Alice Coleman's Second Land Use Survey - now online

I previously posted about work carried out by Bruce Mitchell to make the maps from the 2nd land use survey available on the National Library of Scotland's website.

The following section of text is taken from the 60th anniversary 'history' of the GA's Thanet Branch, written by Derek Wilson. Available to download from the GA website.

The first Land Utilisation Survey of Britain was a comprehensive survey of land use in Great Britain in the 1930s. This survey was the first such comprehensive survey in Britain since the Domesday Book survey in the 11th Century.
Dudley Stamp, reader and later professor of geography at the London School of Economics instigated the survey. Preliminary experimental work was done in 1929, the survey got going in earnest in 1930 and most of the field work was completed in the field season of 1931.
In the 25 years since the Land Utilisation Survey was carried out in East Kent, many changes, both urban and rural, took place in the intervening period. Two members of the committee of the GA's Thanet branch (Alice Coleman and Ken Maggs) felt an urge to record an up-to-date picture and ambitiously planned a survey of nearly 500 square miles, i.e. the area of East Kent. 

Eleven other members gave their assistance with the project and it was completed in mid 1959. 

Alice Coleman was invited to give a lecture on the results at the Geographical Association’s National Conference in January 1960.

Then began a period of constructive activity. Alice Coleman and Ken Maggs illustrated and the IOTGA published a 32 page handbook. This handbook, which cost 2s 6d (in old money), had to be reprinted 3 times due to demand and orders were received as far afield as Sweden, Ontario and Pakistan.

Alice Coleman's survey employed a much more detailed classification than Stamp's in both urban and rural areas, giving 64 categories grouped into 13 groupings. 

Keen and competent geographers welcomed the project whole-heartedly. There was a reaction in a few quarters that it was almost incredulous that a single Geographical Association could aspire to so much. 

Indeed, the parent Geographical Association declared that it was impossible for such a project to be undertaken by a branch and their first impulse was to take it over themselves. Fortunately, its ultimate decision proved favourable in that it acceded to the request by the IOTGA not to take the survey over and to offer any unofficial help within its power. 

The Royal Geographical Society was most gracious in granting help. Its distinguished platform was offered to Alice Coleman for a lecture in March 1960 and its exhibition gallery was devoted to a display on Land Use for several weeks.

Around 3000 volunteers completed much of the field work covering some 90% of England and Wales. 

Several members of the Isle of Thanet Geographical Association contributed to this national survey. 

They included: Pam Dunford, Clare Lukehurst, Ken Maggs, P Mitchel, Mr and Miss Palin, Janet Pigg and Miss G Brand and Marjorie Woodward covering the areas Fordingbridge, Mitcham and the Isle of Purbeck, Croyden and Edenbridge, Ashford in Kent, Exmoor and Cranbrook respectively.

The Nature Conservancy provided the salaries of two full-time surveyors to map the vegetation in the the remote moorland areas. Funds for preparing maps for the printer were granted by University College, Swansea and the Pantyfedwyn Trust. These totalled £1000. The evolving printing fund, which was so generously opened by Professor Stamp’s gift of £2000 was augmented by Broadstairs, Deal and Ramsgate Councils and by the School which mapped the Princes Risborough Sheet. Secretarial, postage and other expenses were met by Professor Stamp and Alice Coleman, whilst the University College of Wales at Aberystwyth provided secretarial and administrative expenses for the Welsh Regiona Organiser.

Unfortunately, coverage of only around 10% of the country was published at 1:25,000 due to printing problems (only 115 sheets had been completed when the programme was suspended in 1977). 

Nevertheless published sheets included the whole of Greater London and industrial Thames-side, giving a snapshot of London at its peak as a centre of manufacturing. The handing down of tradition demanded the printed word. 

This was one of the principal aims of “Panorama”. It was hoped to record the Isle of Thanet Branch activities of the Geographical Association, particularly the results of research projects and to make them available to build on further in future years.

The actual printing of the first volume was undertaken by the members themselves. A type-setting party was set up to deal with the exacting task. The printing squad included Alice Coleman, Marjorie Woodward, Peggy Hopkins, Mrs Greig, John Lane, Alan Simmons, Michael and John Cuckney, Vera Wiggett, Carol Coatman, A Check, A Neve, Mary Tully, Mary Towes, J Frier, Linda Beecham, Carol Mizon, Kathleen Cunningham and Ken and Mrs Maggs.

During the decade, there were 11 volumes printed; volumes 1 to 4 were edited by Ken Maggs, volumes 5 to 8 by Clare Lukehurst, Volume 9 by John Evans, volume 10 by Alice Coleman and volume 11 jointly by Alice Coleman and Prof WGV Balchin. 

We are looking for copies of Panorama magazines to complete a collection. Some are proving difficult to track down.

Here's the one of Ely, showing the site of my school buildings, which didn't exist at the time, as they started to be added in the 1970s.

