Updated August 2023
He is still thought of fondly and remembered by geographers the world over.
“Everyone who met Rex knew very quickly they were in the company of an extraordinary man. He had a huge heart, boundless curiosity, sharp intelligence and above all commitment and enthusiasm which was infectious and mobilising.
He is an enormous loss to the world of geography education.”
David Lambert
Rex Walford was involved in very many aspects of the GA over the years, and this entry could end up being one of the longer ones on the blog just because of the sheer amount of things that Rex did with, and for the GA. He led a great deal of policy work and wrote a great many books and articles which were published by the GA. His energy and enthusiasm were legendary. His wife Wendy has attended GA Conferences regularly (before and) since his untimely passing and been involved in the development of the Rex Walford Award offered by the RGS-IBG, along with the creation of the annual Rex Walford lecture given at the GA Conference, which is aimed at early career teachers - a group that Rex did so much to nurture and inspire during his career.
I knew Rex, as the school where I worked for 20 years: King Edward VII in King's Lynn took trainees from Homerton College, University of Cambridge for many decades, and I also employed several of them as a Head of Department and worked with them, and met him numerous times when he came in to observe them teaching, before Liz Taylor succeeded him on his retirement from the post. It's a relationship I've maintained to this day, although my annual visit this year has been postponed... I shall be back next year I hope to speak to the 2021 cohort.
At the time, I shared Rex's interest in the use of games and simulations, and he made regular contributions to 'Teaching Geography' through this time, sharing ideas created by his students and there will be some shared on the blog. I have his book on 'Games and Simulations in Geography' published by Chris Kington on the shelf by my desk in my classroom.
I chatted to Rex when the GA finally purchased Solly Street and celebrated with a reception including David Blunkett as a guest of honour and a gathering of many former Presidents as it happened (although I didn't appreciate who all of them were at the time). This was a lovely occasion and one which drew several Presidents who had been involved with the process of locating and eventually securing Solly Street as the second Sheffield home of the GA after Fulwood Road. Some images from that evening have already appeared on the blog, with others still to come, taken by Bryan Ledgard.
There was also the 2010 Madingley venue for the Geography Teacher Educators' (GTE) conference, which I attended and spoke at, regarding the nature of the GA's support for trainee teachers. Rex had brought along his collection of memorabilia from the original Madingley lectures, which was fascinating to look through and talk about, and he spoke to us about the ongoing influence of those lectures and the many geographers they influenced. I have already mentioned the Quantititive Geography group, and Richard Daugherty has kindly provided further detail on their work.
There was also his commitment to the Charney Manor conferences, which have been running for over 20 years now. He edited a number of books in this series of papers from the conference, and I have copies of several of them in my collection of books as well.
It was such a shock to hear of Rex's untimely death, during the time I worked at Solly Street in a tragic boating accident on the River Thames over the Christmas period. It was a sad week, and the GA responded by opening a book of condolences which was soon filling with happy memories of encounters with Rex linked to his many and various interests.
This obituary was written by Mike Younger and Joan Whitehead and provides a useful summary of Rex's career.
I wrote about it on LivingGeography here and this included a memory of Rex. I was also honoured to visit a special commemorative event held at Wolfson College in that same year and hear several speeches from colleagues and Rex's wife.
Rex talked about the importance of maps in books, particularly the front papers of the Wind in the Willows. He also references the Milly Molly Mandy Story Book and Reader as being an early influence on him.
Treasured amongst friends and colleagues as a lover of theatre, Dr Walford was chairman of Cambridge Drama Festival until his death.
Tricia Peroni, Acting Secretary of the group, wished to share with Varsity: "Rex inspired many people in the world of amateur theatre. He was a man who loved life; he was intelligent and encouraging, full of energy and enthusiasm, and all who he came into contact with him were captivated by his warmth and charm."
"He gave himself wholeheartedly to every one of his ‘projects’ and he was a vibrant part of theatre in Cambridge. It was a privilege to work with Rex and we are richer for having known him."
