Bill Chambers is another one of those academic Geographers who has done so much for the subject over the years.
Bill's Presidential address
He is linked with Liverpool Hope University as Pro Vice Chancellor Emeritus, where he also spent many years in the geography department.
Bill worked in the sphere of Primary Geography a great deal, which is good to see., along with development education. The first entries on this blog were mostly academic geographers, and it is only of late that Primary Geography has been appropriately represented amongst the GA Presidents with people like Wendy Morgan leading the way.
Bill worked in the sphere of Primary Geography a great deal, which is good to see., along with development education. The first entries on this blog were mostly academic geographers, and it is only of late that Primary Geography has been appropriately represented amongst the GA Presidents with people like Wendy Morgan leading the way.
Jeremy Krause wrote a lot about this during his own entry on the blog from 2001.
Bill turned his Presidential lecture into a public address, hoping to raise awareness of the subject - an interesting idea.
Bill turned his Presidential lecture into a public address, hoping to raise awareness of the subject - an interesting idea.
As it happens, Gill Miller's lecture was also delivered publicly because of the eConference and remains the most viewed at the present time - we will see whether Susan Pike's lecture receives more views.
Bill has a long association with Peru in South America.
Bill has a long association with Peru in South America.
He first visited the slums of Lima as a VSO volunteer.
He says his two years there in a squatter settlement were "an experience which had a lifelong impact on me and my teaching" .
The Presidential lecture - "Lima's squatter settlements: slums of hope or despair"- considered changes in the barriadas of the Peruvian capital between 1964 and 2004 and asked whether they are the cause or the solution to the problems of rural Peru. I was present at his Presidential Address, and other aspects of that conference.
Bill cites examples from the families and the communities in which he lived while he analysed the question.
His staff page on his University website flags up a great deal of GA involvement:
I share Bill's aims here when it comes to my own Presidential year. His aims were to encourage people to support their local GA branches.
At the 2005 conference, I was there for the GA Publishers awards and evening at Pride Park in Derby and heard Bill's Presidential address.
Bill was kind enough to answer some questions on the Google Form that I produced for all those Presidents who are still around to answer my questions.
On his memories of his education:
I always loved Geography from my first lesson with Mr Geoff Sears at Preston Manor Grammar School in 1957.
I always loved Geography from my first lesson with Mr Geoff Sears at Preston Manor Grammar School in 1957. As a trainee geography teacher at Marjons betweem 1966 and 1970 I was encouraged by inspirational lecturers Dr Roland Allison and Dr Vernon Williams to become involved in the GA as a the preeminent professional organisation for geography teachers.
He says his two years there in a squatter settlement were "an experience which had a lifelong impact on me and my teaching" .
The Presidential lecture - "Lima's squatter settlements: slums of hope or despair"- considered changes in the barriadas of the Peruvian capital between 1964 and 2004 and asked whether they are the cause or the solution to the problems of rural Peru. I was present at his Presidential Address, and other aspects of that conference.
Bill cites examples from the families and the communities in which he lived while he analysed the question.
His staff page on his University website flags up a great deal of GA involvement:
- Editor of 'Primary Geographer '1990-2000
- Chambers, B. 2004 Geography and Lifelong Learning in Kent, W.A. Rawling, E. and Robinson, A. 2004. Geographical Education: Expanding Horizons in a Shrinking World. International Geographical Union Commission on Geographical Education and Scottish Association of Geography Teachers.
- Chambers, B. 2005 Lima's Slums: Problems or Solutions Geographical Association Annual Conference, Presidential Address. Pride Park, Derby.
- Chambers, B. 2005. Squatter Settlements in Lima, Peru. Geographical Association Annual Conference, University of Derby.
- Geographical Association Gold Award for publication of year 1991
- Geographical Association Silver Award for publication 1997
Lima's Barriadas - Slums of Hope or Despair? from hantsga
Another personal link is that Bill published books with Karl Donert, with whom I have worked on a number of ERASMUS projects.
Here's Bill talking about his journey to being President in the GA News. It also includes some biographical detail:
Another personal link is that Bill published books with Karl Donert, with whom I have worked on a number of ERASMUS projects.
Here's Bill talking about his journey to being President in the GA News. It also includes some biographical detail:
I share Bill's aims here when it comes to my own Presidential year. His aims were to encourage people to support their local GA branches.
At the 2005 conference, I was there for the GA Publishers awards and evening at Pride Park in Derby and heard Bill's Presidential address.
Bill was kind enough to answer some questions on the Google Form that I produced for all those Presidents who are still around to answer my questions.
On his memories of his education:
I always loved Geography from my first lesson with Mr Geoff Sears at Preston Manor Grammar School in 1957.
As a trainee geography teacher at Marjons betweem 1966 and 1970 I was encouraged by inspirational lecturers Dr Roland Allison and Dr Vernon Williams to become involved in the GA as a the preeminent professional organisation for geography teachers.
