Richard Daugherty on H. J. Fleure

Another contribution to the blog which has been very kindly  provided by Richard Daugherty, GA President in 1989.

He writes here about H. J. Fleure. This is drawn on research he did at the Sheffield City Archives on the history of certain episodes in the GA's history. Once we are able to visit such place more freely I hope to get there. 

Fleure's original entry, from 1948 can be viewed here.

I also wrote about the move of the GA to Aberystwyth and the role of Fleure (and his assistants in the library) at that time.

The blog already refers to Fleure as being one of the 'true greats' in the Association's history. But should he perhaps be seen as the true great? 

There has been no other Honorary Secretary in the GA' s history who served in that office for as long as 29 years (1917 to 1946). And there is certainly no other past Honorary Secretary who increased the GA membership fourfold during their first three years in that office. 

One episode that reveals how much work, in addition to building up the Association's profile and membership, Fleure put in behind the scenes is the GA's office move from Aberystwyth to Manchester in 1930. Correspondence lodged in the GA records held in the Sheffield City Archives shows how he achieved such a satisfactory result, free office and library accommodation in Manchester City Council's High School of Commerce Building. 

Until Fleure's move from what is now Aberystwyth University to a post as Professor in Manchester University's Geography Department he carried out his work for the GA from an office located at 11 Marine Terrace, Aberystwyth. 

With Fleure due to take up his new post in Manchester later in the year, the GA Executive considered offers of office accommodation from both the University, Fleure's new employers, and from the city's Education Committee. The University's offer was of a three year tenancy at 18 Lime Grove at a rent of £20 per year. Correspondence between Fleure and a Mr Stevenson, Chief Inspector of Schools for Manchester City Council, resulted in a better deal and the eventual move to the Council's High School of Commerce building. 

A letter from Fleure to Stevenson dated 1st March 1930 explains that the GA by then needed space for a library of 4000 books and its collection of lantern slides as well as room for an office. 

Fleure said:

"The possibility of my continuing my work for the Association as Hon Secretary depends on my having its office and library either in the Department of Geography or very near it" 

Where would the Association be today without such influential individuals as Fleure, who arranged and carried out the move to Manchester, and his successors who negotiated later office moves, first to university accommodation in Sheffield and then to the current offices in Solly Street?