John Roundell Palmer, The 4th Earl of Selborne GBE, FRS, DL (1940–2021)
At a Glance
Section titled “At a Glance”| Metadata | Details |
|---|---|
| Publication Date | 2021-11-26 |
| Journal | Geographical Journal |
| Authors | Rita Gardner |
| Institutions | Academy of Social Sciences |
| Citations | 1 |
Abstract
Section titled “Abstract”Official portrait of The Earl of Selborne by Chris McAndrew. Reproduced under a CC BY 3.0 licence The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) has had many great Presidents since it was founded in 1830, bringing their distinctive expertise to the organisation and to its objective to advance geographical science. Between the years of 1987 and 2000 four successive Society Presidents each played pivotal, distinctive, and complementary roles in the recent history of the Society. All held knighthoods and/or hereditary peerages in the House of Lords, all brought a breadth of experience from business, industry, and Whitehall, together with a keen interest in aspects of geographical science. All had the courage, vision and wisdom to take quite radical steps towards a new future for the Society: one that allied a keen sense of tradition with a wider modernity of purpose. The death of John Selborne, President, 1997 to 2000, and the last of the four, reminds us again of that special era in which the most recent and arguably the most substantial seeds of change were planted and nurtured in their early years. Geography and the RGS-IBG are both much the richer for it. To understand John’s role, a brief context is helpful. Roger Chorley (President, 1987-90) established and chaired a strategic “forward look” (see Chorley, 1990) from which emerged the Society’s regional programme that remains very active to this day, among other initiatives. As Chair of the Lords “Chorley Report”, he promoted RGS engagement with emerging new geospatial technologies of earth observation and GIS. Probably most importantly his ‘forward look’ and business background raised the question of change and development in new directions. Crispin Tickell (President, 1990 to 1993) brought his pioneering scientific interest in climate change together with a wealth of experience in policy making, strategy, and negotiating to the Society. (He had recently led the successful negotiations over the Falkland Islands for Prime Minister Thatcher.) As President he actively promoted an agenda for change, establishing and chairing a small working group of joint Honorary Officers (Crispin Tickell, Rita Gardner, Tony French for the RGS; David Sugden/John Thornes, Derek Diamond, and Tim Unwin for the Institute of British Geographers) to explore options for closer working between the two bodies. He continued in this role as Immediate Past President and in 1995 the two organisations formally and equally merged as one, following votes in favour by both memberships. George Jellicoe (President 1993 to 1997) saw in the early, tentative years of the new RGS-IBG when new bye-laws, working structures and relationships were being formulated for the future. They have stood the test of time. At this stage, a President with outstanding interpersonal skills was what the RGS-IBG needed, and George provided those in abundance. His personal warmth, expansive bonhomie, keen sense of intuition and innate inclusivity, plus an onsite presence in Lowther Lodge ensured the merger stayed on track and that a newly appointed Director had the support she needed in her vital first year. John Selborne (President 1997 to 2000) presided at a time when continuity and change were needed in equal measure in order to cement the ‘new’ Society in the eyes of both sets of members. Looking back, it helped greatly that John had had no previous involvement with, or indeed knowledge of, the Society (or its two former bodies) prior to being elected President. He came with much experience and good judgement but no preconceptions; with an open mind and sharp intellect but no self-importance; a reflective demeanour interspersed with delightful glimpses of wry, dry humour; and his hallmark combination of scientific curiosity and sense of public duty to whatever venture he gave his name and time to. Above all, John’s credibility, sense of fairness and independence as President was trusted by both groups and this was essential in cultivating trust in the new organisation itself and confidence in the merger. John’s calm, logical and self-effacing wisdom served the Society exceptionally well at a critical time of change. His presidency was marked with the publication, in 1997, of the first in a series of RGS-IBG strategies that guided the Society as a broad church and focused the development of its strengths and capacities in support of the discipline of geography and all its communities - in research and expeditions, in higher and secondary education, in policy, engaging the public and keen travellers and in serving the needs of professional geographers. The breadth that was developed in the years that followed is one of the essential underpinning strengths of the Society today. The three major and contrasting projects of his Presidency were the Shoals of Capricorn field research programme, the £7.4m ‘Unlocking the Archives’ programme, and the major refurbishment of the Ondaatje Theatre. All were ambitious and John played vital roles in each. The first, a multi-national marine research project owed much to John as an active chair of the project board. The second symbolised the physical, visual, and intellectual opening of the new RGS-IBG as a national home for geography. It