1983 - Steve on Rex

One of the people who was particularly supportive of my application to become the GA President was Steve Rawlinson. He was President himself in 2015. 

He has previously shared his memories of Emrys Bowen or 'EGB' as he was also known.

Ahead of a lengthy post on Rex Walford, which will come up in a week or so, here's Steve's memories of Rex.

I first met him when I was working in Andover when he came to visit Geoff Dinkele. Both great innovators in geographical teaching. My lasting memory of that first meeting will be his impish smile and his curiosity about what we were doing – so supportive and encouraging.

When I needed an external examiner for a course I was running at Northumbria – not teacher education but a Joint Honours course with a wider education bias – Rex was my first choice and I was delighted when he agreed to do it.

On his first visit I picked him up from the station and he then insisted on a tour of Newcastle, but not the ‘usual sights’, he wanted to see the real Newcastle...his curiosity made me look and consider parts of the city in a whole new light. As an external he was incredibly supportive not only to me but to the students – he always had suggestions and ideas about how we might do things and constantly but gently made us justify what we were doing.

I guess my last contact with him directly was at the Madingly GTE conference when it snowed. His joyous enthusiasm for all that was going on was infectious...and that conference was a really enjoyable occasion.

It was a huge privilege to be involved in the setting up and running of the Rex Walford award during my 4 years in the Presidential group; to be able to keep alive some of the principles of innovation and fun in teaching that Rex championed so enthusiastically.

He was so passionate about what he did, and so interested in everything going on around him. He made you feel good about what you were doing while gently asking you to think about why you were doing it – he drew the best out of you. He was a ‘human’ geographer and is sorely missed.

If you would like to share your own memories of Rex (or any other GA President) here, or have found some memorabilia or images of conferences past, please get in touch...

Image: Copyright Bryan Ledgard / Geographical Association - taken at the official opening of Solly Street.