Volume Thirteen - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - Remarkable Connections - Darwin, FitzRoy, Hawkshaw & Wedgwood . . . .

Ilkley — A Retreat at a Momentous Time  - Charles Darwin came to Ilkley in October 1859 for hydropathic treatment at Wells House, remaining until 7th December. During his stay, On the Origin of Species was published on 24th November. Darwin wasn't confident that everyone would accept the theory. He knew that many leading scientists would object to his ideas and freely acknowledged difficulties in his argument. He commented 'I am here hydropathising and coming to life again after having finished my accursed book!'