John will have his own post on the blog in due course.
Vic started teaching at Queen Elizabeth's Hospital in Bristol (the school I attended) in, I think, January 1966, one term into my A level course. He was surprised at how little we'd done in the first term and set about putting that right!
He was keen on fieldwork and organised a number of short field trips as well as a week's field course in the Peak District (staying in a Youth Hostel at Grindleford Bridge, if my memory serves). He also introduced us to the Bristol branch of the GA, both through its lectures and field excursions. He also arranged for us to go on some field excursions run by, I assume, an equivalent geology organisation. I also associate Vic's geography lessons with a classroom with a view over Bristol, whereas geography lessons with Vic's predecessor were in a room with a view only of the school yard.
I can only assume that Vic was responsible for this! I suspect my grade B would not have been achieved were it not for the arrival of Vic! He was also partly responsible for me ending up in the Geography Department at LSE, of which Vic was a graduate. Had it not been for him, I doubt that LSE would even have been on my list - and they were the only institution to offer me a place!
Some years later, probably around 1974 or 1975, by which time Vic was teaching at Filton College, my wife, who was teaching geography in ILEA across the other side of Western Avenue in White City from me, had organised a residential A level field course in the Mendips. I suggested that Vic, who lived in Churchill, and whose natural habitat was the Mendips, might be able to offer advice. We called in to see him when we were down in Bristol during a school holiday. Not only did he offer advice, but he also offered to lead a day's fieldwork during their stay - a most generous offer.
Some years later, probably around 1974 or 1975, by which time Vic was teaching at Filton College, my wife, who was teaching geography in ILEA across the other side of Western Avenue in White City from me, had organised a residential A level field course in the Mendips. I suggested that Vic, who lived in Churchill, and whose natural habitat was the Mendips, might be able to offer advice. We called in to see him when we were down in Bristol during a school holiday. Not only did he offer advice, but he also offered to lead a day's fieldwork during their stay - a most generous offer.
Fast forwarding by about 20 years, I attended the GA Conference in Oxford in my first year as geography professional officer at SCAA.
I was to give a SCAA geography update - this would have been during the course of the first revision of the Geography National Curriculum. Much to my surprise, someone who must have known of my earlier association with Vic arranged for Vic to introduce my session.
At the conclusion of my talk, Vic thanked me and said that it must have been okay because he'd stayed awake! That, I think, was the last time I saw Vic.
Image copyright: John Westaway, showing Vic Dennison leading his Peak District Fieldtrip in 1967.
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