Lalage Bown

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December 5, 2022

For interest here is a lovely video of Lalages clothes exhibited in the V and A in London

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9TgYbzzaPU&feature=youtu.be

07:40

Join Curator Elisabeth Murray as she examines an embroidered 'grand boubou' and velvet dress from the wardrobe of adult education specialist and women's literacy advocate – Professor Lalage Jean Bown OBE (1927 – 2021). Lalage Bown spent her career worki...

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August 2, 2022

From : Sally Nyandiya-Bundy

A few weeks after Lalage’s passing and before her funeral service, I googled her. Seeing the date on which she died, now as internet history, I cried, more than I had cried when I initially heard news of her passing.

I... more

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March 22, 2022

" Bown wasn’t just a university person, but an engaged, warm-hearted, full of passion person with empathy for the participants and partners in the working field of adult education."

https://halloffame.outreach.ou.edu/inductions/hof-2009/bown/

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February 7, 2022

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February 6, 2022

Sian Hughes

I heard belatedly of Lalage’s death from a friend. Another sent the Guardian obituary, and I recalled the many and different ways we had met since I was 6! It also brought back memories of my father Ieuan Williams Hughes, a close associate... moreSian Hughes

I heard belatedly of Lalage’s death from a friend. Another sent the Guardian obituary, and I recalled the many and different ways we had met since I was 6! It also brought back memories of my father Ieuan Williams Hughes, a close associate and friend of Lalage’s who, like her, shared the belief in the power of adult education in which he also worked tirelessly all his life, and the importance of building new links and opportunities in a post war world emerging from colonialism to independence. It took him from the WEA in Manchester to heading up adult education in Kenya 1956 - 60, seconded from the University of Makerere, Uganda.

I remember visits where Lalage found envelopes for my brother Gwyn and myself to soak stamps off to keep us occupied while she and my father discussed adult education. From Nairobi, he took up the post of Director of Extra Mural studies in Hong Kong- and finally, Warden of Coleg Harlech, North Wales - then a residential adult education college. We visited Lalage in Nigeria and she visited us in Hong Kong – she and my father keeping in touch with one another and the adult education world through conferences and other events over the years that followed.

These experiences led me to a degree in African Studies at Birmingham University, then via a Commonwealth Scholarship, to Legon University Ghana in 1972, where I devoured the African Writers Series , unaware until I read the Guardian obituary of Lalage’s link to that publication house. On an archaeology field trip to Nigeria I met Lalage again. Over a delicious cold beer she talked about encouraging students to wear regional dress to her social gatherings to celebrate the rich diversity of Nigeria.

In 1985, when my father was dying, she came all the way by train to North Wales from Glasgow to say her farewell. She tells the story of how she spent the journey memorising what she wanted to say to him in Welsh and practising her pronunciation walking round Crewe station. On arrival, she proudly repeated it to him….to find his response was …’I’m so sorry Lalage, I never learnt Swahili!’ Lalage was a great support to my mother after his death, visiting her when she was in Gobowen Hospital.

My partner Paul and I stayed with her in Glasgow to attend an exhibition I had work in - sharing a Fish Supper and a bottle of malt whiskey afterwards! She bought my work from another exhibition in Liverpool – and she took an interest in my work in arts in health. We only stayed with her once in Shrewsbury - but enough to renew and confirm the affection and admiration that is reflected in all these shared memories and obituaries. She arranged for us to join her at a meal where she had been asked to speak and, typically, invited us to share our own experiences in writing and in arts in health.

Lalage’s vision, commitment, energy and real impact made in so many fields - especially the pivotal role of women - her humour, lively interest and engagement to the end – leaves a real sense of gratitude and privilege to have known and been inspired by her. less

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February 2, 2022

"Lalage saw all the people as potential students."

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/education/2022/01/28/warm-tributes-paid-at-funeral-of-shrewsbury-professor/

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February 2, 2022

From Colin Kirkwood, nicely said
What enjoyable conversations we had! The spoken contributions on Friday morning were very moving, heartfelt and comprehensive. But nothing (except Lalage’s life itself) could have prepared us for the quality of emotion... more

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February 1, 2022

Jean Barr - Professor Emeritus, University of Glasgow
Thank you Rachel for leading such a wonderful funeral service and after-event. I was so glad to be able to attend in person and to receive such a warm welcome from you and other members of your... moreJean Barr - Professor Emeritus, University of Glasgow
Thank you Rachel for leading such a wonderful funeral service and after-event. I was so glad to be able to attend in person and to receive such a warm welcome from you and other members of your family. Everyone present appreciated the care and thoughtfulness you applied to every element of the day.

It was my great good fortune that Lalage Bown moved to Glasgow in 1981 to become Director and professor of the Department of Adult Education (DACE) at the University of Glasgow, where she remained until 1992. I took up my post as District Secretary of the West of Scotland District of the WEA in 1982, where I remained until 1991, one of only two female District Secretaries in the UK initially, out of a total of twenty-one, and both in Scotland. Margaret Thatcher’s policies were beginning to bite and for the rest of the decade the District was subject to short-term changes in government funding mechanisms, frozen Scottish Education Department grants, and cutbacks in Local Authority spending.