provided public access to the Society’s historic collections together with new education facilities, a new entrance and exhibition pavilion, revamped garden, and new image. The third, transformed the Society’s somewhat tired lecture facilities into its most impressive, most admired, and most used public space, the Ondaatje Theatre. For me, as Society Director, John was mentor, critical friend, supporter, and a very willing partner in fundraising for the Unlocking the Archives project so that work could start in 2001. He called us “the Mutt and Jeff act” - while careful never to assign specific roles! John enjoyed great popularity with Fellows from all backgrounds as an approachable, egalitarian, and genuinely interested President; and the Society took him, and his wife Joanna, to its heart. He only ever failed to chair a Monday night lecture if he was travelling - including some decidedly adventurous excursions - or if business in the House of Lords was pressing. He also regularly attended regional meetings, sat in on Annual Conference lectures, chatted to students at the Explore! weekend seminar, and presided over the Geographical Club. He was held in enormously high regard by everyone. His Presidential addresses to the Society considered the Society’s developments (1998), the role of geography and geographers in promoting the understanding of sustainable development (1999), and in his final address he urged all geographers to recognise the coherence of the subject and to accept the challenge to lead the way in developing interdisciplinary approaches (2000), and in his final address he urged all geographers to recognise the coherence of the subject and to accept the challenge to lead the way in developing interdisciplinary approaches (2000). In his later years he stayed closely in touch with the Society as an Honorary President and as a donor - his name graces one of the stairs up to the Ondaatje Theatre gallery - generously giving advice and providing introductions, attending lectures and the summer reception, always being ready to help out if asked and to take on the unpopular jobs if needed. He was often heard to say in public that RGS-IBG President was one of his most enjoyable roles. The fact that he chose to hold his 60th birthday party at the Society says much about the warmth of the connection. That the Society was but one of his many public roles is all the more remarkable. John served in leadership and advisory positions on numerous national bodies, most of them reflecting his passionate interests and significant expertise in science, ecology, horticulture, conservation, and the environment. These included: Vice-Chair, Apple and Pear Development Council, 1969-73 Chair, Hops Marketing Board, 1978-82 Chair, Agriculture & Food Research Council, 1982-89 President, Royal Agricultural Society of England, 1987-88 Master, Worshipful Company of Mercers, 1989 President, Royal Institute of Public Health & Hygiene, 1991-97 Chair, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, 1991-97 Member, Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, 1993-98 Chancellor, University of Southampton, 1996-2006 President, Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), 1997-2000 Chair of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, 2003-09 Chair, Foundation for Science & Technology, 2006-2021 In addition, he was Patron of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management, Vice-Patron of the Royal Entomological Society, and a Fellow of the Linnaean Society. He combined all this seemingly effortlessly with his farming business at Selborne, Hampshire, and his activities in the House of Lords over a period of almost 50 years, latterly as an elected peer. His cited interests in the Lords included agriculture, food and rural affairs; energy; education; and science and technology, among others. He was immensely proud of his 26 years of close association with the House of Lords Science & Technology Committee (STC), as a member of the committee and its sub-committees and, uniquely, twice as its Chairman (1993-1997; 2014-2017). A keen supporter of Britain’s role within the European Union, he chaired the STC Inquiry that considered the actions the government should take to ensure science flourished post the EU referendum. The associated report, published in December 2016, was entitled “A Time for Boldness: EU Membership and UK science after the referendum.” John opened the debate in the House of Lords. His outstanding services to science were recognised with a Fellowship of The Royal Society in 1991, a KBE in 1987, and GBE in 2011. He also received the Victoria Medal of Honour from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1997. It was a pleasure and privilege to have worked closely with John and to have known him over more than 20 years. Wise beyond words, generous in his encouragement and light of touch in his mentoring, he will be sorely missed and deeply remembered by the institutions he supported, by the many individuals he engaged with and whose personal development he encouraged, and by his very many Fellow fans at the Society who remember him with admiration, warmth and fondness. It takes a very special man to have been honoured with a GBE for services to science, to be in their element in a flat cap enthusing people about apples - their apples - on Winchester Market, and who, with a twinkle and broad smile, would insist on wheeling a speakers’ fridge - his trusty companion on a long trip around Ireland - onto the podium of a packed Ondaatje Theatre at the RGS-IBG to loud applause.