lxii. THE FLORA OF HALIFAX. 



the Todmorden and Hebden Bridge Historical Almanack 

 for 1882. 



In 1896 the Todmorden Botanical Society, of which Mr. 

 Abraham Stansfield, jun., was then President, presented its 

 library and collections to the District Council. These are now 

 housed in the Todmorden Free Library, and include Nowell's 

 mosses mentioned above, and a set of ' British Ferns arranged 

 by A. Stansfield.' The latter contains over 200 specimens 

 including a great many cultivated varieties. A portrait of 

 Stansfield has also been placed in the Library. 



The Working Men's College at Haley Hill, founded by 

 Colonel Akroyd, greatly promoted the study of natural history 



in Halifax, thirty or forty years ago. The 

 John Haley Hill Literary and Scientific Society was 



Walker. an offshoot of the College, founded about i860, 



and the establishment of the Ovenden Natural- 

 ists' Society in 1865 may be looked upon as another indication 

 of the same eager pursuit of natural history. 



The Haley Hill Society circulated a paper amongst its 

 members, and when, in 1866, it ventured to print these contri- 

 butions, the " Monthly Magazine of Literature, Science and 

 Art," which resulted, was named the " Circulator." This was 

 published by R. Leyland & Son, and sold at twopence a 

 number, and it continued to appear for about two years. In 

 the "Circulator," commencing with page 101, appeared a 

 series of articles under the head of " Botany," which gave 

 substantially a list of the flowering plants and ferns found in 

 Shibden, with a few others found elsewhere in the parish. 

 These are only signed "J. W." until the conclusion, when the 

 author signs himself Jno. Walker, Akroydon, and "acknowledges 

 with pleasure his obligations to Mr. James Whiteley, of Shib- 

 den Head, and to Mr. B. Barber, of Woodside Lodge, for the 

 information which they have kindly rendered concerning some 

 of the localities mentioned." 



The author of this list, John Walker, was a native of 

 Boothtown, Halifax, and was born June 24th, 1839. He was 

 brought up in the worsted trade, and about 1880 started 

 business on his own account as a worsted manufacturer at 

 Claremount, residing at Lee House, Shibden. About ten 

 years later he removed to larger premises at Norwood Green, 

 and went to live at Coley Mill House, where he died on May 

 1 6th, 1895, an d was interred at the Lister Lane Cemetery, 

 Halifax. 



