Dedicated geomorphologist and international collaborator
Professor Edward Derbyshire was a scientist whose research into geomorphology continues to have a significant legacy. Motivated by the belief that science should act in service to the global community, Edward dedicated his life to researching topics crucial to our future, from landslides and glaciers to climate change, desertification, and the effect of dust particles on health. Edward sadly passed away on 9 July 2024, aged 91.
Left: Edward Derbyshire. Image courtesy of Edward Derbyshire Jr.
Education
Born in Liverpool in 1932 to Katie and Edward Derbyshire, Edward gained a place to study English Literature and Geography at the University College of North Staffordshire (UCNS), now Keele University. A talented sportsperson and enthusiastic scholar, Edward loved his student days. It was at UCNS that he met Maryon Lloyd, and their marriage in 1956 was followed by the births of three sons.
After completing his National Service, Edward gained an MSc at McGill University, Montreal, Canada, before being awarded a PhD from Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, for his thesis on the geomorphology and climate of Western Tasmania. Edward subsequently accepted a lectureship in the Department of Geography in 1967 at his beloved Keele University, a place where many friendships and academic links were made.
Collaborations
Though Edward was based for 18 years at Keele as an established academic, years he described as ‘the happiest of my life,’ many other opportunities opened up. He led several field trips to Iceland and Norway to study ice sheets, once dropping his beloved Leica camera in an Arctic lake. Edward’s collaborations, from 1977 onwards, with eminent academics at the Chinese Academy of Science significantly influenced research into loess landscapes, as recognised by the 1982 Beck Award of the Royal Geographical Society of London. After moving to the University of Leicester in 1985, Edward demonstrated trademark determination when he convinced the European Union to fund eight years of research into the landslides of western China, for which he earned the Varnes Medal from the International Consortium of Landslides in 2012.
Edward was a prolific writer, publishing over 200 scientific articles and books, and even producing prizewinning poetry. Neither retirement nor illness dimmed Edward’s work ethic. Alongside his role as Emeritus Professor at Royal Holloway, University of London, he continued to contribute to prestigious scientific committees, culminating in his 2001 appointment as Chair of the Science Programme Committee of the proposed United Nations International Year of Planet Earth, 2008.
Force of energy
Edward was a force of energy never without a twinkle in his eye. He retired in 1990 but continued to foster international collaborations and supervise doctoral students. In 2012, an international conference celebrated his legacy and contribution to the greater understanding of the physical and human significance of loess transportation and deposition. In the same year, he was honoured to receive the James M. Harrison Award and Medal for Outstanding Achievement, from the International Union of Geological Sciences. Edward is lovingly remembered by his wife, Maryon, sons, Edmund, Edward, and Dominic, and nine grandchildren.
By Edward Derbyshire Jr and Emily Derbyshire