John Ruskin
John Ruskin was, arguably, the greatest Victorian with the exception of Queen Victoria herself. Born in London on 8 February 1819, Ruskin was a scientist, artist, poet, environmentalist, philosopher, and social revolutionary. As a social revolutionary, Ruskin challenged the moral foundations of 19th century Britain, and as an environmentalist he foresaw the greenhouse effect. His ideas paved the way for much of today's thinking, and he has been an inspiration to many great people, including Gandhi, who once said: 'I believe that I discovered some of my deepest convictions reflecting on this great book of Ruskin's ['Unto This Last'], and this is why the book so captured me and made me transform my life'.
John Ruskin first came to the Lake District in 1824, when, at the age of 5, he visited Keswick. During his stay Ruskin was taken by his nurse to the brow of Friar's Crag on Derwentwater, and this had a lasting impression - he later described the incident as 'the creation of the world for me'. After his death, a memorial to Ruskin was erected on Friar's Crag. The Ruskin family returned to the Lake District for a 3 week holiday in 1830, during which John Ruskin enjoyed a trip from Windermere to Hawkshead and Coniston. The 11-year-old Ruskin recorded his experiences of this trip in a 2310-line poem called 'Iteriad.
In 1869 John Ruskin was made Slade Professor of Fine Art at Oxford University, and it was whilst at Oxford that he met Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley, forming a lifelong friendship. 6 years later, back in London, Ruskin introduced Rawnsley to a friend, Octavia Hill - Rawnsley and Hill went on to co-found the National Trust in 1896. Ruskin was also active in the field of conservation, and, among other things, he campaigned for town & country planning and green belts - issues which are still with us today.
Ruskin returned to Keswick and the Lake District many times, and in 1871, aged 52, he bought the fine house of Brantwood on the shores of Coniston Water. Whilst living at Brantwood Ruskin was visited by many great Victorians, including Charles Darwin, author of 'The Origin of Species' and creator of the theory of evolution.
Ruskin died at Brantwood in January 1900 after suffering from influenza. He is buried in the churchyard of St. Andrew's Church in Coniston, his grave marked with a large cross carved from local green slate.