Person

Richardson, Geoffrey Alan | b 1936 | Principal of The Queen's College, Glasgow

b 1936

Geoffrey Alan Richardson was born in Lancashire on 27 July 1936. He graduated with an MA (Hons) in Geography from Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge in 1958. He went on to gain his teaching certificate from Exeter University in 1959, before beginning his career as a geography teacher.

He taught in primary and secondary schools in England and Australia, where he and his wife lived for 3 years. On their return to England he became a senior tutor in Ilkley College of Education, Yorkshire and his career interests developed into education management. He was awarded a diploma in Education Management from Sheffield Polytechnic in 1973. His role at the College included teaching students of environmental studies, home economics, professional studies and teaching practice as well as having overall responsibility for student welfare in the College and for a hall of residence. He was involved in education management developments at the College and began research on a part-time basis at the University of Manchester towards a masters degree in Education. He also wrote several geography textbooks at this time. He was a man of wide interests, he fished, ran 3 miles every morning and had been principal clarinettist in the Cambridge University Orchestra, continuing to play in several music societies.

Geoffrey Richardson took up the position as Principal of the newly named The Queen’s College, Glasgow, on 1 September 1976. He was the first male to take on the role at the College which had been led by women for over a century. He led the College through difficult times, upgrading the academic standards and modernising its organisational structure. He achieved this through a College Development Programme from 1977 to 1986, involving all staff in the process of change. During his time as Principal the College also expanded its syllabus and premises, including the provision of Social Work courses from 1976, the transfer of the physiotherapy schools from Greater Glasgow Health Board to the College in 1977, and the schools of the other allied health professions between 1984 and 1990. The College also achieved CNAA (Council for National Academic Awards) accreditation for its degrees and underwent an HMI (Her Majesty’s Inspectorate) inspection in May 1985. During this time Geoffrey Richardson studied towards a Doctorate in Education which he awarded by the University of Glasgow in 1980.

He resigned from the College, leaving in January 1991 to take up the position of Director of Roffey Park Management College in Sussex.

Born: Lancashire, England (1936)
Cambridge, England (1954-58)
Yorkshire, England (1973-1976)
Glasgow, Scotland (1976-1990)
Sussex, England (1991- )

Senior Lecturer, Ilkley College of Education (c1970-1976)
Principal, The Queen's College, Glasgow (1976-1990)

GB 1847

ISAAR(CPF): International Standard Archival Authority Records for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families, International Council on Archives (2nd edition, 2003); Rules for the construction of personal, place and corporate names, National Council on Archives (1997).

Created by Kirsty Menzies, Project Archivist, 21 March 2018.

• English

Thompson, Willie and McCallum, Carole, ‘Glasgow Caledonian University: its origins and evolution’, (East Linton: Tuckwell Press, 1998).