The saving grace was that just up the road there was a fellow spirit, a staunch ally and another woman. We spent the long decade of the 1980s fighting the same battles from the same corner. When Lalage retired, I would not have dreamt that a decade later I would find myself leading DACE, having been appointed Head of Department when Lalage’s successor Maria Slowey took up a new post in 2003. By then Lalage was legendary. The previous year she had given the charge to the graduands on the occasion of being awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the university. Her final rallying call was typical:

‘We go from here carrying the standard of the University of Glasgow … That standard bears the motto of The Way, The Truth and The Life – I hope it is not … sacrilegious … to say, may we uphold: the Way, seen as open and equal access; the Truth, seen as real knowledge and not trivia; and the Life, seen as the length of time during which we should pursue these values’. The thunderous applause that greeted her address was echoed later when we entered the Ubiquitous Chip for a celebratory meal with her. Many of the people gathered were celebrating with their newly graduated sons and daughters. When they noticed who was heading up our little group, all rose to their feet spontaneously, and cheered and clapped her all the way to her table. Lalage inspired us to be better people. But I miss her most as a generous, always encouraging, and courageous friend. less

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January 29, 2022

From : Professor Elaine Unterhalter FBA

I think accepting mortality is particularly hard when someone expressed vitality so fully , as Lalage did. She lived so well to a great age. It is still hard to think her brilliant twinkling eyes, her... moreFrom : Professor Elaine Unterhalter FBA

I think accepting mortality is particularly hard when someone expressed vitality so fully , as Lalage did. She lived so well to a great age. It is still hard to think her brilliant twinkling eyes, her distinctive voice and quick rejoinders now will only rest in our memories. But all the work she did lives on kindled by her many initiatives. It is very present in the students' work I read. It is also in the spirit of critique and generosity she gave our field of work. Her example of how to live inclusively and generously in this world, which is so divided and unjust is something I can always return to.

I think I was introduced by Judy Kimble to Lalage when she returned to the UK, maybe around 1981. I don't think I had, at that stage, met an academic who was so incisive, clear thinking and talking, compassionate, wise, independent minded and oriented to challenge injustices. While I have over the course of many travels and different encounters met many people with those qualities, I still think of Lalage as unique in combining them , with an unswerving commitment to women's rights and education, boundless energy for so many projects in areas concerned with education and international development, an expansive capacity to find what was good in the world and help it to flourish, and a thoughtful reflectiveness on what we could try to do together in education. My last meeting with Lalage at the UKFIET conference in 2019 was an exchange, where we talked about a difficult situation we had both experienced, and went up and down and around in thinking about ways forward. I left our discussion completely reassured by the thoughtfulness of her reflections. It was as though I had a balm, a kind of anointment with Lalage's great spirit. Between those two meeting were many conversations, collaborations, initiatives, mainly around work on girls' and women's literacy and on education in Nigeria. Lalage's boundless enthusiasm to find things out was inspiring. So was her critical edge, and her courage to tell things as they were. less

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January 29, 2022

If you, like me enjoyed Lalage's humour, story telling and deep knowledge of a country and its politicians... I would recommend this short video. (7 mins)

Hannah was at the funeral with us, she had a close affection for Lalage and a shared love of Ghana.

07:28

Learning about the early years of my country from Professor Lalage Bown who came to Ghana in 1949. What a privilege it was to travel down memory lane with her. I was invited to speak about growing up in a village in Ghana at the Rotary Club in Shrewsbury.

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January 29, 2022

Remembering Lalage, Rosemary Preston, Oxford
I crossed paths with Lalage from the late 1980s, initially at conferences promoting the interests of the UK and global communities committed to education for international well-being and development. By the... moreRemembering Lalage, Rosemary Preston, Oxford
I crossed paths with Lalage from the late 1980s, initially at conferences promoting the interests of the UK and global communities committed to education for international well-being and development. By the end of the decade, she and fellow Africanist Paul Fordham had been appointed Honorary Professors at the International Centre for Education and Development (INCED) in Continuing Education at Warwick. It was they who finessed my 1991 entry into the UK’s adult learning community, mindful of my experience at the OU and research in the high Andes and South Pacific. With income generation a departmental priority, their combined support was invaluable. CE departments were developing graduate programmes and staff TORs were a challenge. Over more than 15 years, we held three or four public seminars a year on topical themes, with in-house participants drawn from the new cohorts of self-funding international students, most from east and southeast Asia, at a time when scholarships for post-colonial Africans had almost disappeared. A resounding success, in which Lalage played a significant part, were the first two international conferences on Gender and Education, convened by the DCE and precursors to the creation of the Gender and Education Association. Lalage and Paul contributed steadfastly at Warwick. Paul had already recognised that technology was displacing departmental secretarial support for typing manuscripts and letters, even for honorary professors. Lalage was resistant. Once she recognised that gender discrimination was not implied, she too became self-sufficient on a computer. That said, many of her speeches were still delivered from hand-written sheets, closely set to time allocated. If Lalage’s move from Glasgow to Shrewsbury revived childhood memories, she became a near neighbour and close friend of the Fordhams. It also ensured her extensive use of Network Rail for the next 20 years, receiving honours and serving the array of international adult and comparative education associations, in the UK and elsewhere. The Warwick period ended shortly after the millennium, coinciding with staff changes and faculty reconfiguration. I still saw Lalage and Paul at conferences and meetings, as well as in Shrewsbury, Oxford and London. With historical family connections, she delighted after Commsec meetings in hosting drinks at ROSL in St James, and alumni lunches at Somerville in Oxford. With Paul’s death in 2016, David and I shared lunches with her and Ada in Shrewsbury. To the end, Lalage would proudly lead the way round town, pushing her newly acquired walker between Town Walls and Dogpole. A major pearl of LB wisdom fell into my lap at an UKFIET gender conference at ULIE in London. It was attended by about 100 graduate students from all over the world, at a time when some were prematurely claiming that the battle for women’s liberation had been definitively won! An articulate 20+ MA student protested that it was about time for women to begin to organise to improve their lot. Lalage stood to respond. In three minutes
or five, she ran through the phases and priorities of the centuries-long feminist movement with the gentlest of clarity and respect. She did this often, mindful that there can be no certainty that even the most acculturated have been exposed to the long histories of the many social movements fighting inequality and discrimination. The message has to
be repeated at every turn to ensure the basics are heard and understood, while the final sentence embraces up-to-date thinking and keeps rapt audience attention.

