1921: Halford Mackinder

I've been doing some reading to prepare for some work in my new role as VP: Education of the Royal Geographical Society.

I came across a speech by Halford MacKinder, delivered in the famous Map Room in 1921.

I was intrigued at the description of the GA as 'the dutiful daughter' of the RGS, asking for 'maternal help'.

This came at a time when the discipline was strong in universities, but not so much in schools.

This led to a report by John Scott Keltie.

I was interested that MacKinder was caned at school for drawing maps.... see below...

"About this time a step had been taken the significance of which was not at first recognized. Mr. Dickinson of Rugby had been using lantern slides in his classroom, and wanted to organize a system of exchanging slides between school and school. 

The Royal Geographical Society referred him to me, and at my invitation the first meeting of the Geographical Association was held at Christ Church, Oxford. Herbertson soon became Secretary of the Association, which under his auspices flourished, and began to publish a journal, the Geographical Teacher."

Source: Mackinder, Halford. “Geography as a Pivotal Subject in Education.” The Geographical Journal, vol. 57, no. 5, 1921, pp. 376–84. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1780845. Accessed 11 July 2024.

GA Conference 1982

I recently had a query about the GA Conference in 1982.

From this description, it seems that due to the LSE being unavailable for the usual period of time (?) the sessions were divided between the LSE and the RGS. It was remembered by a few people in my network, who attended the event.

Here was the report from Conference Officer Barrie Morgan, published in 'Geography'

Annual Conference (Officer: Dr. Barrie S. Morgan)

The Annual Conference was held from 14th- 16th April around the theme "Focus on Europe". This was a new-style Conference since the sessions at LSE were confined to two days, preceded by a late-afternoon and evening session at the RGS. The success of these and attendant innovations were assessed in the report.

Source

Coates, Bryan E., et al. “Annual Report of the Geographical Association 1982.” Geography, vol. 68, no. 2, 1983, pp. 154–61. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40570663. Accessed 9 June 2024.

More to come on this...

Discount for GA members on GIS courses run by the RGS

A new GA member benefit. Another example of some closer working between the GA and the RGS.

There is now an opportunity for GA members to get a discount on GIS courses which are run by the Royal Geographical Society / ESRI UK.

If you ask many teachers what they want training in, they often say either fieldwork / NEAs or GIS. This has been the case for quite some time now. It's also important to say that the GIS skills acquired need to be introduced to students in a co-ordinated way, with progression from the Early Years up to 'A' level (and beyond). 

With that in mind, here are some forthcoming courses that you might want to explore. Perhaps get them booked in before the end of the academic year if you have a little bit of money left in your departmental budget.

One course is actually taking place today in Coventry. 

If you have a group of schools and would like to host an event, please get in touch with the Education team at the RGS-IBG. This is particularly the case if you are not in London - the team is always happy to travel for a suitable group of teachers.

25th September 2024 - London - Kensington - Digimap for Schools

8th October 2024 - London - Kensington - Getting Started with ArcGIS

9th October 2024 - London - Kensington - Going further with ArcGIS

24th October 2024 - University of Leeds - Getting started with ArcGIS

7th November - Exeter School - Going further with ArcGIS

Dates for 2025 will be released later in the year.

These courses are also accredited as counting towards the time evidence and allocation for those who are Chartered Geographers, or are thinking of applying to be a Chartered Geographer.

150 000 page views

This blog has been a labour of love and taken many hundreds (even thousands) of hours over the last five years that it has been taking shape. 

There are now well over 800 posts, and I've referenced hundreds of issues of GA journals and other books and have a fleshed out biography of over 100 GA Presidents.

We've now passed 150 000 page views - another small milestone to have passed. Thanks for your interest, and as always if you have any additional information on any previous (or present) GA President, please get in touch. I'm still always keen to receive pictures taken at previous GA Conferences.

The Geographer's Craft (1967) - Percy Maude Roxby

While researching something on the history of the RGS, I came across a book called 'The Geographer's Craft' by Emeritus Professor T.W. Freeman (of Manchester University) published in 1967.

It can be accessed via the Internet Archive site and borrowed if you have a free account.

One of the chapters focussed on two British Geographers, and one of them was Percy Maude Roxby.

It included the image opposite.

Roxby was GA President in 1933.

The chapter starts with a description of Roxby which is excellent - he had panache.

He was 6'5" tall and saw each lecture as a performance.

There is a reminder that he trained as a Historian originally. He was influenced by lectures by Herbertson and Mackinder, and also Linton Myres.

He became particularly interested in China, which became a preoccupation.