Once established from 1973 at Notre Dame College Liverpool (now Liverpool Hope University) and being responsible for the training of primary and secondary teachers it was a natural progression to join the local branch of the GA which was largely run by Professor Dick Lawton of Liverpool University.
After a decade as Programme Secretary and later Chair of the Branch I was encouraged as part of my professional development by my head of department Alan Hammersley to contribute nationally and I joined the Environmental Education Working Group.
The GA gave me the opportunity to work with the great geographers of the day and become aware of current developments in geography. It also gave me an opportunity to begin to publish both academic and pedagogical papers. I also made many lifelong friends including Tony Thomas the inspirational head of the Field Studies Council.
He said that he hoped his Presidency had raised the profile of the branches.
He said that he hoped his Presidency had raised the profile of the branches.
He also mentioned a great many of the great and the good of the time who had influenced his own involvement and decision to run for President.
I became a member of the GA in 1966 whilst training to be a teacher at the College of St Mark and St John. I became a Committee Member, then Programme Secretary and then Chair of the Liverpool Branch of the GA in 1976. I retired in 2011.
I became a member of the GA in 1966 whilst training to be a teacher at the College of St Mark and St John. I became a Committee Member, then Programme Secretary and then Chair of the Liverpool Branch of the GA in 1976. I retired in 2011.
I became a member in 1980(?) and finally Chair of the GA Environmental Education Working Group. I became a member of the GA Council in 1995
I was elected President of the GA in 2004-5
My main presidential concern was to affirm the role of the Branches. During my year as President I lectured at over 30 Branches. That's quite a target to aim for.
I asked Bill why geography mattered to him
Once established from 1973 at Notre Dame College Liverpool (now Liverpool Hope University) and being responsible for the training of primary and secondary teachers it was a natural progression to join the local branch of the GA which was largely run by Professor Dick Lawton of Liverpool University.
After a decade as Programme Secretary and later Chair of the Branch I was encouraged as part of my professional development by my head of department Alan Hammersley to contribute nationally and I joined the Environmental Education Working Group. The GA gave me the opportunity to work with the great geographers of the day and become aware of current developments in geography. It also gave me an opportunity to begin to publish both academic and pedagogical papers. I also made many lifelong friends including Tony Thomas the inspirational head of the Field Studies Council.
He had memories of encounters with, and inspirationt taken from, a great many other familiar names as well:
WGV (Billy Balchin) was Head of the Department of Geography when I studied for my PhD at Swansea. He worked closely with Alice Coleman. Dick Lawton was Head of the Department of Geography at Liverpool University when I arrived in the city. He was a tough Yorkshireman and utterly committed to geography and to the GA especially on Merseyside.
Rex Walford was one of the first educational geographers. He was one of the most enthusiastic and creative people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. He drowned tragically in the Thames while in his prime. He was responsible for many initiatives including the Worldwise Quiz.
Graham Humphrys lectured at Swansea and memorably dedicated one of his many books to Mark (his son?), Marilyn (his wife) and Maesteg (his birthplace).
Richard Dougherty ran the PGCE Geography course at Swansea.
Simon Catling was the year behind me at Marjons. He was always an incredibly ambitious, enthusiastic and prolific advocate of Primary school geography and, along with Wendy Morgan, was largely responsible for the introduction of primary geography to the GA. Apart from this he was well known for his many home made geography pullovers.
Wendy Morgan was the first Primary School President of the GA. She was responsible for the launch of the journal Primary Geographer and was its first editor. She was an indefatigable and creative person. She was responsible for the St Lucia Resources Pack which was used by many primary schools in the early days of the Geography National Curriculum.
Jeremy Krause was a local authority geography advisor in Cheshire and was responsible for much of the success of geography in the north west of England.
Chris Kington was a well loved Cambridge publisher who worked tirelessly for the GA and commissioned many books.
As with many other GA Presidents, Bill has also used his experiences as trustee to work as a trustee for other organisations.
He is a member of, and currently Chair the Board of Trustees of the Brain Charity.
On this website, there was a little more information about him:
Bill has lived in Liverpool since 1973 and has worked at Liverpool Hope University for his entire working life initially as a geography lecturer and finally as Pro Vice Chancellor External Relations and Widening Participation.
He is married to Fiona, a community educator, with 3 children and 6 grandchildren. They both love the Liverpool Philharmonic and Bill is also a season ticket holder at Everton.
References
Slideshare: Presidential Lecture - see above
He is married to Fiona, a community educator, with 3 children and 6 grandchildren. They both love the Liverpool Philharmonic and Bill is also a season ticket holder at Everton.
References
Slideshare: Presidential Lecture - see above
Book with Karl Donert:
LinkedIn - I wonder who would have been in the network of previous Presidents from the last century?
