John Brian Harley
Encyclopedia
Brian Harley (24 July 1932 – ) was a geographer, cartographer, and map historian at the universities of Birmingham
, Liverpool
, Exeter
and Wisconsin–Milwaukee. He is the founding co-editor of The History of Cartography. In recent years, Harley's work has gained broad prominence among geographers and social theorists, and it has contributed greatly to the emerging discipline of critical cartography
.
, Gloucestershire. From 1943 to 1950 he attended Brewood Grammar School
near Wolverhampton
. After national service Harley gained a place at Birmingham University in 1952. After gaining his Dip Ed from University College, Oxford
in 1956, he returned to Birmingham, gaining a PhD in 1960 for work on the historical geography of medieval Warwickshire.
Harley married Amy Doreen in 1957. He began teaching at Queensbridge School
, Moseley
, but was offered an assistant lecturership in geography at Liverpool University and took up the post in January 1959. In Liverpool Harley turned to the history of cartography
, producing Christopher Greenwood
, County Map-Maker (1962).
In 1969 Harley resigned from Liverpool to become an editor with publishers David and Charles in Newton Abbot
. Harley commissioned a number of works, but by March 1970 he was appointed as a lecturer at the University of Exeter
, becoming Montefiore Reader in 1972. In 1972, he published Maps for the local historian which introduced the use of maps to many amateur historians.
His main focus at Exeter was the history of the Ordnance Survey
. He produced notes for the David and Charles reprints of the first edition one-inch maps, wrote Ordnance Survey Maps: a Descriptive Manual (1975), and a substantial part of the official history of the Ordnance Survey (1978).
From the 1970s Harley turned to a philosophical view of maps. In 1985 he was awarded a DLitt by the University of Birmingham.
Harley served on the council of the Institute of British Geographers (1971–4). But despite his academic distinction, he didn't secure promotion in Britain. After the death of his wife and son, Harley relocated to the United States in 1986, when he was appointed professor of geography at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Here he worked on the multi-volume History of Cartography with David Woodward
. He was also involved in controversies over the Columbus
celebrations, writing Maps and the Columbian Encounter (1990), and was due to give twelve public lectures on the topic in 1992.
Harley died suddenly of a heart attack on 20 December 1991. He was cremated in Milwaukee, and his ashes were interred at Newton Abbot
, Devon
. Shortly before he died he proposed a new book combining a selection of essays, eventually published in 2001 as The New Nature of Maps (ed. P. Laxton).
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
, Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
, Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
and Wisconsin–Milwaukee. He is the founding co-editor of The History of Cartography. In recent years, Harley's work has gained broad prominence among geographers and social theorists, and it has contributed greatly to the emerging discipline of critical cartography
Critical cartography
Critical Cartography is a set of new mapping practices and theoretical critique grounded in critical theory. It differs from academic cartography in that it links geographic knowledge with power, and thus is political...
.
Biography
Harley was born in AshleyAshley, Gloucestershire
Ashley is a village and civil parish in the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England, about 8 miles south-west of Cirencester. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 142....
, Gloucestershire. From 1943 to 1950 he attended Brewood Grammar School
Brewood Grammar School
Brewood Grammar School was a boys' school in the village of Brewood in South Staffordshire, England.Founded in the mid 15th century by the Bishop of Lichfield as a chantry school it was closed by the 1547 Act of Dissolution of Chantries...
near Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
. After national service Harley gained a place at Birmingham University in 1952. After gaining his Dip Ed from University College, Oxford
University College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
in 1956, he returned to Birmingham, gaining a PhD in 1960 for work on the historical geography of medieval Warwickshire.
Harley married Amy Doreen in 1957. He began teaching at Queensbridge School
Queensbridge School
Queensbridge School is a mixed, 11-16 comprehensive school in Moseley, West Midlands. The school has been awarded specialist Arts College status.-Academics:...
, Moseley
Moseley
Moseley is a suburb of Birmingham, England, two miles south of the city centre. The area is a popular cosmopolitan residential location and leisure destination, with a number of bars and restaurants...
, but was offered an assistant lecturership in geography at Liverpool University and took up the post in January 1959. In Liverpool Harley turned to the history of cartography
History of cartography
Cartography , or mapmaking, has been an integral part of the human story for a long time, possibly up to 8,000 years...
, producing Christopher Greenwood
Christopher Greenwood
Sir Christopher John Greenwood CMG QC is a duly elected member of the International Court of Justice. He is a barrister and professor of international law at the London School of Economics...
, County Map-Maker (1962).
In 1969 Harley resigned from Liverpool to become an editor with publishers David and Charles in Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot is a market town and civil parish in the Teignbridge District of Devon, England on the River Teign, with a population of 23,580....
. Harley commissioned a number of works, but by March 1970 he was appointed as a lecturer at the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
, becoming Montefiore Reader in 1972. In 1972, he published Maps for the local historian which introduced the use of maps to many amateur historians.
His main focus at Exeter was the history of the Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
. He produced notes for the David and Charles reprints of the first edition one-inch maps, wrote Ordnance Survey Maps: a Descriptive Manual (1975), and a substantial part of the official history of the Ordnance Survey (1978).
From the 1970s Harley turned to a philosophical view of maps. In 1985 he was awarded a DLitt by the University of Birmingham.
Harley served on the council of the Institute of British Geographers (1971–4). But despite his academic distinction, he didn't secure promotion in Britain. After the death of his wife and son, Harley relocated to the United States in 1986, when he was appointed professor of geography at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Here he worked on the multi-volume History of Cartography with David Woodward
David Woodward
David Woodward was an English-born American historian of cartography and cartographer.- Biography :Woodward was born in Royal Leamington Spa, England. After receiving a bachelor’s degree from the University of Manchester, England, he came to the United States to study cartography under Arthur H....
. He was also involved in controversies over the Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
celebrations, writing Maps and the Columbian Encounter (1990), and was due to give twelve public lectures on the topic in 1992.
Harley died suddenly of a heart attack on 20 December 1991. He was cremated in Milwaukee, and his ashes were interred at Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot is a market town and civil parish in the Teignbridge District of Devon, England on the River Teign, with a population of 23,580....
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. Shortly before he died he proposed a new book combining a selection of essays, eventually published in 2001 as The New Nature of Maps (ed. P. Laxton).