William Bayne Fisher (1916–1984)

Chester, David K. (2023) William Bayne Fisher (1916–1984). Geographers Biobibliographical Studies. (Accepted for Publication)

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Abstract

From a relatively humble background, Bill Fisher rose to become professor and head of the geography department at Durham. Substantially expanding its student numbers, staff, buildings and equipment, he created there a leading British geography department, noted for the school of applied geography which he led. A combination of education in the school of French regional geography, first in Manchester and later at the Sorbonne, wartime experience in the Middle East, and a conviction that geographers could help to remake a better post-war world underpinned his many applied geographical projects, starting in Malta and extending to the Middle East and elsewhere. For these projects Fisher secured substantial external funding, something which was highly unusual at the time, and they provided important training for Durham’s geographical staff and students. The material gathered in the field was put at the service of the authorities in the regions concerned, and also formed the basis of his own research writings where his character and views are more readily observable. Though his approach was criticised towards the end of his life as being politically naïve and methodologically dated, he remained convinced of its usefulness and currency. A genial man who took his responsibilities seriously, he is fondly remembered by students and colleagues, though his academic reputation has survived better outside geography than within it.

Item Type:	Article
Faculty / Department:	Faculty of Human and Digital Sciences > School of Computer Science and the Environment
Depositing User:	Matthew Adams
Date Deposited:	29 Mar 2023 13:25
Last Modified:	14 Jan 2025 10:17
URI:	https://hira.hope.ac.uk/id/eprint/3822

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