[2] A fellow of the British Academy, Donkin published works on a wide range of subjects, including Cistercian monasteries, agricultural terracing, the history of pearls and pearl fishing, the Muscovy duck, the Guinea fowl, and the history of spices and aromatics.
He received his education at Jarrow Grammar School, and later studied geography at King's College, Newcastle upon Tyne.
[1] It was here that he was influenced by the American cultural geographer Carl O. Sauer, and developed interest in agricultural origins and the aboriginal New World.
[1] Donkin published a number of papers on Cistercian farming activity, introducing a new geographical dimension to monastic studies.
[2] The Independent, (London), 10 May 2006 summed up Donkin's life as follows:[1] Robert Arthur Donkin, geographer: born Morpeth, Northumberland 28 October 1928' King George VI Memorial Fellow, University of California, Berkeley 1955-56' Assistant Lecturer, Department of Geography, Edinburgh University 1956-58' Lecturer, Department of Geography, Birmingham University 1958-70' Lecturer in the Geography of Latin America, Cambridge University 1971–90, Reader in Historical Geography 1990-96 (Emeritus)' Fellow, Jesus College, Cambridge 1972- 96 (Emeritus), Tutor 1975-96' FBA1985' married 1970 Jennifer Kennedy (one daughter)' died Cambridge 1 February 2006.