After the CEC meeting and before the train! Lalage with Alba de Souza, Sonny Leong and Helen Jones, July 2014 less

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January 28, 2022

Flowers at Dogpole today

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January 28, 2022

Many thanks owed to friends and family who came together today to say good bye to Aunty Lala. I was in Warlingham watching with my dad, Hugh. Thanks to Rachel for leading the funeral so well. I was glad to see local friends present as well as... more

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January 28, 2022 · via mobile

IN LOVING MEMORY...

Aunty Lalage will be greatly missed by those of us who were like her children. Her love, wise counsel, and motherly care cannot be forgotten. She nurtured us in many aspects of life. She encouraged us to be ourselves and to stand up... more

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January 28, 2022

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January 27, 2022

On the eve of Lalages funeral, I wanted to share two photographs that really show who she was. We miss her, but we will celebrate her tomorrow. Thank you for all the amazing tributes.

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January 27, 2022

From Chie Takahashi :

I would like to convey my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Lalage. Like so many people around the world, I am deeply saddened by her departure.

I met Lalage while I was a doctoral student at the University of... more

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January 26, 2022

Lalage first worked with our father, Emil Rado, in the University of Ghana, Accra, in the 1950s, where they became close friends. They subsequently worked together in Makerere University in Uganda; and from 1981 until shortly before Emil’s death in 1993,... moreLalage first worked with our father, Emil Rado, in the University of Ghana, Accra, in the 1950s, where they became close friends. They subsequently worked together in Makerere University in Uganda; and from 1981 until shortly before Emil’s death in 1993, in Glasgow University. In Uganda and Glasgow, she was Emil’s professor.

In Glasgow, she helped Emil set up training courses for the Strathclyde police, to help policemen to recognise and combat racial prejudice within themselves and within their colleagues. The Strathclyde Police bagpipe band played The Last Post and Chorus at our father’s funeral as people were arriving, as a tribute to him and his training. Lalage deserved much of the credit, as the course would never have been devised without her inspiration, encouragement and practical advice.

After Emil died, our mother Anne and Lalage kept in touch; and more than 20 years ago, Anne and a group of her friends, including Lalage, went to Andalusia together – visiting Granada, Seville and Cordoba. They enjoyed their time together so much that they decided to call themselves “The Andalusia group” and to meet up for a week or so once a year. At first, they met in a different place each year, often overseas, but over time they settled on the Wigtown Book Festival every September as the place to meet. Gradually people dropped out due to ill health, other commitments or death; until eventually only Anne and Lalage remained – and the two of them continued to attend the Book Festival together every year until 2016.

They stayed in touch after that; and when the pandemic started, we created a rota of Anne's friends for her to ring for a chat each day – and Lalage was an enthusiastic founding member of the rota. She had a half hour chat with our mother every fortnight or so from the start of the pandemic until just before she died. For a woman in her nineties who had such a full diary, this was an extraordinary commitment and says so much about her.

Lalage gave Anne a mug which says “Better to be over the hill than under it!” She also gave her a book about Wigtown called The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell, which Anne loves.

She gave so much to the world and led such an incredible and fulfilling life. How wonderful that she and both our parents had such a close and lovely friendship for so long - in Anne's case, until Lalage died. We’re so sad to hear the news and to say goodbye but so thankful that her life touched ours.

Dave, Jackie and on behalf of Anne, Rado less

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January 25, 2022

Malcolm Mercer and Oili Hedman write
As with so many, many other people throughout the world, Lalage has been for several decades a very special, inspirational friend to us. We will miss her but remember her with love always.

The first photo below is... more

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January 24, 2022

Lalage by Ada Fordham

I am lucky to have spent time with Lalage in many different places over the last 50+ years. We first met in Southampton. My husband, Paul Fordham, and Lalage had become "professional allies" working in Adult Education in... moreLalage by Ada Fordham

I am lucky to have spent time with Lalage in many different places over the last 50+ years. We first met in Southampton. My husband, Paul Fordham, and Lalage had become "professional allies" working in Adult Education in Africa and Lalage, contemplating a return to Britain, had come to visit his Department, as she had his College in Kenya. Then Lalage and I found we had both spent adolescent years in Shropshire and we have been sharing views and news,agreeing and disagreeing, arguing and laughing ever since.
Then when Paul and I spent a month in Nigeria we visited Lalage in Lagos - lucky to catch her before she left after 20years of work there.
Then with only a short interval she was off to Scotland. Her appointment in charge of Adult Education at Glasgow University was more of a triumph than now might be realised, for not only was she the first woman to be in charge, there were no women in the Department!! But you only have to read the tributes from Scotlandto realise how much she accomplished and how much she was appreciated.This was mutual and Lalage always spoke warmly of her time in Glasgow. I was born and grew up there so it suited me well - just fine- to visit her there in the tenement flat she so loved.
Paul and I moved to Shrewsbury. Lalage came to visit and reacquaint herself with Shropshire and, after she retired from her post in Glasgow, eventually bought a house nearby us.From there her very busy life continued. She was off to conferences both in this country and abroad, a frequent traveller on the early train to London, a member of several committees, invited to speak in village halls as well as the Albert Hall. She spent six months in Australia and of course fitted in, whenever she could, visits to Scotland and Nigeria.She also entertained many people she had met over the years who had travelled to Shrewsbury to see her.
When we went to Vietnam together - a holiday -she had read up on what there was to see and decided on her priorities. So we were off to visit one of them which was not on the Guide's list, while the rest of the group went to recover from the journey ready for the evening meal. A few days later she wanted to visit a Museum of Woman, but nobody wanted to give preference to that over what had been arranged. So off she went in a taxi with the name of the restaurant where she would re-join us for lunch. Getting a taxi from the museum proved problematic but she arrived - only a little late - on the back of a young man's motorbike.She surprised and delighted everyone at the farewell dinner by delivering a poem with a verse focused on each member of our group. Even the "grumpiest" was suddenly delighted and seriously impressed.
One of several visits to Spain was in February in time for the Fallas, which is a Festival much loved in the Valencian region, when enormous bonfires are built and characters or something the locals want to destroy are publicly burnt. Many from elsewhere find this all too dangerous but Lalage was so focused on getting the best photograph she could that she was edging her way towards the bonfire to the point where I grabbed hold of her raincoat and dragged her back, as the water from the firemen's hoses fell on us. "You should have been a war correspondent", I told her. But of course she should have been just what she was, bold but sensitive to other people. She was hardworking but able to relax, serious yet full of fun, true to her principles and, above all, she had the capacity to make friends with a wide variety of people in very different situations. An excellent adult educator!
Ada Fordham less

