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john collinson

john collinson

It is almost sixty years to the day since I first met Bill. We were both students from similar backgrounds, his in London and mine in Yorkshire, we became good friends from the outset and maintained that friendship until Bill’s passing. As well as geology, we shared as a love of sport, Bill as a talented footballer, I as a not-so-talented runner. Bill was modest about his footballing prowess but even quite recently he talked with considerable pride of having trained with Bobby Robson in preparation for his soccer Blue in the varsity soccer match at Wembley. His lifelong enthusiasm for West Ham was supported by his firm view that West Ham won the World Cup in 1965! As well as being a footballer, Bill was also an enthusiastic cricketer, and it was cricket that was behind the only regret that Bill ever confided. In 1963, Brian Rosen organised a small geological expedition to North Norway and Bill was invited to join but, instead, elected to take part in a college cricket tour. Bill’s participation would have made that trip even more memorable. However, Brian and I forgave him and the three of us met up in recent years for what we called “geo-picnics”. These lasted for several years and were a splendid excuse for enjoying a local hostelry under cover of looking at the local geology. Bill’s deteriorating health sadly brought these memorable events to an end. Prior to the geo-picnics, Bill and I had met up on a fairly regular basis for lunch, without any pretence of looking at rocks. My other contact with Bill came through his teaching. My great friend and Keele colleague, David Thompson, was for many years the focal point for geological education in Britain and he and Bill were enthusiastic members of the Earth Science Teachers Association. They had enormous mutual respect and David regarded Bill as one of the outstanding teachers of geology. I’m sure that what made Bill such an outstanding teacher was not just his enthusiasm for and continuing curiosity about the subject but the enormous warmth, kindness and wit that brought to life in general. As a student, his wit was legendary, hilarious but never cruel, sometimes triggered by geology, sometime by life in general, but many times by sport. One of Bill’s great talents was to capture on-going events in sports-style commentaries. Imagining a geological field trip described by Ken Wolstenholme or David Coleman will convey idea. Just as memorable were his commentaries on completely imaginary sporting events. A highlight for me was a commentary on an imaginary 100m race with a field of runners all with sub-Saharan names. I’m not sure that the winner broke 10 secs but it was hilarious. What a warm, kind and funny friend! John Collinson

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