Famed for squeezing rehearsals into his tight teaching schedule, Dr Walford particularly contributed to the transformation of secondary school geography teaching. For a quarter of a century he ran the post-graduate teacher-education course for the subject and can be credited with filling schools nationwide with a stream of enthusiastic educators.
Dr Walford’s innovative teaching approach based on active participation went beyond the seminar room as he dedicated 22 years to the Meridian School in Royston whose headteacher, Dr Mike Firth, will remember him as "extremely well-liked and dedicated to the school."
Dr Walford was due to continue to offer day-school and residential courses at the Madingley School for the Institute of Continuing Education.
A former student, Peter Freeman, fondly remembers an occasion when the don gave up his coffee break to help him to surprise his sister. "One does not forget such kindness. He will prove irreplaceable."
A dedicated Christian, Dr Rex Walford also made good use of his retirement to study for a theological doctorate. It is this ability to live life to the full that will allow Dr Rex Walford to live on and inspire those who knew him.
This obituary was written by Mike Younger and Joan Whitehead and provides a useful summary of Rex's career.
I wrote about it on LivingGeography here and this included a memory of Rex. I was also honoured to visit a special commemorative event held at Wolfson College in that same year and hear several speeches from colleagues and Rex's wife.
Something about Rex's varied life next:
Rex started out working as a journalist for the Hendon Times series of newspapers, but then became head of geography at St Mary’s Church of England Secondary School in Hendon. In 1962 he was appointed lecturer in geography and mathematics at Maria Grey College, Twickenham, later becoming senior tutor.
In 1973 he moved to Cambridge as university lecturer in geography and education. In that role, which he held until 1999, Walford inspired hundreds of young geography teachers. He played a major part in transforming the teaching of geography. In the early 1990s he was head of what was then the University Department of Education.
A chronology taken from the document that was handed out at a memorial event.
Ashley Kent
Described here:
Rex is also referenced in Jo Norcup's PhD thesis when she talks about his involvement in setting up a working group to explore the way that the GA was tackling a new multicultural society, and the way it was being represented in the work of the GA, and also in geography textbooks, as well as classrooms. Rex was very much involved in that work.
Rex was also chosen to represent the GA in meetings with the SAGT which were held in the late 1970s to help the associations work more closely together - this is a relationship which persists to this day with fraternal greetings exchanged at the relative conferences.
Rex is also remembered in the creation of an RGS-IBG award for NQTs who produce resources based around the theme of the RGS's Young Geographer of the Year each year. We will return to that again as well. Steve Rawlison was one of those former Presidents involved in the discussions around the creation of this Award, and there is also an annual Rex Walford Memorial lecture at the GA Conference each year. Rex was associated with the RGS-IBG of course, and helped with their support for new teachers and also those applying for Chartered Geographer status.
Rex contributed to a great many books, one of which is pictured here:
As mentioned earlier, in 1983, he was part of a GA Working Party which was tasked with looking at the provision for multi-cultural education and helped produce some work in that area which has been the focus for a previous blog post.
Rex was a tireless supporter of Geography, and wrote many letters to organisations who he felt could perhaps support the cause of the GA in the promotion of geography.
Here is an example from 1984
Memories here are from Australian geographers, showing his influence was global. See later for an image linked to that as well.
Rex's memorial service was held at Ely Cathedral, a building I now see every day, and visit regularly, towering over the school where I work, and which was packed out that day.
Young teachers can still gain lots from Rex's legacy.
I often think of Rex when I sit in the Cathedral with my students from the King's Ely school.
I was also pleased to get Rex Walford's memories on what gave him the 'spark' for geography which was part of Chris Kington's project around his own Presidency. Chris loaned me the letters a year ago.
Rex started out working as a journalist for the Hendon Times series of newspapers, but then became head of geography at St Mary’s Church of England Secondary School in Hendon. In 1962 he was appointed lecturer in geography and mathematics at Maria Grey College, Twickenham, later becoming senior tutor.