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January 24, 2022

Mary Anderson Lalage was a huge supporter of BALID (the British Association for Literacy in Development). She was much loved and admired by us all. You might like to read the blog we created in her honour: https://balid.org.uk/blog/2022/01/18/remembering-lalage-bown/
- January 24, 2022
- · 1 likes this

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January 19, 2022

Dear Gramma,

You were special to us and to humanity. You showed empathy, care and always wanted to know how we progressed in our career and life in general. I have not come across anyone as kind hearted as you were. You may have passed on but your... more

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January 18, 2022

Here is Lalage reciting a poem. The Youtube video is unlisted and so can only be viewed through the link. Please circulate it if you wish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3nrCS-S4qQ

02:17

Professor Lalage Bown recites a poem at a party in July 2015.

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January 18, 2022

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0bgjtyl

Here is a Radio Shropshire interview with Lalage from 2016.

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January 13, 2022 · via mobile

Lalage was the guest speaker at the 2018 Guest Night of Shrewsbury Drapers Company, an ancient Guild whose modern role is to provide homes for the vulnerable elderly. I was Master that year, the same year as the centinary of women getting the vote, so it... more

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January 10, 2022

Some early photos of Lalage in Nigeria and Zambia

https://photos.app.goo.gl/nzBAXMC5pihAtMJv9

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January 10, 2022

Guardian Obituary - Written by Catherine Innes, Guardian writer.
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2022/jan/10/lalage-bown-obituary

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January 9, 2022

Shaughn and I lived next to Lalage for nearly 20 years. I have never met anyone like Lalage she was in my mind, a truly amazing woman! We didn’t live in each other’s pockets but we helped each other on all levels, she was a true neighbour.

We... more

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January 7, 2022

For anyone who hasnt hear it, this a powerful and very human interview with Lalage on Radio 4's womans hour.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p04p8pzp

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January 7, 2022

TRIBUTE TO EMERITUS PROF. LALAGE BOWN BY MRS CHRISTIE ADE-AJAYI

I am deeply saddened at the passing of one of my oldest and dearest friends, Emeritus Professor Lalage Bown.
The news came to me as a shock; only a month ago while I was visiting family... moreTRIBUTE TO EMERITUS PROF. LALAGE BOWN BY MRS CHRISTIE ADE-AJAYI

I am deeply saddened at the passing of one of my oldest and dearest friends, Emeritus Professor Lalage Bown.
The news came to me as a shock; only a month ago while I was visiting family in Oxford and after lunch with another dear and mutual friend, Anne Rea, we spoke with Lalage on the phone. The three of us carried on as usual and Lalage was her usual witty, wise and incisive self. I promisedto visit her when back in the UK in the summer of 2022. On a previous trip, I spent some days with Lalage in her home in Shrewsbury and thoroughly enjoyed the time with her. She took me to the Shrewsbury Flower Shows and other beautiful places, which made my stay so memorable.

Lalage and the Ade-Ajayi family go back a long way. As a female professor at the University of Ibadan she was known for her hard work and academic excellence. However, she could also let her hair down, and she was a favourite and often the centre of attention at the regular parties we held on campus.

Lalage was kind-hearted and cheerful, and comfortable with the rich and the poor. She was more than just a friend, she was a sister. We considered her a part of our own family, and she treated us as a part of her Nigerian family. She adored her adopted daughters Taiwo and Kehinde as well as the grandchildren when they came along. She also spoilt them, as she did us, with love and generosity. At the 85th birthday celebration, my late husband, Emeritus Professor J.F Ade-Ajayi, Kehinde took the time and troubleto represent Mummy Lalageand read her message at the University of Ibadan – she truly was “araile” and she will live on in our hearts.

We thank God for a life well spent. She was a source of inspiration to so many people. She will be sorely missed by rich and the poor, even though she left at the ripe old age of 94.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the immediate family. The Bible says, “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted”. I pray that you will find peace and comfort in these words, and that God will give you the strength and courage to go on.
Furthermore, I join with other people around the world to commiserate with the entire Lalage Bown family worldwide on this irreparable loss. Please accept my sincerest sympathy as Lalage continues to rest in perfect peace.
Sincerest Condolences from Yetunde, Adeniyi, Funlayo, Titilola and Bisola for the Ade-Ajayi family

Chief (Mrs) Christie Ade-Ajayi less

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January 6, 2022

"Tributes pour in for Shrewsbury education 'icon and trailblazer' after death aged 94"
https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/shrewsbury/2022/01/04/tributes-pour-in-following-the-death-of-a-shrewsbury-education-icon/

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January 5, 2022

When Gavin and I moved to Dogpole about 15 years ago, we were quickly recruited to the Town Centre Residents' Association by our neighbour Lalage. I last saw Lalage in the Summer. She called to see if I could help her measure a dress that was going on... more

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January 2, 2022

Lalage has been an important part of my life since I arrived in Shrewsbury 21 years ago. I had not been here long before I discovered the Shrewsbury Town Centre Residents’ Association (STCRA), of which she was Chair. I joined the committee and through... more

