history have also been involved with the RGS, and other organisations such as as the LSE.

I am also happy to receive memories and other documents relating to the life, work and achievements of past Presidents from those who may know more about particular people, or know of a source which has further detail. I have learned a great deal about the development of the subject as well as the Association through my work on the project so far.

At the planned rate of progress, it will be a project that will unfold over several years, so there is plenty of time to let me know if you have an image or information that you would like to add in. This is a fascinating history which shows the interesting characters who have held the position of President. These include Lords, adventurers, academics and writers.

This is a personal project, and is not connected to the Geographical Association or the Royal Geographical Society with IBG, other than the obvious subject matter. All opinions are the author's own.

Image: Alan Parkinson