The Victoria Medal is an award presented by the

Royal Geographical Society The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical scien ...

. It is awarded "for conspicuous merit in research in geography" and has been given since 1902, in honour of the late Queen Victoria. Up until then, the society's Patron's Medal had alternatively been known as the "Victoria Medal", and the new medal resembled its original design.

Past recipients

Recipients include: (See pdf's page 4.) *1902: Ernst Georg Ravenstein, ''for his efforts during 40 years to introduce scientific methods into the cartography of the United Kingdom'' *1903:

Sven Hedin Sven Anders Hedin, KNO1kl RVO,Wennerholm, Eric (1978) ''Sven Hedin – En biografi'', Bonniers, Stockholm (19 February 1865 – 26 November 1952) was a Swedish geographer, topographer, explorer, photographer, travel writer and illustrator ...

, ''for his exploration in Central Asia'' *1905: John George Bartholomew, ''for his efforts to raise the standard of cartography''. *1906: W. M. Ramsay, ''for his investigation of the Ancient Geography of Asia Minor'' *1909:

Alexander Agassiz Alexander Emmanuel Rodolphe Agassiz (December 17, 1835March 27, 1910), son of Louis Agassiz and stepson of Elizabeth Cabot Agassiz, was an American scientist and engineer. Biography Agassiz was born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland and immigrated to ...

, ''for thirty years' work in oceanographical exploration'' *1911:

Henry George Lyons Colonel Sir Henry George Lyons FRS (11 October 1864 – 10 August 1944) was a British geologist and director of the Science Museum in London. Henry Lyons was born in London, the son of General Thomas Lyons. Lyons was educated at Wellingto ...

, ''Egyptian Survey. For his investigations of the River Nile and its basin'' *1912:

George H. Darwin Sir George Howard Darwin, (9 July 1845 – 7 December 1912) was an English barrister and astronomer, the second son and fifth child of Charles Darwin and Emma Darwin. Biography George H. Darwin was born at Down House, Kent, the fifth chil ...

, ''for his investigations on tides and in geodesy''. *1913:

Sidney Gerald Burrard Sir Sidney Gerald Burrard, 7th Baronet, (12 August 1860 – 16 March 1943) was a British army officer who served as Surveyor General of India and played a major role in the Great Trigonometrical Survey's work in the Himalayas and identified the s ...

''Indian Survey. For his distinguished contributions to geography and geodesy''. *1915:

Hugh Robert Mill Hugh Robert Mill (28 May 1861 – 5 April 1950) was a British geographer and meteorologist who was influential in the reform of geography teaching, and in the development of meteorology as a science. He was President of the Royal Meteorologica ...

*1917: John Keltie *1919: John Walter Gregory *1920: Harold St. John Loyd Winterbotham *1922:

John F. Baddeley John Frederick Baddeley (July 1854 – 16 February 1940) was a British traveller, writer and journalist, best known by his works on Russia and the Caucasus region. He was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, 1902–1940. He was educated ...

*1924: John Fillmore Hayford *1927:

Charles Close Colonel Sir Charles Frederick Arden-Close, (10 August 1865 – 19 December 1952) was a British geographer and surveyor. He was Director General of the Ordnance Survey from 1911 to 1922. His insistence on attention to detail saw the improv ...

*1928:

Edward Ayearst Reeves Edward Ayearst Reeves () was a British geographer, astronomer, and cartographer. He was a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society beginning in 1896, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society from 1900, and won the Cullum Geographical Medal in ...

*1930: Emmanuel de Margerie *1932: Arthur Philemon Coleman *1934:

Edward Heawood Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sax ...

*1935: Edward James Wayland *1936: Stanley Wells Kemp *1938:

Arthur Robert Hinks Arthur Robert Hinks, CBE, FRS (26 May 1873 – 14 April 1945) was a British astronomer and geographer. As an astronomer, he is best known for his work in determining the distance from the Sun to the Earth (the astronomical unit) from 1900 to ...

*1940: O. G. S. Crawford *1941: Harold Jeffreys *1946:

Herbert John Fleure Herbert John Fleure, (6 June 1877 – 1 July 1969) was a British zoologist and geographer. He was secretary of the Geographical Association, editor of ''Geography'', and president of the Cambrian Archaeological Association (1924–25), Roy ...

, ''for distinguished service in the advancement of geographical education and valuable researches into the human aspects of geography'' *1947: Eva G. R. Taylor *1948:

Frank Debenham Frank Debenham, OBE (26 December 1883 – 23 November 1965) was Emeritus Professor of Geography at the Department of Geography, Cambridge University and first director of the Scott Polar Research Institute. Biography Debenham was born in B ...