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January 1, 2022

My first conscious memory of Granny, as a 4-year old child, was the play-house gift she got for me. The play-house had six windows carved in “A, B, C,” on one side and “1, 2, 3” on the other side. It was a colourful house and I had the keys to... moreMy first conscious memory of Granny, as a 4-year old child, was the play-house gift she got for me. The play-house had six windows carved in “A, B, C,” on one side and “1, 2, 3” on the other side. It was a colourful house and I had the keys to the building. I cherished this apartment on mine for years till I outgrew the gift.
I also remember my first visit with her to the London eye after I turned 15. It was a memorable experience seeing the whole of London from the top. The swimming classes she signed me up for at The Quarry in Shrewsbury were moments that made the summer of 2005 memorable for me. Most unforgotten was her advice and the constant reminder that as a girl-child I should not limit my dreams and aspirations, and be bold to move towards the direction of my goals.
Granny was very excited to hear that I would move to Germany in 2017 to pursue my Ph.D. as this also meant we would see each other more often. Meeting with many of her friends, taking walks, visiting historical and old monuments accompanied by lots of storytelling, and going to restaurants together were always on our holiday to-do list.
“I beat you to it this time” was her usual witty way of saying she got up earlier than I did in the morning, and of cause, with a kiss on the cheek. It later became a competition that whenever I heard her “chariot” zooming down the stairs in my sleep, I would immediately jump off the bed and head straight to the kitchen to get the table ready for breakfast. Orange juice, toast or scones, coffee, and yoghurt were always on the menu.
We had a wonderful Christmas together in 2017. Hanging all the Christmas decorations, taking all her letters and cards to the postbox, even until 12midnight was quite a chore that Christmas.
Our summer holiday together in September 2018 was equally nice. I got to arrange all her old books on the shelf, doing the climbing and the hanging. At the end of my holiday, I almost missed my train to the airport partly because I got so emotional and didn't want to say goodbye.
The last time we spoke, we talked a lot about finishing my Ph.D. program and she was very happy with my progress, having read my last year's publication which I found surprising and impressive.
Though the pandemic happened we still had plans to meet on her next birthday, with the hope that she would get to finally meet my husband, Adeoye, and tell her the names of everyone she saw in our wedding album. Little did I know that our plans were not to unfold.
Prof Lalage J. Bown, my grandmother, lived a very fulfilled and inspiring life and as her granddaughter, I had the opportunity to learn a whole lot from her.
I know I’ll never hear her say “Hello Rachael!” over the phone anymore or “with much love from Granny” via her emails, again. However, I am really glad that I had one of the loveliest memories of her during the few times we spent together.
Sleep well Granny until we meet again… less

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December 31, 2021

A happy memory from Lalages family - The inaugauration lecture of her Nephew - Professor Matthew Bown - Vascular surgery. The next generation of professor.
From Left to Right
Raymond Watkin, Patricia Watkin, Prof. Lalage Bown, Dr Jonathan Bown, Dr Emma... more

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December 31, 2021

Lalage – an indomitable spirit
From Angela Little and Keith Lewin

Lalage was our professional colleague who became a great friend.

Angela first met Lalage in 1979 when, as a very young researcher, she was a member of International Labour Organisation... moreLalage – an indomitable spirit
From Angela Little and Keith Lewin

Lalage was our professional colleague who became a great friend.

Angela first met Lalage in 1979 when, as a very young researcher, she was a member of International Labour Organisation team led by Dudley Seers the ‘Basic Needs of the People of Nigeria’.

‘Though rather young I had a certain advantage over most team members in that I had at least lived and worked in Nigeria. Lalage joined our team on a purely informal basis and met us several times in Lagos. What Lalage must have made of the efforts of this group of ‘outsiders’ trying to scratch the surface of a country as diverse and vast as Nigeria I do not know – but I do remember Lalage’s gentle kindness, her wisdom and her advice, given freely and in what she perceived to be the best interests of Nigeria, a country she loved and to which she devoted much of her life. Lalage became a friend and colleague for life. I recall the time she spent at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) at Sussex. At that time IDS was organised into four Problem Area Groups (PAGS). Lalage joined a group of researchers on education, health and employment in the Human Resources Problem Area Group, or HUMPAG for short. At the time, I was coordinating a six-country study on secondary school student motivation, a part of which was a series of school studies in England and a parallel set in Nigeria. I recall sharing with Lalage the challenges of undertaking field work in Liverpool schools, the brilliance and the humour of the teachers tasked with persuading students to fill out my over-long questionnaires, and the all-pervasive love of football of a city beset at that time with massive unemployment which seemed to temper the lack of hope for further education and training among its young people. We discussed the marked contrast with the students whom I had taught in Nigeria, where the educational and occupational aspirations of girls were so much higher’.

Whilst at Sussex Lalage met Keith who was working on his PhD also in IDS-HUMPAG. ‘Lalage was a breath of fresh air who came from a very different academic tradition but, as a bit of a polymath, could relate across the social sciences and held her own on any number of topics. Though of a different generation I could see a resonance with my mother who was of the same pre-war generation who also went to school in Cheltenham around the same time though they never met. Lalage was well travelled, a wise counsel on aspects of development in Africa, and a voice across the generations in conversations that we were able to maintain after she left Sussex’.

Our friendship continued as she moved on to Glasgow, Angela to the Institute of Education in London and Keith to the Faculty of Education at Sussex. Lalage moved on into ‘retirement’ (a word unknown to Lalage when applied to herself) some 20 years before us but we stayed in very close touch. In later years Dogpole Court was a mandatory stop off point when we drove to vacation in the Isle of Man. The obligatory glass of malt was always on offer, and we remember many convivial visits. Lalage became a stalwart of many professional organisations and always enjoyed sharing opinions and agreeing to disagree. We greatly enjoyed her company, good humour and [i]bon ami[/i] laced with old fashioned charm and amity. We met up at conferences, kept in touch by phone and in 2019 she visited, with mutual friends Malcolm and Olli, the home to which we had retired on Angela’s native Isle of Man. Lalage being Lalage had done her research in advance and arrived with a long list of Viking and Celtic crosses, castles, neolithic sites and museums she wished to visit. I was unaware of her fascination with tombstone epitaphs. Despite being 92 years of age and becoming just a little unsteady on her feet on rough ground she visited the ruins of Peel Castle and Cathedral. We picked our way around the rabbit holes to find a Bishop’s tomb about which she had read. A former Lord Bishop of Sodor and Mann, Samuel Rutter, had, one presumes, written his epitaph before his death in 1661.