In 1973 he moved to Cambridge as university lecturer in geography and education. In that role, which he held until 1999, Walford inspired hundreds of young geography teachers. He played a major part in transforming the teaching of geography. In the early 1990s he was head of what was then the University Department of Education.
A chronology taken from the document that was handed out at a memorial event.
- 1934 Born in Edgware, Middlesex
- 1945 Scholarship to University College School, Hampstead
- 1951-58 Part-time journalist with Hendon and Finchley Times
- 1952-55 London School of Economics (B.Sc. Econ)
- 1952 Acquires a BSA Bantam
- 1955-58 Kings College, London (PGCE and BD)
- 1958-62 Head of Geography, St Mary‘s C of E School, Hendon
- 1960-61 Northwestern University, USA (MA)
- 1961 Hits a four off Jim Laker for the US International Team
- 1962-73 Geography Lecturer/Senior Tutor, Maria Grey College, Twickenham
- 1969 Marries Wendy Kirby at John Keble Church, Mill Hill
- 1973-99 Lecturer/Head of Dept., School of Education, Cambridge
- 1999 Pilkington Prize for "teaching excellence‟ – Cambridge
- 2000 OBE for "contributions to geographical scholarship‟
- 2003 Anglia Ruskin University (PhD)
- 2008 Acquires a Harley Davidson XL
Ashley Kent
Described here:
Rex is also referenced in Jo Norcup's PhD thesis when she talks about his involvement in setting up a working group to explore the way that the GA was tackling a new multicultural society, and the way it was being represented in the work of the GA, and also in geography textbooks, as well as classrooms. Rex was very much involved in that work.
Rex was also chosen to represent the GA in meetings with the SAGT which were held in the late 1970s to help the associations work more closely together - this is a relationship which persists to this day with fraternal greetings exchanged at the relative conferences.
Rex is also remembered in the creation of an RGS-IBG award for NQTs who produce resources based around the theme of the RGS's Young Geographer of the Year each year. We will return to that again as well. Steve Rawlison was one of those former Presidents involved in the discussions around the creation of this Award, and there is also an annual Rex Walford Memorial lecture at the GA Conference each year. Rex was associated with the RGS-IBG of course, and helped with their support for new teachers and also those applying for Chartered Geographer status.
Rex contributed to a great many books, one of which is pictured here:
As mentioned earlier, in 1983, he was part of a GA Working Party which was tasked with looking at the provision for multi-cultural education and helped produce some work in that area which has been the focus for a previous blog post.
Rex was a tireless supporter of Geography, and wrote many letters to organisations who he felt could perhaps support the cause of the GA in the promotion of geography.
Here is an example from 1984
Memories here are from Australian geographers, showing his influence was global. See later for an image linked to that as well.
Rex's memorial service was held at Ely Cathedral, a building I now see every day, and visit regularly, towering over the school where I work, and which was packed out that day.
Young teachers can still gain lots from Rex's legacy.
I often think of Rex when I sit in the Cathedral with my students from the King's Ely school.
I was also pleased to get Rex Walford's memories on what gave him the 'spark' for geography which was part of Chris Kington's project around his own Presidency. Chris loaned me the letters a year ago.
Rex talked about the importance of maps in books, particularly the front papers of the Wind in the Willows. He also references the Milly Molly Mandy Story Book and Reader as being an early influence on him.
Rex was also involved in drama and acting.
He was the Chairman of the Cambridge Drama Festival.
Tricia Peroni, Acting Secretary of the group, wished to share with Varsity: "Rex inspired many people in the world of amateur theatre. He was a man who loved life; he was intelligent and encouraging, full of energy and enthusiasm, and all who he came into contact with him were captivated by his warmth and charm."
"He gave himself wholeheartedly to every one of his ‘projects’ and he was a vibrant part of theatre in Cambridge. It was a privilege to work with Rex and we are richer for having known him."