*1950:

Emmanuel de Martonne Emmanuel de Martonne (, 1 April 1873 – 24 July 1955) was a French geographer. He participated in the Paris Peace Conference. Early life and education Martonne was born on 1 April 1873 in Chabris, Indre, France, and was the son-in-law of Paul ...

*1951:

Charles Cotton Charles Cotton (28 April 1630 – 16 February 1687) was an English poet and writer, best known for translating the work of Michel de Montaigne from the French, for his contributions to ''The Compleat Angler'', and for the influential ''The Comp ...

*1953:

John Myres Sir John Linton Myres Kt OBE FBA FRAI (3 July 1869 in Preston – 6 March 1954 in Oxford) was a British archaeologist and academic, who conducted excavations in Cyprus in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Life He was the son of t ...

*1955:

Sir John Russell Sir John Wriothesley Russell (22 August 1914 – 3 August 1984) was a British diplomat and ambassador. He was the only son of Thomas Wentworth Russell, better known as Russell Pasha, who was descended from John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford. H ...

, ''for his studies of soils and agriculture'' *1957:

Sidney William Wooldridge Professor Sidney William Wooldridge CBE, FRS, FGS (16 November 1900 – 25 April 1963), geologist, geomorphologist and geographer, was a pioneer in the study of the geomorphology of south-east England and the first professor of geography at Ki ...

*1958: Roberto Almagià *1959:

Gerald Seligman Gerald Seligman (26 March 1886 – 21 February 1973) was the founder of the International Glaciological Society and the ''Journal of Glaciology''. He was born in London, educated at Harrow, and studied at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He was the fi ...

*1960:

James Alfred Steers James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

*1962: Carl Troll *1963:

Henry Clifford Darby Sir Henry Clifford Darby, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE, Fellow of the British Academy, FBA (1909–1992), commonly known as Sir Clifford Darby, was a Welsh historical geographer and academic. He was a key figure in the establi ...

*1964: John Norman Leonard Baker *1966: Gerald Roe Crone *1967: Charles W. Phillips *1968: Walter Christaller *1969: Marcel Aurousseau *1970:

Raleigh Ashlin Skelton Raleigh Ashlin Skelton (21 December 1906 – 7 December 1970) is best known for his work on the history of cartography and particularly his attempts to prove the authenticity of the Vinland map. Life An enigmatic personality, Skelton was known as ...

*1971: Oskar Spate *1972: George Henry John Daysh *1973:

Emyr Estyn Evans Emyr Estyn Evans CBE (29 May 1905 – 12 August 1989) was a geographer and archaeologist, whose primary field of interest was the Irish neolithic. Early life He was born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, the son of a Welsh Presbyterian minister, Geor ...

*1974: Charles Alfred Fisher *1975:

Carl O. Sauer Carl Ortwin Sauer (December 24, 1889 – July 18, 1975) was an American geographer. Sauer was a professor of geography at the University of California at Berkeley from 1923 until becoming professor emeritus in 1957. He has been called "the d ...

*1976:

Joseph Newell Jennings Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the mo ...

*1977: Emrys Jones *1978:

Terence Armstrong Terence Edward Armstrong (7 April 1920 – 21 February 1996) was a British polar geographer, sea ice specialist, writer, and expert on the Russian Arctic. Career Terence Edward Armstrong was educated at Twyford School,Torsten Hägerstrand *1980: Jean Gottmann *1981: Julius Büdel *1982: Helmut J. Jusatz *1983: Bertram Hughes Farmer *1984:

Richard Hartshorne Richard Hartshorne (December 12, 1899 – November 5, 1992) was a prominent American geographer, and professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who specialized in economic and political geography and the philosophy of geography. He is know ...

*1985: John Terence Coppock *1986:

Ren Mei'e Ren Mei'e (; 1913–2008) was a Chinese geomorphologist, geologist, marine and coastal scientist, educator and professor, who was the main founder for the study of many related subjects in modern China. Biography Ren was born in Zhenhai, Ningbo ...

*1987:

Chauncy Harris Chauncy Dennison Harris (1914 - December 26, 2003) was a pioneer of modern geography. His seminal works in the field of American urban geography ("The Nature of Cities" and "A Functional Classification of Cities in the United States") along with h ...

*1988:

Brian Berry Brian Joe Lobley Berry (born February 16, 1934) is a British-American human geographer and city and regional planner. He is Lloyd Viel Berkner Regental Professor in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences at the University of Tex ...

