Derek Legge

When we were establishing the International Journal of Lifelong Education, we looked for support from leaders in adult education in UK and elsewhere in the world. Derek Legge was one of the first people whom I approached for help in the project: he readily agreed to become one of our very first Editorial Correspondents and he remained one for 30 years. He was a great help and support in those early days—support that continued throughout the remainder of his life. Indeed, it was only a few weeks before he died that he contacted me and said he felt that he was no longer able to read (or have read to him) the IJLE when we sent him copies because of his loss of sight and other disabilities. When I heard of his death, I asked Alan Chadwick, another early Editorial Correspondent and a student of Derek’s, to write an obituary which we print below. We in the Editorial team wish to record our deep thanks for his support thoughout the whole life of the journal and our deep condolences to his daughter who cared for him for so long.

Peter Jarvis

Derek Legge (23 April 1916–5 April 2012) was a British academic who had a distinguished career as an adult educator whilst always managing to remain receptive to change. In this regard he readily embraced the concept of lifelong education and was, until very recently, a strong supporter of, and Editorial Correspondent for, the International Journal of Lifelong Education.

As a boy he won scholarships to Bradford Grammar School and The Kings School, Pontefract. He then went on to gain a place at Kings College, University of London, where he took an Honours degree in history and subsequently a Diploma in education. At this stage he was to be influenced in the direction of adult education by his tutor, Professor E.A. Cavenagh.

An immediate call up for military service followed his studies. After a short stint in The Royal Engineers he transferred to the Royal Army Education Corps where, on completion of hostilities, he left the Army with the rank of Warrant Officer. Characteristically, he had declined to be considered for a commission as officers did not teach.

The immediate post-war years, 1946–1949, saw Derek Legge acting as a Resident Staff Tutor for the University of Manchester’s Department of Extra-Mural Studies. The principal focus of his work was with the Workers Educational Association (WEA). However, he also established and subsequently maintained links with various providers of education for adults.

The year 1949 proved to be seminal. He was appointed as lecturer in the History and Practice of Adult Education and, within the same year established a Department of Adult Education within the Faculty of Education. It was, at this time, the only one of its kind in Western Europe (the nearest equivalent department being located in Chicago!). Typically, he took adult education to be broadly based and thus many organisations concerned with the education of adults were contacted. Initially, courses of study, open to all, were provided under the heading of University Extension. However, several years were to pass before the University Senate was sufficiently persuaded to sanction the award of diplomas and higher degrees. Apart from widening his extra-mural activities, courses were also offered intra-murally for academic staff on the subjects of teaching and lecturing.

Derek Legge was a widely travelled and committed educationist who, from the outset, recognised the importance of attracting students from other countries. To this end he advertised programmes using UNESCO lists and many of his overseas students were to remain in contact with him long after their courses had been completed.

Among many other professional activities, he was very active in the affairs of organisations such as the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education and the European Association for the Education of Adults, both of which were to award him Life membership.

Derek Legge authored many conference reports and produced a range of articles and reviews, among them the well-regarded volume The Education of Adults in Britain (1982).

In later years his dedication and distinctive contribution to adult education was recognised by the award of an MBE by Her Majesty the Queen and Master’s degree of the University of Manchester, Honoris Causa.

Derek Legge brought to adult education a type of selfless commitment that arguably lies almost beyond appraisal. While so much of the work that he was involved in has disappeared, be it within a social purpose tradition or a more radical one, the impact he had on so many educators of adults remains and stands as testimony to his influence. Certainly, in any separation that might be made between those who give and those who take, he ranks high among the former as he sought no reward from those who benefitted from his knowledge, experience and humanity.

In Thomas Hardy’s (1887) novel The Woodlanders, it was said, in remembrance of the late Giles Winterbourne, that he was a good man, and did good things. So let it also be said of Derek Legge, who leaves a daughter, Angela, his wife, Margaret, having pre-deceased him by many years.