Famed for squeezing rehearsals into his tight teaching schedule, Dr Walford particularly contributed to the transformation of secondary school geography teaching. For a quarter of a century he ran the post-graduate teacher-education course for the subject and can be credited with filling schools nationwide with a stream of enthusiastic educators.
There was also a mention of his links with the Meridian School in Royston.
Dr Walford was due to continue to offer day-school and residential courses at the Madingley School for the Institute of Continuing Education.
A former student, Peter Freeman, fondly remembers an occasion when the don gave up his coffee break to help him to surprise his sister. "One does not forget such kindness. He will prove irreplaceable."
A dedicated Christian, Dr Rex Walford also made good use of his retirement to study for a theological doctorate. It is this ability to live life to the full that will allow Dr Rex Walford to live on and inspire those who knew him.
Congratulations to Emily Chandler who was announced as this year's Rex Walford Award winner yesterday.
References
Rex doesn't have a Wikipedia page - perhaps that needs to be rectified. He certainly deserves one given the influence he has had and perhaps I shall go back through the Presidents once this blog project has finished, and use the research here (and perhaps additional contributions from others) to create a page for any former GA President who does not already have one.
An obituary can be read here.
http://theses.gla.ac.uk/6849/1/2015NorcupPhD.pdf - Jo Norcup thesis - see p.232 onwards
https://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/news/obits/walford_rex/ - Cambridge College Obituary
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rex-walford-6565rjr7vt0
Morrish, Mike. “Obituary: Rex A. Walford OBE 1934-2011.” Geography, vol. 96, no. 2, 2011, pp. 105–107. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41320343.
Also in The Guardian, in a piece by Mike Younger and Joan Whitehead.
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2011/mar/10/rex-walford-obituary
Walford, Rex. “Finding Grenada on the Map.” Area, vol. 18, no. 1, 1986, pp. 56–57. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20002261
Linnell, Andrew. “REX ASHLEY WALFORD OBE 14 February 1934-2 January 2011.” The Geographical Journal, vol. 177, no. 2, 2011, pp. 192–193. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41238029. Accessed 4 Apr. 2020.
Walford, Rex. “Mackinder, the GA in Wartime and the National Curriculum.” Geography, vol. 78, no. 2, 1993, pp. 117–123. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40572493.
I will not attempt to list all Rex's contributions to GA Journals as they run to the hundreds probably.
Tony Binns book:
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=LvJ5CwAAQBAJ&pg=PT293&lpg=PT293&dq=cyril+norwood+geography&source=bl&ots=_1Lsigvfcz&sig=ACfU3U33bqK9vMOWZ2ioDCAYQgLo7mQyGg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjjpOyZieDjAhUlQkEAHUGhC-I4ChDoATAFegQIBxAB#v=onepage&q=cyril%20norwood%20geography&f=false
https://www.agta.asn.au/conf2011/tribute/walford_r.php
Referenced by David Hicks: https://www.teaching4abetterworld.co.uk/Downloads/download3.pdf
Contributions made to the TES over the years: https://www.tes.com/author/rex-walford
And finally, this blog would not have been possible without the substantial referencing from the book that Rex wrote about School Geography in the UK.
If anyone has further memories of Rex they would like to share with respect to his time at the GA, please let me know. This is a post which may well have quite a few updates as time passes. Thanks to Steve Rawlinson for sending his memories.
He was even remembered in Australia after his death, at the GTAV conference in 2011. His influence reached all around the world he studied and loved. Rita Gardner dedicated her lecture at AGTA that same year to Rex as well: https://www.agta.asn.au/conf2011/presentations/gardner_r.php
References
Rex doesn't have a Wikipedia page - perhaps that needs to be rectified. He certainly deserves one given the influence he has had and perhaps I shall go back through the Presidents once this blog project has finished, and use the research here (and perhaps additional contributions from others) to create a page for any former GA President who does not already have one.