He was also interested in the geography of East Anglia.

He produced his own regionalisation of East Anglia.

According to Roxby, I live in an area he called High Norfolk (some of this is now called Breckland)

It is described by Roxby as having:

Mainly heavy and tenacious boulder clays, mixed arable farming, many commons.

He died suddenly in 1946, 2 years after retiring from his Chair at Liverpool University.

Cath White Memorial Lecture 2024

I am honoured to have been asked to give the Cath White Memorial Lecture for the GA Tyne and Wear Branch, which is based at Northumbria University or a local school at Tynemouth for most of its lectures - a place that Cath invited me to speak at several times when I was a little more mobile and active speaking at GA Branches.

Cath was involved with the University and active in so many ways and spheres. She is remembered fondly.

Here's the details of the lecture.

Title: 'Professional zest and pedagogical longevity: the importance of everyday geographies'.

Blurb:
Alan will explore the importance of everyday engagement with the discipline, and how his ongoing interest in technology, travel and photography have influenced his teaching and resource projects. Drawing on Michael Storm's notion of the importance of 'professional zest', he will explore what has kept him teaching for so long, and share some current work. This includes curriculum development, and textbook writing, so there will be plenty of interesting ideas and stories to take away, whether you are an educator, student or just curious about geography's potential for explaining our changing world.

Here's the poster advertising the event.

If you're in the area it would be lovely to see you.

If you're a teacher, please bring some students.

GA Fieldwork Survey

Take part in the GA's fieldwork survey ahead of the start of the National Fieldwork Festival tomorrow.

Primary & secondary #geographyteachers please share your views on #fieldwork by taking part in this survey.

Only 10 quick Qs & your answers which will help inform @The_GA work as part of #NationalFestivalofFieldwork

Look forward to your answers. https://t.co/rcvRS4mqM9

— Steve Brace (@SteveBraceGeog) May 29, 2024

Richard Dilley - RIP

Sad news about the passing of Richard Dilley, who was the oldest member of the Cambridge branch of the GA. I met him and Keith several times over the years, and we met by chance a number of times travelling to GA Conferences from Peterborough Train station with former GA President Keith Grimwade.

This piece is in the Summer 2024 issue of 'GA Magazine'.

Image copyright: Geographical Association

Memories of Denys Brunsden

A piece of writing that I put together with the memories of Professor Denys Brunsden from Andrew Goudie and Anjana Khatwa was published in the Summer 2024 issue of GA Magazine.

Join the GA to see the full issue, and subscribe to the three other GA journals.

Check out some free samples here.

Image copyright: Geographical Association

New role... new blog...

As you'll have perhaps seen from a post at the end of April, I'm going to be working as the Vice President: Education of the RGS from June. 

As with any major project that I get involved with, or new role, I've started a new blog. This will track my work over the coming years, and also publicise relevant RGS-IBG activity. 

When I started out on my GA Presidential journey,  I started a blog which now has over 850 posts on it, and includes a biography of every GA President to date as well as much more on the history of the Association and its activities.

No. 1 Kensington Gore is known as "the Home of Geography". 

I've taken that as the name for my new blog, as I'll be visiting more regularly than I have for a few years.

Lowther Lodge has been the home of the Royal Geographical Society for over 100 years. 

You can visit the new blog here. 

Please check back regularly over the months to come...

A new role for me at the RGS-IBG

I've been connected with the RGS-IBG for quite a number of years in various ways, as were quite a few other former GA Presidents. I'm now about to strengthen those connections a little more.

In 2007 I became a Fellow of the RGS and Chartered Geographer (Teacher) and have been ever since.

In 2008, I was awarded their Ordnance Survey Award for excellence in Secondary Geography Teaching. This was a proud moment and came at the culmination (I thought) of my teaching career as I was joining the Geographical Association and stepping out of the classroom. I didn't realise I'd be back again within five years.

I had also spoken at the RGS as part of a student day - with Alastair Owens actually - although I only found that out much later when digging through some old papers. It's a wonderful thing to stand on the stage in the Ondaatje Theatre where so many greats have stood before. We also took students there for a range of events, and I took part in an event representing the Guardian / DfE once as well. I ended up having lunch with Nicholas Crane and have bumped into all sorts of explorers and 'celebrity' geographers at times in the lunch area.

Between 2008 and 2011 I worked closely with the RGS - particularly Steve Brace - who is now the GA Chief Executive of course, and Claire Wheeler (now Claire Brown) along with the rest of their APG team as part of the Action Plan for Geography. This meant regular meetings at either the RGS or Solly Street at a time when Michael Palin was president.

