The Red Notebook

Take a short trip as the lapwing flies 14 miles north-east of where I am writing these words, crossing Brontë Country, past Keighley, and over the legendary Ilkley Moor, then head back in time exactly 150 years to the day, and you might well chance upon Charles Darwin taking the waters at White Wells Bath House.

But, as we all know, 24th November, 1859 was no typical day in Darwin’s quack water treatment. It was the day on which his most famous book was published. On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life sold out on its first day, and has never been out of print since. It is a classic text. Arguably one of the most important books in the history of science. And, rather surprisingly, it is still remarkably accessible to the lay reader…

What do you mean, you’ve never read On the Origin of Species? Surely you jest! Really? You really haven’t read On the Origin of Species? Trust me, it’s not that hard. OK, so maybe it isn’t exactly a page-turner, but we’re talking about one of the great revolutionary books here—and it’s written in plain English, for ordinary mortals like you and me. You certainly can’t say that about Newton’s Principia. In fact, I’m struggling to think of another revolutionary scientific text you can say that about.

Yes, Origin is dated in one or two places—and plain wrong in one or two more—but Darwin’s great work has withstood the trials and tribulations of the last 150 years remarkably well. The gentle genius’s long argument still hold true. More so than ever, in fact, as we now have 150 years of extra evidence to back it up.

So if you consider yourself a Darwin groupie, or simply well-read, yet you still haven’t read the great man’s most important work, why not make today’s 150th anniversary of its publication the perfect excuse to start reading the damn thing?

You never know, you might just learn something.

Colin Pitts, FCD writes:

I am leading a Bradford Countryside Service 3 mile guided walk from Darwin Gardens near Wells Road car park, Ilkley on Wednesday October 28th at 11am. There are some rough paths and steep sections for which boots are essential. Walkers should also bring waterproofs and a drink together with a snack/packed lunch.

We shall be passing Wells House, White Wells and North House with a number of rests stops during which I shall be attempting a very brief bio of Charles Darwin with short readings from some of the letters written from (and sent to) Ilkley.

I can vouch from personal experience (as could Darwin, who seriously sprained his ankle when visiting White Wells) that proper walking boots are indeed essential.

I live just 22 miles from Ilkley, West Yorkshire, but my travels almost never take me to that neck of the woods. But, this afternoon, I happened to be passing nearby and finally got to make a long-delayed Darwinian pilgrimage.

Darwin stayed in Ilkley during the autumn of 1859. Officially, he was there for the water treatment, although it has been suggested that it was a convenient hideaway during the publication of On the Origin of Species that November.

I took plenty of photos during my short visit, including this one of the bath house Darwin used to visit (which was unfortunately closed when I called—I shall return!):

White Wells Bath House, Ilkley Moor

On 14th October, 1859, Darwin wrote to his son William describing Ilkley:

North House, Wells Terrace | Ilkley | Otley | Yorkshire

Friday

My dear William

On Monday they [the rest of Darwin's family] all come from Barlaston to the above address & I leave the Establishment. The House is at the foot of a rocky, turfy rather steep half-mountain. It would be nice with fine weather; but now looks dismal. There are nice excursions & fine walks for those that can walk. The Water Cure has done me much good; but I fell down on Sunday morning & sprained my ancle, & have not been able to walk since & this has greatly interfered with the treatment…

The Establishment Darwin was writing from was Wells House, a large water cure establishment, which I also managed to photograph. The address given at the top of Darwin’s letter, where he would relocate to when the family arrived, was the house he was staying at when Origin was published. I managed to get a photo of that too.

I can confirm that the hill down from the bath house is pretty steep. But I had read Darwin’s letter before I set off, so was very careful on my descent, and my ankles escaped serious injury.

See also: Wikipedia: On Ilkla Moor Baht’at