If anyone has any copies of the missing 'Panorama' magazine issues, please get in touch.

'The Geographer as Scientist'

From my visit to a wonderful second-hand book shop called ‘Peter’s Books’ (probably the best in East Anglia), I now have a 1956 copy of ‘The Geographer as Scientist’ by S.W. Wooldridge. 

He was GA President in 1954 and also President of the IBG and Chair of the Field Studies Council. 

There are some excellent essays, including his own GA Presidential address, with plenty to say about teaching and the rle of the GA, RGS and FSC and how it has changed.

Sharing the blog on Substack

It's time to share this blog as part of a series of posts on my Substack on blogs I run other than LivingGeography - this is #17 in the series of posts.

Check out the LivingGeography Substack here and be sure to subscribe.

GA Conference 2026 - programme now available

The price will rise in the New Year, so secure yours now. 

And you'll have a chance to see a double-act with me and Matt Podbury - worth the price alone!

You can now browse the programme here... this session looks awesome.

Sign up to Sched to schedule in your events... 

Professor Eric Brown

I'm still interested in adding further details of people and connections with the GA - the blog is not over, although the main phase has been completed in terms of writing biographies of all former Presidents.

Please get in touch if you have things you might want to add.

I came across this obituary of Professor Eric Brown from 2018, who had a number of connections with the GA and the RGS.

An edited version of a remarkable career, with plenty of RGS and IBG related work as well.

Eric Herbert Brown died at Berkhamsted on 5 January 2018 at the age of 95. He taught geography at University College London for almost four decades, inspiring generations of undergraduates and mentoring dozens of research students. His doctoral work, published as The Relief and Drainage of Wales (1960) earned him the Back Award of the Royal Geographical Society and has become a classic work in physical geography. Eric was President of the Institute of British Geographers in 1978 and served as Honorary Secretary of the RGS from 1977 to 1987, and then Vice-President (1988–1989). He edited Geography Yesterday and Tomorrow (1980) to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Society. 

The son of Samuel and Ada Brown, Eric was born on 8 December 1922 at Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. His exploration of the surrounding countryside, on foot or on bicycle, awakened his interest in geography, and a game of “brook jumping” introduced him to the meandering of streams. Having excelled in his secondary education at King Edward VII Grammar School in Melton Mowbray, he was accepted to study geography at King's College London. His first academic year was spent as an academic evacuee in Bristol, where he was tutored by Sidney Wooldridge who had a profound influence on his approach to geography and his subsequent career. From 1941 to 1945, Eric was a Royal Air Force pilot, after training at several bases in Britain and Canada. As a member of 517 Squadron, Coastal Command, he was involved in anti-U Boat operations over the Bay of Biscay and collected meteorological data on long patrols over the Atlantic to assist forecasting of weather in Europe. This contributed to the forecast from which General Eisenhower decided to postpone D-Day by 24 hours. 

Based in Pembrokeshire, Eric met a local farmer's daughter named Eileen Reynolds whom he married in 1945. After the war, he resumed studies at the King's College-London School of Economics Joint School of Geography and obtained a first class degree in 1947.

Following Wooldridge's advice, Eric accepted an assistant lectureship at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, where Emrys Bowen was professor. With support from geologist Alan Wood, Eric researched the geomorphology of Cardiganshire for his MSc (University of Wales, 1949), and started work on his doctoral project covering Wales (University of London, 1955). He made field observations throughout Wales, usually travelling by motorbike. His investigations impressed Professor Henry Clifford Darby, whom he had met at an IBG conference, and he was invited to join UCL. After advice from Wooldridge, Eric began teaching in London in January 1950. 

Throughout his career, Eric's main teaching responsibilities lay with geomorphology and North America, the latter popular course being shared with Bill Mead. 

Beyond the British Isles, Eric gained field experience in Poland in the early 1960s of periglacial features and the techniques of geomorphological mapping developed there during the 1950s. This led to him making a significant contribution to all of the four meetings (one of only three such “regulars”) between November 1958 and January 1961 that began by proposing a Land Form Survey of Britain, and ended with the agreement to establish the British Geomorphological Research Group (BGRG). The minutes of these meetings reveal Eric to have been a strong advocate for the Polish style of geomorphological mapping (of landforms) rather than the morphological mapping (of slope attributes) favoured by some others; as well as for the foundation of the BGRG (together with David Linton and Wooldridge). 

Eric retired in 1988 but retained many links with UCL and especially the Remote Sensing Unit. In 2002 his long and dedicated service to geography was marked by an honorary doctorate from the University of York, where his former student Sir Ron Cooke was vice-chancellor. Eric continued to be an active member of his local community in Berkhamsted, including its branch of the Geographical Association. He attended academic events at the RGS-IBG and meetings of the Geographical Club. 