From 2011 onwards for several years I contributed resources to the RGS website, thanks to Steve Brace. This included:

- From the Field resources - working with PhD researchers to translate their work into the classroom

- 'A' level / fieldwork materials funded by a Data Skills project

- a resource on Hunstanton's famous stripy cliffs

- the education materials for Felicity Aston's Going Beyond funded trip to the Pole of Cold - these won an award from the SAGT.

If you are a fellow, you will have received your electronic 'ballot paper' for the elections for Council for June 2024 and will perhaps have noticed that I have put myself forward for the post of Vice President: Education. I had to keep this to myself for a while.

This blog post would have been a request to vote for me in an election, but as it turned out I stood unopposed, so will be confirmed in this role at the AGM of the RGS in June, the same day as the RGS's Awards are handed out.

From June I shall therefore be taking on the role of Vice President: Education at the RGS and have a place on RGS Council for a four year term of office.

Thanks to the fine people who proposed me for the position, including a Polar explorer and some very excellent geography teacher colleagues.

Thanks also must go to my predecessor as VP Education: Mel Norman, who has also been closely associated with the Geographical Association. She Chaired and was Co-Chair/Secretary of the GA's Education Group and was also editor of 'Teaching Geography' for a lengthy period. 

She taught PGCE Geographers for many years - I visited her cohorts a few times while working for the GA - and is also closely associated with the organisation of the Charney Manor Primary Geography Conference. I'm hoping she will pass on more of her wisdom, much as she did when I started my GA Presidency. Speaking of which, Mel is one of those people who has not been GA President (yet) but would be fantastic in the role. She has received awards from the GA for her work in a range of spheres.

If you're going to be at the AGM / Awards or reception in the evening it would be fantastic to catch up. 

I shall be back with more requests as I get started on the role in the summer. 

I look forward to working with all the various Council and committee members, RGS staff and the new incoming President Professor Dame Jane Francis, who received the RGS's Patron's Medal in 2022.

There is work to be done to ensure that all the ongoing support that the RGS offers for teachers meets their needs, and continues to be responsive and inclusive to the changing needs of the profession. I'm excited to offer my support in various ways.

Image: Sam Parkinson

From the archive - Fleure to Mill 2 - Christmas 1933

Another letter from H J Fleure to Hugh Robert Mill. I love these old letters in the GA Archives. I plan to go up to Solly Street this coming summer to spend a day delving into someof the boxes that I didn't manage to get into last time I went, which is too long ago, and take lots more pictures. 

This was the era when Fleure was in Manchester rather than Aberystwyth, and he is sad that Mill is no longer chairing GA meetings, but says that:

 "the Association is now, I hope, on its feet and able to walk erect"

This was down to some financial prudence from W.A. Cadbury.

The death of T.W.Sowerbutts of the Manchester Geographical Society is also noted.

He finishes by noting the growth in people taking geography as a subject in examinations. A promising trend.

From the archive - Fleure to Mill

A letter from H J Fleure to Hugh Robert Mill, sent in 1932 thanking him for attending a gathering. The letterhead is interesting too.

Steve Brace on the value of fieldwork

Over the years Chief Executives of the GA have engaged with newspapers and had letters published at various time.

If you missed yesterday's Guardian (as I do out of term time), here's the letter from Steve Brace on the importance of fieldwork...

GA Conference 2024

The 2024 GA Conference is underway at the University of Manchester with a theme of 'Geography for Everyone' proposed by President Denise Freeman. This is the first I've missed for almost twenty years, due to train strikes and other issues.

The #GAConf24 long-standing members & Past Presidents’ lunch is in full swing. Can you spot your geography heroes? pic.twitter.com/QbXYDiYkLW

— Geographical Association (@The_GA) April 5, 2024

Congratulations to Catherine Owen, who was revealead as the President for 2025-6. She will appear on this blog in due course.

So relieved to be able to tell people about this! So happy to have been elected to serve the amazing @The_GA in this way. 🌎 https://t.co/B7k5SV5zCd

— Catherine Owen (@GeogMum) April 4, 2024

Alun Morgan gave this year's Rex Walford Memorial Lecture 

The Rex Walford lecture 2024
Great to hear Alun Morgan#GAConf24@The_GA pic.twitter.com/memu6jF0Wi

— Geography Primary & Early Years Committee @The_GA (@EYPPC_GA) April 5, 2024

We will also be back in Oxford in 2025 at Oxford Brookes University.

Image: Denise Freeman