Robert Shackleton FRS died aged 91 on 3 May 2001. Shackleton’s long career began as a survey geologist in Africa.  After a period at Liverpool University he took up a chair at Leeds, and became an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Open University.  He was not a retiring man, and was of the school of which it was said, “The best geologist is the one who sees the most rocks”.   His peregrinations were legendary.  Shackleton’s forte was structural geology and tectonics, and he was a central figure in driving forward our understanding of Africa’s evolution.  Sadly, he did not live to witness the publication of his Geology of Africa project.  His touch and his flair were felt by many throughout the world, and they will be missed.