Charles W. J. Withers


Charles William John Withers, is a British historical geographer and academic. He has been the Geographer Royal for Scotland since 2015, and held the Ogilvie Chair of Geography at the University of Edinburgh from 1994 to 2019.

Early life and education

Withers was born on 6 December 1954. He was educated at Daniel Stewart's College, an all-boys independent school in Edinburgh. He studied at the University of St Andrews, and Downing College, Cambridge.

Academic career

Withers joined the University of Edinburgh as Professor of Historical Geography in 1994. He was Head of its Institute of Geography from 2006 to 2009, and held the Ogilvie Chair of Geography from 2010 to 2019.
In September 2015, Withers was appointed Geographer Royal for Scotland: the first such appointment since 1897.

Professional affiliations