*1989:

David Simonett David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

*1990: Ron Johnston *1991: John Clarke *1992: John Goddard *1993: Norman Graves *1994: Doreen Massey *1995:

Helen Wallis Helen Margaret Wallis (17 August 1924 – 7 February 1995) was the Map Curator at the British Museum (afterwards the British Library) from 1967 to 1987. Biography Born at Dunkery, Park Road, Barnet on 17 August 1924, Wallis was the daughter o ...

*1996:

Ronald Abler Ronald Francis (Ron) Abler (born May 30, 1939) is an American geographer at Pennsylvania State University and an Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Abler obtained his PhD in 1968 from the University of Min ...

, ''for his contribution to human geography and enhancement of links between British and American geography'' *1997:

David Lowenthal David Lowenthal (26 April 1923 – 15 September 2018) was an American historian and geographer, renowned for his work on heritage. He is credited with having made heritage studies a discipline in its own right. Biography David Lowenthal was bor ...

*1998:

Ian Simmons Ian Gordon Simmons (born 22 January 1937) is a British geographer. He retired as Professor of Geography from the University of Durham in 2001. He has made significant contributions to environmental history and prehistoric archaeology. Backgrou ...

*1999:

Robin Butlin Robin Alan Butlin (born 1938) is emeritus professor of geography, and visiting research fellow, based in the School of Geography, University of Leeds, School of Geography at the University of Leeds. Robin was a professor of historical geography a ...

*2000:

Desmond Walling Desmond or Desmond's may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Desmond'' (novel), 1792 novel by Charlotte Turner Smith * ''Desmond's'', 1990s British television sitcom Ireland * Kingdom of Desmond, medieval Irish kingdom * Earl of Desmond, Irish a ...

*2001:

Peter Dicken Peter Dicken (born 1938) is an economic geographer whose research focuses on processes and patterns in globalisation. He joined the University of Manchester in 1966 after completing an MA there.P. Hubbard, R. Kitchin and G. Valentine, 2005: ''K ...

*2002:

Angela Gurnell Angela Gurnell is a British geoscientist who is Professor of Physical Geography at Queen Mary University of London. Her research considers hydrology, geomorphology and plant ecology. She is particularly interested in how vegetations and fluvial p ...

*2003: Nigel Thrift *2004:

Michael Watts Michael J. Watts (born 1951 in England) is Professor Emeritus of Geography at the University of California, Berkeley. He retired in 2016. He is a leading critical intellectual figure of the academic left. His first book, ''Silent Violence:F ...

, ''for research on political economy, culture and power'' *2005: Ray Hudson, ''for research on regional and industrial change in the UK and wider Europe'' *2006: Jim Rose, ''for contributions to quaternary research'' *2007:

Peter Jackson Sir Peter Robert Jackson (born 31 October 1961) is a New Zealand film director, screenwriter and producer. He is best known as the director, writer and producer of the ''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy (2001–2003) and the ''Hobbit'' trilogy ( ...

, ''for research on social geography'' *2008: Linda McDowell, ''for research in socio-economic and feminist geography'' *2009: Philip Rees, ''for research on population geography and demography'' *2010: Rick Battarbee, ''for research in environmental change'' *2011: John Lowe, ''for research in Quaternary Science''. *2012: Stuart N. Lane, ''for research in physical geography and hydrological modelling''. *2013: Paul A. Longley, ''for research in geographic information science''. *2014: Susan Jane Smith, ''for research on geography'' *2015:

Stephen Daniels Stephen Daniels (born 20 July 1990) is an Irish hurler who currently plays as a left corner-back for the Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pu ...

, ''for research excellence in cultural geography'' *2016: Ron Martin, ''for research excellence in regional economic development'' *2017:

Andrew Cliff Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s, it was among the top ten most popular names given to boys in English-speaking countries. "Andrew" is frequently shortened to "Andy" or "Drew". The word is derive ...

, "for research excellence in spatial epidemiology" *2018:

Wendy Larner Wendy Larner is a New Zealand social scientist who has focussed on the interdisciplinary areas of globalisation, governance and gender. She is currently Provost at Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand. In July 2018 she became the Presid ...

, "for internationally leading research on globalisation and political economy" * 2019: David Thomas, "for world leading research into dryland environments and societies" * 2022

Paul Cloke Paul J. Cloke, was an author and professor of geography. He was known as the founding editor of the international and multidisciplinary academic ''Journal of Rural Studies'', published by Elsevier Science. , he was a faculty member of the Depar ...

Rural geography

References

Royal Geographical Society'
page of links
to lists of past recipients. {{Royal Geographical Society Awards of Royal Geographical Society Awards established in 1902

Past recipients

See also

References