An obituary can be read here.
http://theses.gla.ac.uk/6849/1/2015NorcupPhD.pdf - Jo Norcup thesis - see p.232 onwards
https://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/news/obits/walford_rex/ - Cambridge College Obituary
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rex-walford-6565rjr7vt0
Morrish, Mike. “Obituary: Rex A. Walford OBE 1934-2011.” Geography, vol. 96, no. 2, 2011, pp. 105–107. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41320343.
Also in The Guardian, in a piece by Mike Younger and Joan Whitehead.
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2011/mar/10/rex-walford-obituary
Walford, Rex. “Finding Grenada on the Map.” Area, vol. 18, no. 1, 1986, pp. 56–57. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20002261
Linnell, Andrew. “REX ASHLEY WALFORD OBE 14 February 1934-2 January 2011.” The Geographical Journal, vol. 177, no. 2, 2011, pp. 192–193. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41238029. Accessed 4 Apr. 2020.
Walford, Rex. “Mackinder, the GA in Wartime and the National Curriculum.” Geography, vol. 78, no. 2, 1993, pp. 117–123. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40572493.
I will not attempt to list all Rex's contributions to GA Journals as they run to the hundreds probably.
Tony Binns book:
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=LvJ5CwAAQBAJ&pg=PT293&lpg=PT293&dq=cyril+norwood+geography&source=bl&ots=_1Lsigvfcz&sig=ACfU3U33bqK9vMOWZ2ioDCAYQgLo7mQyGg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjjpOyZieDjAhUlQkEAHUGhC-I4ChDoATAFegQIBxAB#v=onepage&q=cyril%20norwood%20geography&f=false
https://www.agta.asn.au/conf2011/tribute/walford_r.php
Referenced by David Hicks: https://www.teaching4abetterworld.co.uk/Downloads/download3.pdf
Contributions made to the TES over the years: https://www.tes.com/author/rex-walford
And finally, this blog would not have been possible without the substantial referencing from the book that Rex wrote about School Geography in the UK.
If anyone has further memories of Rex they would like to share with respect to his time at the GA, please let me know. This is a post which may well have quite a few updates as time passes. Thanks to Steve Rawlinson for sending his memories.
He was even remembered in Australia after his death, at the GTAV conference in 2011. His influence reached all around the world he studied and loved. Rita Gardner dedicated her lecture at AGTA that same year to Rex as well: https://www.agta.asn.au/conf2011/presentations/gardner_r.php
Update October 2020
Thanks to Brendan Conway for sending his own memories of Rex, and the link with his own PGCE tutor: Mike Younger.
Rex Walford conducted the final observation for my PGCE at Highfield School in Letchworth. I remember being very nervous as he was already a legendary figure. However, when he arrived he immediately put me at my ease. The lesson was about anticyclones so I had taken what was then a bit of a pedagogical risk by using some of my own photos, taken during a BUNAC programme visit to the USA in the previous summer.
At the end of the trip I’d been to stay with relatives in the mountains above San Bernardino in Southern California. One day I took a series of photos of smog building up from the early morning until midday over greater Los Angeles on the plain below. I used the images to show the students how anticyclonic inversion layers trap the smog in the valley like a bath filling up with dirty water, eventually cascading over cols into neighbouring valleys. Other resources I used included local newspaper smog forecasts with warnings for those with respiratory ailments. There was nothing like that available in the UK at that time.
After the lesson, Rex was kind enough to spend a long time chatting about the lesson (which he thankfully enjoyed) and the geography of the topic. He was particularly affirming about my decision to use personal experience as an educational resource and my teaching of the atmospheric processes.
After the lesson, Rex was kind enough to spend a long time chatting about the lesson (which he thankfully enjoyed) and the geography of the topic. He was particularly affirming about my decision to use personal experience as an educational resource and my teaching of the atmospheric processes.
His encouraging words were a catalyst for my lifelong interest in weather and climate and its importance for geography.