In this house which I share with my brothers the worms, in hope of the resurrection to life lie I SAM by divine grace Bishop of this Island. Stay reader: look and laugh at the bishop’s palace.

This inscription amused Lalage greatly.

Before leaving our island and despite being supposedly ‘on holiday’, she presented a well-prepared and well-received talk on ‘literacy, gender and development’ to our local United Nations Association before Malcolm and Olli whisked her off to catch the ferry across the Irish Sea to Liverpool and on to Shrewsbury by road. Lalage was a woman of indomitable spirit, and we will miss her.

Angela W Little Professor Emerita, UCL
Keith M Lewin Professor Emeritus, Sussex less

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December 30, 2021

Joseph Akinyede
I first met Aunty Lala, as I used to call her, in December, 1979 at her resident in the University of Lagos, on invitation by her foster daughter, Miss Kehinde Ipaye, during the early part of our courtship. I was already offered a seat... moreJoseph Akinyede
I first met Aunty Lala, as I used to call her, in December, 1979 at her resident in the University of Lagos, on invitation by her foster daughter, Miss Kehinde Ipaye, during the early part of our courtship. I was already offered a seat and a drink by Kehinde, waiting for her to join me from one of the rooms. As soon as she came in and sat down, we exchanged greetings and started to converse. She was so meticulous in her observation and questions as if to get to the root of the matter and form an opinion about me. Initially I was tense but she was more relaxed and posted her questions to me one after the other. In the end she said, “I see a lot of potentials in you if you can begin right away to build a career in academics”. She encouraged me to follow up my admission to ABU for a Master’s degree which had earlier been put on hold.. Two days after this engagement, I went to the train station and took my journey from Lagos to Zaria to commence a Master’s degree programme in Geology. By the time she was living Nigeria finally for the UK in 1980, I had already gone halfway in the MSc degree programme. I found out she would do anything that would promote the interest of her daughters.
Aunty continued to show interest in my career, as well as our lives together as a couple even in faraway University of Glasgow where was engaged after she left Nigeria.. She came all the way from UK to attend our wedding in December, 1981. She monitored our progress with satisfaction; she expressed her profound interest in my PhD research programme at ITC, Enschede, The Netherlands. She came all the way from Glasgow, on two occasions, to visit us in Enschede during the birth of Samuel, our first son. I couldn’t imagine the extent of her demonstration of motherly love to her first ever grandson to see her and the little boy throwing a ball at each other in an open field. She came again her third visit when we gave birth to our second child, Rachael. It is significant to note that I named our third child, a girl, Lalage, to live a legacy and memory for her.
Aunty Lala was very pleasant and caring as a mother. Back in Nigeria after my PhD programme in Holland, I made it a point of duty to sponsor the trip of Kehinde and each child for annual visitation and holiday in UK to bond with their grandmother. Because of her profound interest in my career, she came with me to attend the annual dinner of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), during the 59th IAC in Glasgow when I was admitted into the IAA as correspondence member. She was very inquisitive and would always want to know about my work and space technology as a whole. She was a good listener who would also want to pass beneficial message across. During the death of her younger sister, Jacka, she found my letter of consolation very comforting and she said she would pass my message to the rest of the family. Among the succinct words used is the fact that she (Aunty Lala) had lived a fulfilled life serving humanity and that a day is coming when both the dead and the living shall meet to part no more. Until then rest in the bosom of your God Aunty Lala, Adieu, your son in-law, Sola. less

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December 30, 2021

TAIWO OLUWATOMISIN AND KEHINDE AKINYEDE.
This tribute is written in memory of our late foster mother Emeritus Prof. Lalage Bown (OBE). Having lived with her from the age of 5 years in 1962. Aunty Lala, as we usually called her, was a mother personified.... moreTAIWO OLUWATOMISIN AND KEHINDE AKINYEDE.
This tribute is written in memory of our late foster mother Emeritus Prof. Lalage Bown (OBE). Having lived with her from the age of 5 years in 1962. Aunty Lala, as we usually called her, was a mother personified. We came to her when we were quite young. She brought us up took care of our education and everything a parent or mother should do towards her children. We went everywhere with her, except during the Nigerian civil war in 1967 when all foreigners left and we could not go with her as the government disallowed at that time.
She came back in 1971 and we continued from where we stopped and never got separated again until her death on 17 December 2021.
We cannot find words to describe our aunty/mother as she was everything in the world to us, a mother and a mentor. She gave us the opportunity of a sound education and the best upbringing in life. What many of our peers did not experience, we had it from our aunty/mother. Is it hard work, humility, steadfastness and faith, we had it all. She taught us to believe in and stand up for ourselves and never to be looked down upon or look down upon anyone. Everybody was important as her humanness and love for people of diverse background and culture can never be forgotten She taught us to accommodate differences in human and also to accept all types of food presented to us.
Growing up as children, she read to us every night at bed time and also taught us how to swim, thereby giving us the opportunity to compete at both the school and national levels. We were always given books as birthday presents which gave us the opportunity to love reading. As young adults, we were taught to be prudent in the management of our finances and this made us to grow fast into adulthood and learn to be responsible and face life challenges. We were also taken through the experiences of travelling across the length and breadth of Nigeria and the West Africa sub region and some parts of Europe in order to expand our horizon and knowledge of the world. On each of our journeys, we were compelled to write descriptive essays of our experiences, thus teaching us how to be observants and to take note of details of any environment we found ourselves, as well as take interest in them and appreciate any difference we might have encountered. She came all the way to Nigeria to attend our individual graduation ceremony in 1980, as well as our 50th birthday anniversary in 2006.
As full grown-up adults she never imposed herself upon us but made suggestions to think about our actions and reactions to situations. She continued to give us motherly counsels and advise until the end of her life,
Whenever there was opportunity over the years, we both always visited her along with our family members. Our last visit to her was in August 2019 not knowing it was going to be the last of its type. We planned to pay her a visit in 2022 to celebrate a joint birthday party together according to her wish. We do not have sufficient words to describe her in this short tribute, other than continuing from where she stopped. We love her so dearly, but God Almighty loved her best and decided to take her away. We hope to meet at the resurrection morning. Adieu Aunty/mother Lalage. less

