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

Herschel was older than Darwin but he wrote to him (by now Sir John!) during the November of his Ilkley stay. He had met Herschel as the 'Beagle' rounded the South African coast later in the voyage and was much impressed with the man whom had written a book, published in 1830, which had influenced Darwin greatly as a young man. He sent him a copy of his first impression of the 'On the Origin . . . '

The response of Herschel to the publication was deemed as disappointing to Darwin. Herschel was not opposed to the concept of evolution but his main objection was that Darwin’s natural selection appeared to rely too heavily on undirected variation and chance. He felt that it did not sufficiently explain the apparent purpose and organisation of nature.

However, the first edition of 1,100 books sold out on the first day and a second edition of 3,000 books with corrections and amendments was subsequently published.

Finally, the Halifax Minster is situated only about 100 yards from the Halifax Railway Station and our John Hawkshaw (1811–1891) was the civil engineer appointed to construct the railway line between Halifax and Bradford. Upon leaving Halifax station there is a 'mis-fitting bridge' which was probably re-cycled from another location followed by a tunnel which enters the lands of the Lister Estate being the home of 'Gentleman Jack' or Ann Lister (1791–1840)! Maybe they met up and negotiated! Ann Lister was buried in Halifax Minster.