Now that I am a PGCE Geography tutor myself, Rex’s approach to observation and feedback is something I now do my best to emulate.
Updated November 2020
This came via an e-mail from Denys Brunsden, who was part of a quiz team in the 1993 GA Centenary event. More on that nearer the time.
He mentioned that Rex had "been on Mastermind", which was news to me.
While searching for the 'Mastermind' connection, I discovered a lengthy blog post from Alan Parr: a maths teacher who knew Rex well. It was published in 2018.
He had been inspired by Rex's work in designing games for the geography classroom, and created his own games as a result.
He described meeting up with Rex for drinks in a pub in Cambridge.
He wrote and directed plays (we went to see one he wrote about Amy Johnson), played and recorded in revivals of English pre-war musical theatre songs, and was a Mastermind finalist on TV – indeed, he became a setter of specialist questions. Uniquely, he marked retirement by acquiring both a Harley–Davidson and a doctorate in theology.
I was also taken by his description of Ely on the day of Rex's memorial service in the Cathedral - a building I am now closely associated with through my work and have spent hundreds of hours in.
Ely is a small place, and by the middle of the day it was full of visitors and it was apparent that almost everyone we saw was going to the service. Though the town may be small, Ely Cathedral is a huge building – and it was full. There were so many aspects to Rex’s life that we were asked to introduce ourselves to those next to us and explain our connection to Rex. Knowing that there were colleagues from his religious, educational, dramatic, and musical lives present, I diffidently introduced myself as the inventor of a postal football game Rex had enjoyed. The man in the next seat exploded with excitement; “Conington Thursday!”. He called to his wife a couple of seats away, “This is the chap who invented United!”
He also mentions some other of Rex's achievements:
I’m not the one who wrote a pantomime every year, or was a decent middle-distance runner, or who was a sports reporter for the local paper (which led to Rex playing semi-pro football – albeit only for 45 minutes until the missing player turned up). I’m not the one whose books went far beyond geography to include church history and guides to writing one-act plays, or who recorded CDs of 1930 English popular songs, or wrote plays for radio.
https://established1962.wordpress.com/2018/01/02/rex-walford/
Walford, Rex. “Geography in the National Curriculum of England and Wales: Rise and Fall?” The Geographical Journal, vol. 161, no. 2, 1995, pp. 192–198. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3059975. Accessed 2 Nov. 2020.
Memories from Chris Kington and Margaret Robertson at the IGU in this special newletter from 2011 event.
Here's part of Margaret's memories from the above link - worth reading the whole document.
And on his radio plays:
A Dorothy L. Sayer fan, Rex wrote a 'one woman' play about her life which he took to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1985 with the Head of Department's secretary, Miriam Rundle, as Dorothy. He also produced a theater performance of her radio play 'The Man Born to be King' as well as a dramatization of 'Murder must Advertise'. Since retirement, Rex expanded his life-time interest in theater as a co-founder of Cameo Theater Company, and at his death was a Council member of the Guild of Drama Adjudicators and Chair of the Cambridge Drama Festival. He regularly worked with soprano Gabrielle Bell in presenting programs and workshops about musical theater, and frequently led courses for the University Institute of Continuing Education on music, theater and film.
So lovely to hear Rex Walford mentioned in the @The_GA ‘s #GAeConf20 Presidential address by Gill Miller. Such an iconic address from him in 1984. And here is one of my favourite snippets as the granddaughter of a Yorkshire miner. pic.twitter.com/pzNhmSVxXh
— Becki Quigley🌏 (@QuigleyBecki) April 18, 2020
Updated August 2022
I found a lot of images in the GA Archive in August 2022.
They included an interview when he became the first President of COBRIG - the Council of British Geography which I attended, representing the GA.
Updated August 2023
An RGS obituary with a lovely image.
https://rgs-ibg.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1475-4959.2011.00409.x
https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/89839947 - your chance to own the Land Use Survey book by Rex
A play Rex wrote. and some he directed.
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