Sheila Jones - 1929-2021

There is sad news to report in this entry.

I was told yesterday by Jeremy Krause of the passing of Sheila Jones, President of the GA in 1975, and the first female teacher President.

Sheila passed away in Southmead Hospital in Bristol, a city she was associated with for so long, along with other former GA Presidents.

Sheila's entry on the blog can be read here. It is packed with information of the impact of her selection as President, and how things were changing at the GA at the time, and her own journey into geography and how important a person she was in the GA's history.

I had the great pleasure to exchange emails with Sheila over the last few years as I worked on this blog, and she was also able to send me a batch of photographs and other memorabilia of her time at the GA, and also her memories of others that she worked with.

The Geography community has lost one of its pioneers.

I would like to pass on my condolences to Sheila's family, colleagues and friends. Memories of Sheila welcome here.

Image: Sheila with her long standing GA members badge.

Susan Pike, the current GA President, shared some of her thoughts on the significance of Sheila's contributions to the GA

1. Remembering Sheila Jones - 1929-2021 who passed away this week. Sheila was the 3rd Female @The_GA President (1975). Here's @GeoBlogs on Sheila: https://t.co/OYip4AAvgu pic.twitter.com/3Rlspc1I6a

— Dr Susan Pike | GA President 🌍 (@SusanJPike) June 5, 2021

Here's a letter from Sheila regarding the disconnect between school and academic geography.

Jones, Sheila M. “Letter to the Editor: Contact with Schools.” Area, vol. 8, no. 3, 1976, pp. 223–223. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20001121. Accessed 16 Sept. 2023.