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December 28, 2021

She was about to meet Jonathan for the first time and just a few hours before our scheduled zoom meeting, Granny sent me this email;
"Excellent – I have the invitation on Gmail as well and will use that one. I see you haven’t given a time, but am... more

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December 28, 2021

From: David Waterhouse
Although Lalage's reputation preceded her I did not meet her until the late 1980s when she was a member of the board of the British Council. I was working for the Council in Nigeria at the time and Lalage came to have a look at... more

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December 28, 2021

Published in Guardian - Nigeria. With thanks to Michael Omolewa, OON, FCOL Emeritus Professor, University of Ibadan.

“She was a gentle feminist who believed that women should under no circumstance be... more

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December 26, 2021

From Professor Maria Slowey AcSS
Indominable, intrepid, dedicated, engaging, inclusive, imaginative, radical...these are all terms which come to mind when thinking about Lalage. However, there is a phrase which, in other circumstances may seem something... moreFrom Professor Maria Slowey AcSS
Indominable, intrepid, dedicated, engaging, inclusive, imaginative, radical...these are all terms which come to mind when thinking about Lalage. However, there is a phrase which, in other circumstances may seem something of a cliché, but which in her case conveys the essence of her underpinning philosophy- put simply, she was fearless in ‘speaking truth to power’.

When, in 1992, I had the privilege of being appointed as her successor in Glasgow University as Director and Professor of Adult and Continuing Education I was both delighted and apprehensive in equal measure. Delighted, as DACE (the Department of Adult and Continuing Education) had become, under Lalage’s leadership, not only one of the largest but also one of the most far sighted and innovative departments of its kind in the UK. (Learning from her, I used to remind anyone who would listen that DACE had more adult learner registrations than the University’s entire full-time student population at the time.) I was also rather apprehensive-she had set the bar so high, how might it be possible to ‘follow in her footsteps’?

However, I need not have worried: Lalage’s contribution was so distinctive that she would have been a hard, if not impossible, act for anyone to follow. From the moment she heard of my appointment Lalage was unstinting in her support for the new head of the department in the university that she loved so much. She immediately whisked me off for a few wee drams to celebrate, followed by many great discussions over dinner in our old favorite, the Ubiquitous Chip.

The stories of her time at Glasgow warrant a book in their own right: she looked outward from the university, connecting with the important regional authorities at the time, to the wider community, the media, the City of Glasgow, museums and the like. An annual highlight for her, involved a visit to all the outlying DACE centres throughout the west of Scotland. She also looked inward to the university, working tirelessly to engage with colleagues in all Faculties and Departments about the importance of widening access, promoting lifelong learning, part-time study opportunities and outreach activities. She also played a significant role in the major committees of the university. Her interventions in Senate were legendary- in one account, when there was a disagreement over what she regarded as some minor matter but which some members viewed as a ‘crisis’, she stood up to say, in her typical ‘truth to power’ way, that unless colleagues had shared her experience of being at an equivalent university meeting in Africa when the room they were in was surrounded by an aggressive group of men wielding spears, they had no right to use the term ‘crisis’!

Her extraordinary charisma was evident in the memories of so many staff and students- plus Glasgow taxi drivers, who all seemed to know ‘The Prof’. But perhaps one of the most memorable occasions was when she was awarded an honorary degree by Glasgow University- a rare honour, of which she was very proud- and her powerful charge to the graduands resulted in a tremendous standing ovation.

I respected, and loved, Lalage, and like many from all over the world, already miss her dearly- we’ve had so many fun times in Glasgow, Shrewsbury and Dublin. Just over two years ago Lalage took the lengthy train and ferry to Dublin to speak at a seminar I hosted on the topic of …learning in later life. Needless to say, she not only stole the show, but kept me up late into the night chatting and drinking- Irish whiskey, rather than her favorite Scotch, but, as ever, she didn’t complain!

Maria Slowey
Professor and Director of Adult and Continuing Education, Glasgow University (1992-2004)
Director, Higher Education Research Centre, (previously VP) Dublin City University (2004-2021) less

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December 24, 2021

When I was a student of education and African studies at UCLA in California in the 1960s, I learned of Lalage Bown's work at the time in Zambia. I was looking for a place to do my PhD studies. I almost went to Zambia, but at the last minute found a... more

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December 24, 2021

I had the privilege and the joy to be Lalage's neighbour in Dogpole and continued to enjoy her friendship after moving. She was always interested in everything that went on around her and, when in conversation, her eyes would grow as her interest was... more

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December 23, 2021

I have been so interested to read the recollections on this site, learning more about Lalage’s inspiring life and at last understanding where her name came from and what it meant! I only met her a handful of times but it seemed like so much more. This... more

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December 23, 2021

Obituary in the Times
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/obituary-lalage-bown-w9xnf3fzl

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December 23, 2021

Written by : Peter Williams
(formerly at University of London Institute of Education and the Commonwealth Secretariat)

There is universal sadness at Lalage's death. Everyone who met her personally remembers the impact she made on them, the interest she... moreWritten by : Peter Williams
(formerly at University of London Institute of Education and the Commonwealth Secretariat)

There is universal sadness at Lalage's death. Everyone who met her personally remembers the impact she made on them, the interest she took in their lives, experiences and ideas, and the effort she made to help and encourage them. Over the past 40 years I have helped organise numerous conferences at which she has been present. When not herself a keynote speaker (as she often was) Lalage was always first choice to sum up proceedings, and not just because she discharged her task so graciously, never leaving anyone out who deserved thanks or praise. It was quite as much for her skill at picking out and rehearsing key elements in the discussion and yet challenging participants by reminding them of dimensions of the issue they insufficiently addressed, agendas for future relfection and research. And afterwards in the bar or over dinner Lalage was invariably the the centre of lively and cheerful conversation, making sure that newcomers were welcomed into the circle and encouraged to say their piece.

