Dedicated, award-winning museum director who served his community
After completing a joint degree of geology and geography and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education at his home university, the University of Hull, in 1961, Patrick Boylan embarked on a career teaching at his former school, Marist College. But his career took off in another direction after completing a part-time Diploma in museum studies and a PhD in geology and the history of science at the University of Leicester.
Left: Patrick Boylan. Image courtesy of Pam Inder.
Keeper and curator
In 1964, Patrick became the Keeper of Geology and Natural History for Kingston upon Hull Museums. From there, he became Director of Museums and Art Gallery for Exeter City Council in 1968; then Director of Museums and Arts for Leicester City Council from 1972 to 1990. He was President of the Museums Association (MA) from 1978 to 1980, where he developed the MA’s first code of professional ethics for the International Council of Museums (ICOM). Within ICOM, Patrick served as chair of the international committee for training, UK national committee, ethics committee, and legal affairs committee. He was also a member of the executive and advisory committees and became an honorary member on reaching retirement age in 2004. By this time, Patrick had outstanding national and international reputations in many subjects and institutions.
Service and awards
In 1993, Patrick undertook a UNESCO review of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. As a result, in 1996, he became the driving force behind ICOM being credited as one of the four co-founders of Blue Shield, an international organisation established to protect the world’s cultural heritage threatened by wars and natural disasters. Patrick served as a consultant for UNESCO, the Council of Europe, World Bank, and the British Council, among others. He was also involved in providing training in cultural protection for United States special forces.
From 2005 to 2009, he was editor-in-chief of the
International Journal of Intangible Heritage, and a member of its executive board from 2018 to 2021. Patrick was the recipient of several awards throughout his career: the Republic of Croatia’s Order of Danica Hrvatska for cultural achievements (1996); the Advocate Award of the International Institute of Conservation (2012); the Moore Medal of the Yorkshire Geological Society (2023); and the Felix Whitham medal of the Hull Geological Society (2023).
Lifelong interests
Throughout his career, Patrick retained his lifelong interests in geology, palaeontology, and archaeology. He served as president of the Geological Societies of Hull and Yorkshire, and the William Pengelly Cave Studies Trust. He served the Geological Society of London as Chair of the library committee.
Patrick was Professor and Head of the Department of Arts Policy and Management for City University, London, from 1990 to 2004, before returning to Leicester to enjoy his retirement with the title of Professor Emeritus in Heritage Policy and Management.
Patrick is survived by his second wife, Pamela (née Inder), whom he married in 1993, their two sons, Matthew and John, and four sons, Andrew, Christopher, Mark, and Peter, from his first marriage to Ann Worsfold.
By Aftab Khan