Dr. Osbert J R Howarth was a curator of Down House (the former home of Charles Darwin), for English Heritage.
He was Secretary of the British Association, 1909-1946 and wrote a centenary history of the association in this capacity.
When I started researching Dr Howarth, there wasn't a lot of information on him to be found at all, and this still remains one of the more scant entries on the blog even after my researches. It has thankfully grown over time.
W.G.V Balchin's centenary book mentioned him in a brief few lines shown below:
W.G.V Balchin's centenary book mentioned him in a brief few lines shown below:
Born 1877- Died: 1954. Westminster and Christ Church, Oxford. History degree and Geography diploma.
1904-1911 Geographical assistant to the editor of Encyclopaedia Brittanica.
He was linked with the British Association for the Advancement of Science, for whom he was Secretary from 1909 to 1946.He co-wrote a history of Geography with fellow President John Scott Keltie, see references. This would have been a significant work at the time.
He wrote and edited numerous Geographical books for Oxford University Press, including 'A Geography of Ireland'. He co-wrote a book on the British Empire with fellow President A J Herbertson.
He was a great advocate of the Commonwealth replacing the Empire.
He even chose this theme for his Presidential Address, which was called "The Commonwealth in the Geography Syllabus".
"The British Association: A Retrospect" by O J R Howarth. The first edition, published in 1922 covers the years 1831-1922; a second edition published to coincide with the British Science Association’s centenary in 1931 covers the hundred years from 1831-1931.
He had a life long interest in the GA, but sadly died in 1954, just after completing his Presidential term.
This is described in this report on the following year's conference.
Some of his other publications:
His Presidential address was published in 1954 in 'Geography'.
His Presidential address was published in 1954 in 'Geography'.
I like his starting point about the positioning of the address within the President's tenure, and the ability to speak freely. He then said that having never taught geography he was going to tell geography teachers what he thought they ought to be doing, particularly teaching about 'world citizenship' and range further afield rather than a focus on the UK as it had at the time, from Howarth's perspective. This is an interesting position from which to start as GA President of course, but not uncommon in the earlier years of the GA.
It seems that he did a good job as President, as reported in the Annual Report for 1953
He wrote a 'History of Geography' with John Scott Keltie. This was published in 1913 and is available to read from this link.
References
If anyone knows anything more about this President, or has images, please let me know. I am lacking a decent photograph of this President.
One copyrighted image is here.
https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/dr-o-j-r-howarth-18771954-194318 - Artist is Robert Darwin.
Howarth, O. J. R. “THE COMMONWEALTH IN THE GEOGRAPHY SYLLABUS. Address to the Geographical Association.” Geography, vol. 39, no. 1, 1954, pp. 5–13. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40564669
Howarth, O. J. R. (Osbert John Radcliffe), 1877-1954. The British Association for the Advancement of Science: a Retrospect 1831-1921. London: The Association , 1922.
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31840/supplement/3791/data.pdf
- according to this he connected with the Naval Intelligence Division of the Admiralty, and his son served with the Naval Reserve I think according to this source
https://www.unithistories.com/officers/RNVR_officersH2.html
which describes him as a "scholar in geography".
1922: Book on the Scope of School Geography - book on the Internet Archive site.
The Study of the Geographical Environment - book on the Internet archive site.
https://openlibrary.org/books/OL7178190M/The_British_association_for_the_advancement_of_science
http://www.aughty.org/pdf/historical_geog_irl.pdf
A book called "History of Geography" was written with John Scott Keltie and published in 1913. It can be read on the Internet Archive site.
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/58349/58349-h/58349-h.htm - readable Project Gutenberg book which explores the 'history of geography"...
I contacted the British Association for the Advancement of Science to see whether they had an image, or more information on this President.
I'm still waiting for a response at the time of posting. Actually still waiting over two years later.
Readable on the Internet Archive and quite useful...
If anyone knows anything more about this President, or has images, please let me know. I am lacking a decent photograph of this President.
One copyrighted image is here.
https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/dr-o-j-r-howarth-18771954-194318 - Artist is Robert Darwin.
Howarth, O. J. R. “THE COMMONWEALTH IN THE GEOGRAPHY SYLLABUS. Address to the Geographical Association.” Geography, vol. 39, no. 1, 1954, pp. 5–13. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40564669
Howarth, O. J. R. (Osbert John Radcliffe), 1877-1954. The British Association for the Advancement of Science: a Retrospect 1831-1921. London: The Association , 1922.
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31840/supplement/3791/data.pdf
- according to this he connected with the Naval Intelligence Division of the Admiralty, and his son served with the Naval Reserve I think according to this source
https://www.unithistories.com/officers/RNVR_officersH2.html
which describes him as a "scholar in geography".
1922: Book on the Scope of School Geography - book on the Internet Archive site.
The Study of the Geographical Environment - book on the Internet archive site.
https://openlibrary.org/books/OL7178190M/The_British_association_for_the_advancement_of_science
http://www.aughty.org/pdf/historical_geog_irl.pdf
A book called "History of Geography" was written with John Scott Keltie and published in 1913. It can be read on the Internet Archive site.
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/58349/58349-h/58349-h.htm - readable Project Gutenberg book which explores the 'history of geography"...
I contacted the British Association for the Advancement of Science to see whether they had an image, or more information on this President.
I'm still waiting for a response at the time of posting. Actually still waiting over two years later.
Update - this book was co-written with two others, including a familiar name in R N Rudmose Brown.
Updated August 2021
National Portrait Gallery photo.
Updated October 2023
We were delighted to be visited by the Granddaughter of Osbert John Radcliffe Howarth who was a part of the Downe Home Guard stationed at Charles Darwin's former home, @HomeofDarwin! Jo spotted her grandfather in the photograph on display at our Museum! #homeguard #darwin #raf pic.twitter.com/oqZhoUIZUb
— Biggin Hill Memorial Museum (@BigginHillMMT) June 13, 2021
He's on here somewhere then...
The Archives of Down House and BAAS have letters from Howarth in them, as does the Bodleian Library.
I discovered in an issue of the Elizabethan the confirmation that he went to Westminster School, followed by Oxford University. This makes him an Old Westminster.
The extra information about him being involved with the production of the geography section of Encyclopaedia Brittanica was also really interesting. Another avenue to explore...
The magazine also had information on his wedding.
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