Lalage will of course will be remembered as much as a scholar, writer, academic leader, and a lover of books and literature, as a vivacious conversationalist. For all her charm and outgoing disposition, Lalage was a clear-minded critic who would 'call out' specious arguments and faulty reasoning, so her honest opinions on a piece of writing or a proposed course of actions were sought and valued.

How prescient were her parents when they named her 'Lalage', meaning chattering or talkative. Lalage could talk and talk as my wife Julia and I were reminded just ten days ago the very week-end before she had her fatal Monday morning fall. We found that a friendly 'catch-up' telephone call had lasted nearly an hour by the time it ended and i fear we had badly interrupted Lalage's writing of Christmas cards which she was engaged in when we called. Conversation ranged over her plans for her Christmas stay with mutual friends, her brother's health and the recent passing of her sister and associated memorial events, her adventures on her last visit to London, her contributions to the local Talking Newspaper for the Blind, the North Shropshire bye-election (she fortunately lived to the following Friday to learn that the outcome was the one she fervently hoped for!), pieces of work she had been reviewing, plans to take family to the pantomime the following week-end, where and when to celebrate her coming 95th birthday, Shrewsbury Rotary Club, whether the conifer in her garden could be saved, the controversial decision of the local planners to approve development of a rather noisy restaurant over her back wall, the prospects of a possible surgical operation on her lungs, asking about our family and sharing news of her own, the support she had received from neighbours during the pandemic. Full of enthusiasm and passion as ever, interested in everything, phenomenal recall of small details, gratitude for help received, optimism and realism in regard to her future plans to the effect that 'of course I may not be here, but whatever happens I have had a good life'. She certainly left this life in full flow and in possession of all her mental faculties, with not a trace of self pity regarding the physical strain that all that 'getting about' caused her in her last years.

Personally I only knew Lalage for the second half of her life (and in a select few of her multiple roles and interests), visiting her for the first time in the late 1970s at the University of Lagos. Because of her commitment to African university development and international exchange she was a natural choice to serve on the Commonwealth Standing Committee on Student Mobility and Higher Education Development when i was Education Director at the Commonwealth Secretariat. We later served together as Deputy Chairs of the Council for Education in the Commonwealth during which time she authored several important studies on Commonwealth academic exchange and student mobility, the first forty years of Commonwealth Educational Co-operation and the experiences of English-speaking African countries with regard to introducing universal primary education. In all these endeavours she worked with a group of co-authors and for many of them it as much the experience of collegial working under Lalage's chairmanship as the final product itself, that lingers in the mind. At the Council for Education in the Commonwealth Lalage strove successfully to bring younger people, particularly women from a mixture of ethnic backgrounds, on to a Committee that had been populated by elderly white males. And equally typical of her, when she felt she had made her contribution she moved on from committee responsibilities while continuing her support and participation in activities.

The professional association through Commonwealth institutions, and spilling over into other fora like the biennial Oxford conferences of the UK Forum for International Education and Training (UKFIET) and Ghana School Aid led to close personal friendship; and Lalage often stayed at our homes in Surrey, the Peak District and now Cambridgeshire. Julia and I feel nothing but gratitude that our lives have been touched and enriched by hers. less

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December 21, 2021

Shrewsbury has been a town with only a small number of professors and two of these lived next door to each other for 20 years. We enjoyed being April fools and celebrated that paradox almost every April 1st together - usually with a little champagne -... more

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December 21, 2021

On behalf of the University of Glasgow, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to you and your family on the death of your aunt, Professor Lalage Bown. In 1981, Lalage became Professor and Director of the Department of Adult and Continuing... moreOn behalf of the University of Glasgow, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to you and your family on the death of your aunt, Professor Lalage Bown. In 1981, Lalage became Professor and Director of the Department of Adult and Continuing Education at the University and in later years was one of our most respected Professors Emerita, receiving an honorary DLitt in 2002. I knew Lalage personally and I have vivid memories of her during my time as a junior academic in Social Sciences - she was an inspirational figure.
Lalage made a significant contribution to the University of Glasgow throughout the past few decades and despite retiring in 1991, she was still active in her academic field until her final days. Lalage not only shaped how we approach adult education at the University and across
the UK, but she had a global impact too, particularly through her work in Africa. She was truly ahead of her time in the work she did to address the Africanisation of curriculums, and to make
education more inclusive. Her influence can be traced in the University’s ongoing work today to decolonise the curriculum.
I am sure you will be familiar with her many achievements; as you know, Lalage received numerous awards and titles from institutions across the world, and was awarded an OBE and appointed as a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. All these were testament to her hard
work, intellect and passion to make a difference in literacy education and adult education. Above all, as a person Lalage was modest, warm and considerate, and those who taught alongside her have described how generous and encouraging she was with students and
colleagues. Lalage will be remembered for the significant impact she had on the lives of so many people, and will be greatly missed by the friends she made at Glasgow over the years. We will remember her fondly as a member of our community.
With deepest sympathies
Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli FRSE AcSS - Principal Glasgow University less

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December 21, 2021

Lala was always exotic to her American relatives. I remember as a child she would swoop in from Africa or a foreign business trip and would teach us how to make origami birds and other designs. As a child, I visited her home and she had poofs and art... more

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