A much-respected Lancaster lecturer, Scout leader, churchman and singer, Geoff Boulton, has died aged 89.
Geoff taught geography at St Martin’s College for 35 years, was District Commissioner for Lancaster and South Lonsdale Scouts, a Methodist local preacher and circuit steward, and a member of Lancaster and District Male Voice Choir.
He was awarded the Silver Acorn for distinguished service and exceptional commitment to the Scout movement and last year received a long service award for 50 years as a local preacher.
Alfred Geoffrey Boulton was born in Walsall in the West Midlands in 1936, attended Queen Mary’s Grammar School there and did two years’ national service with the RAF as a control officer.
He studied his beloved geography at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, where he met Anne, a fellow geographer from Northumberland. They were married for more than 60 years until Anne died in 2021.
After a teaching job at Manchester Grammar School, he was appointed to the geography department at St Martin’s College in 1965, a year after the college was founded.
He was involved in the chapel, college choir and site committee, assembled a comprehensive collection of old maps of Lancaster and produced a booklet for the City Museum on their development.
His courses on urban and historical geography were always popular.
He organised field work exchanges with geography students in Denmark.
Geoff’s association with the Scouts and also Lancashire Association of Youth Clubs led him and other staff to recognise the need for a course for youth leaders, and he was instrumental in setting up the community and youth studies degree.
He started the Lonsdale Vengers, one of the early Venture Scout and Ranger Guide units, and became county administration secretary.
An active member of the Methodist Church, Geoff was closely associated with Skerton Methodist Church and then Greaves (now Lancaster) Methodist Church and The Cornerstone off Dalton Square.
He leaves a daughter Sarah, son Andrew, grand-daughters Chelsea and Nadine and great-grandchildren.
Geoff died at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary on October 24 and the funeral took place on November 18, a service at Lancaster Methodist Church being followed by burial at Quernmore Methodist Church.
At the funeral, Chelsea paid tribute to her grandfather’s courage, love, determination and kindness. The Male Voice Choir sang.
Donations in Geoff’s memory were given to Dementia UK.