He deepened his appreciation of rugby football and fine wines. UCL Geography emeriti enjoyed regular “pub lunches” until last year, when Eric would recall wartime experiences as if they were yesterday. A visit, with Bill Mead, to Gerry and Marion Ward in the south of France became an annual fixture. After the death of Eileen in 1984, he lived alone for three decades, moving into a retirement home only for his final months. Professor Eric Brown is survived by his daughters, Jane and Megan, and by his grandchildren in whom he took great pride.

Updated Presidents image

Every year, I need to update the word cloud of previous Presidents.

Here's the latest version, made with WordArt.

Geography and the Creation

There's an interesting 'dilemma' for some teachers who have a religious belief, when teaching about the origins of the Earth and the way it has been shaped since.  The Bible is quite clear on how the Earth was created. All faiths have some sort of creation story.

I was interested to come across this piece about an interview with Sarah Buckland.

An early GA President was very much connected with theology.

Sir William Mitchell Ramsay (1851–1939), was a skeptical Scottish archaeologist and Geographical Association president in 1918.

After reading the geographical locations of Paul’s travels (named in Acts), Ramsay tried using them to disprove the Bible’s accuracy. 

With extensive excavations in the Middle East, he tested the existence of variously mentioned New Testament places. But every single detail was so accurate when Ramsay retraced Paul’s journeys that he became a little more convinced in the stories being told.

You can read Ramsay's biography here on my GA Presidents blog.

This Bible Hub page explains more.

Ramsay’s fieldwork took him to various locations such as Galatia, Phrygia, and Lycaonia (regions frequently referenced by the Apostle Paul). He meticulously followed ancient roads, recorded inscriptions, and studied the ruins of cities mentioned in the New Testament. His expeditions resulted in critical site identifications and discoveries, including:

• Confirmation of ancient city locations (e.g., Antioch in Pisidia) that aligned with Luke’s geographical references (Acts 13:14).

• Findings of inscriptions that supported political and cultural details recorded in the Book of Acts (e.g., local governance structures, official titles, and the presence of synagogues).

These archaeological contributions provided robust contextual evidence that lent credibility to the historical details in Scripture, causing Ramsay to describe Luke as a historian “of the first rank.”

Major Publications and Impact on Biblical Studies

Among Ramsay’s notable works are “St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen” (1895) and “The Church in the Roman Empire” (1893). In these volumes, he presented detailed arguments for the historical trustworthiness of biblical records, particularly regarding the missionary journeys of Paul. Drawing on inscriptions, architectural remains, and ancient documents, he provided corroborating data that supported the reliability of the narrative found in Acts.

His findings have been frequently cited as evidence that Luke was intimately acquainted with the political and cultural realities of the Roman world. Scholars across various theological traditions have referenced Ramsay’s work to fortify claims that the New Testament is grounded in legitimate historical events rather than merely religious speculation.

50 years of 'Teaching Geography'

The final episode of GeogPod for 2025 (and the 96th in total) is out now on your preferred podcast platform.

In another special episode to round off 2025, John talks with three members of the editorial board for the GA's journal Teaching Geography to celebrate 50 years of the publication.

Listen to conversation with Eleanor Rawling, Dr Emma Rawlings Smith and Katie Richardson and find out what makes Teaching Geography such an important publication for teachers and the GA community, with personal stories about getting involved with the GA, their favourite articles, and what's next for the journal.

PTI Geography Symposium - July 2026

News of an exciting joint event that's being organised jointly between the Prince's Teaching Institute, the RGS and the GA.

It's called the PTI Geography Symposium.

It will take place at the RGS on the 9th and 10th of July 2026.

The event's co-chair, the ebullient John Wilkinson - here he is introducing the event in his inimitable style.

It's great to see that my GA Presidential theme of "Everyday Geographies" is front and centre here.

More details:

Our first-ever Geography Symposium is designed to empower and inspire teachers to be advocates for their subject inside and outside of the classroom for a curriculum that is challenging, innovative and enriching for all learners.

Through academic talks, workshops and sharing of best practice, the Symposium will celebrate Geography, enrich and develop your knowledge and love of the subject, and motivate you to consider how to inspire your leaners through engagement, enjoyment and empowerment. 

In celebrating Geography's interdisciplinarity, this event captures how Geography's cross-curricular core can ignite learners’ enthusiasm across a diverse cross-section of subjects at schools and colleges. This Symposium will capture, cultivate and celebrate the zeitgeist.

Themes:

• Everyday Geographies
• Supra-curricular concept capture
• Fieldwork

Confirmed guest speakers include:

• Dr Olivia Taylor
• Professor Iain Stewart MBE
• Dr Jonathan Higham

Many more speakers and details to be announced...

Central London accommodation, meals (including a formal dinner on Thursday 9th July) and course materials are included in the course fee.

All details are here.

£100 discount for RGS members, so it's worth becoming a member just for that... and gain all the other benefits of membership.

Your views on teaching geography...

Your views are needed by Dr Susan Pike and her fellow researchers. Details below and scan the QR code to find out more.