J. W. R. Whitehand

Jeremy Whitehand was a British academic geographer who latterly held the position of Emeritus Professor of Urban Geography at the University of Birmingham.

He was described by one prominent urban morphology academic as having "structured an innovative and comprehensive school of urban morphological thought", and he made a considerable contribution to urban morphology's rigorousness.

Background Whitehand was born in Reading, Berkshire. He became interested in geography partly as a result of the teaching of Robert W Brooker at school; Brooker wrote geographical textbooks. His family moved when he was 16 to Amersham, Buckinghamshire.

Whitehand gained a Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) in Geography from the University of Reading, where he studied, in 1960.

Career He gained a PhD in Geography from the University of Reading in 1965.

Whitehand met M.R.G. Conzen when he was at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne; Conzen's work and professional method would have an impact on the rest of Whitehand's career and work.

Whitehand joined the University of Birmingham as a lecturer in 1971. In 1974, Whitehand founded the Urban Morphology Research Group at the University. He led the group for almost all of its history.

Whitehand was appointed Professor of Urban Geography at the University of Birmingham in 1991 and from 2005 was Emeritus Professor of Urban Geography at the University. From the 1960s through to the 1990s, his research focus moved among different parts of the city.

The J. W. R. Whitehand Prize for the Best PhD Thesis in Urban Morphology is named in Whitehand's honour. The head of the jury for the prize is Susan Whitehand.

Death Whitehand died in June 2021.

Personal life Whitehand met his wife Susan when he was working at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.