PEOPLE
necessary to understand these sources and explain them to non-specialists. His Guide to genealogical sources in Guildhall Library, running to four editions, was masterly, not only in its comprehensiveness and accuracy, but ease of use thanks to the quality of indexing, without doubt the most thumbed text on the Guildhall Library enquiry desk. He compiled several other guides to the Library’s collec- tions, as well as the textbook Genealogy for librarians (2nd edition, 1992), and contributed to the Oxford dictionary of national biography.
In the early days of Guildhall
Library’s outreach work, Richard was in demand as a speaker on genealogical matters and acted as the liaison for the London and
North Middlesex Family History Society which held its meetings in the Library’s Lecture Theatre. He was not a natural ‘people person’ but thought the work was impor- tant and, although he might appear forbidding, the public appreciated his knowledge and abilities.
John Walker J
ohn Walker, formerly assistant librarian at John Rylands University Library in Manchester, and instrumental in relaunching the Portico Prize – the “Booker Prize of the North” – has died aged 51. John joined Manchester’s University Library
in 1992, working initially in document supply, but via a period at the People’s History Museum’s archive in the city, moved the Special Collections at Deansgate. He was exhibitions officer responsible for preparing and launching the new galleries and interactive displays – a hugely innovative move in 2007. John also promoted public access to libraries, via the Man- chester Monuments Live group on which he served, and at the Portico Library, where he was a chair of the book subcommittee. In this role he was responsible for
relaunching the Portico Prize for Literature as a book prize for the North embracing both fiction and non-fiction. It is
now hailed as the Booker Prize of the North. In 2007 he moved to Herefordshire and after a period volun- teering with the Hereford Cathedral Library was employed as a library assistant. His experience in Manchester meant a natural fit for the library’s role as custodian of the Mappa Mundi.
In 2008 he joined the recently refounded Hereford
Academy as school librarian. Twelve years later he was still be stopped in the street by former pupils who had wan- dered into the school library for distraction, and left with a new direction in life. In 2012 he moved to become clinical librarian at Hereford County Hospital. He was an active member of Unison, serving as Herefordshire Health branches equality officer. He refounded Hereford Pride in 2021, creating a new commu- nity interest company and winning grant funding. His death followed an unexpected diagnosis of colorectal cancer in May 2022. He leaves David, his partner of 32 years.
David Thame
The long reach of Guildhall Library was partly down to its willingness to answer written and, later, e-mail enquiries. For many years Richard supervised this service informally and indeed wrote many of the replies himself. His style was often striking, encompassing concision and precision. It was very rare to find fault. As well as genealogy, he had a broad knowledge of London, parliamentary and transport history amongst other fields.
Avocations included the theatre: he was first cousin twice removed of the actor-manager Sir John Martin-Harvey (1863-1944); his father, an advertising agent by profession, wrote plays for theatre and television. Perhaps surprisingly, Richard was also an award-winning ballroom dancer! He was custodian of the Harvey family archive which, catalogued by his former colleague Joan Bullock-Anderson, is now deposited at the London Metropolitan Archives.
Garry Humphreys, Andrew Harper, John Fisher, Peter Ross and Joan Bullock-Anderson – friends and former colleagues at Guildhall Library.
For obituary submissions and guidance please email
rob.green@
cilip.org.uk with subject “obituary”, or write to us at Obituaries, 7 Ridgmount Street, London, WC1E 7AE.
March 2023 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL 53
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