Tribute to Jon Hodge

It is with shock and great sadness that I have just learnt of Jonathan Hodge’s passing. We were colleagues for some 33 years in the small Division of History & Philosophy of Science at the University of Leeds. He was an ideal colleague: a person of great integrity and humanity, always willing to engage with colleagues and students and help them not only with academic problems but also with personal issues. He was gentle, amusing, exceedingly friendly and accessible – perhaps reflecting his Quaker background. Talking with him for even a few minutes at the tea trolley or in the Foyer, you came away feeling morally and intellectually refreshed. Jon greatly enjoyed communicating knowledge to others; he was an excellent lecturer, who inspired many students. He flourished as a researcher on Darwin and talked enthusiastically about his work in that and related topics. He saw research as a communal activity and many of his publications were co-authored with colleagues and especially other Darwin scholars. I had the pleasure and honour of co-editing 2 books with him – Conceptions of Ether and (with Bob Olby and John Christie) the Leeds Companion. He did not esteem the administrative hassles of academia but was thoroughly immersed in teaching and researching the subjects he loved. He was greatly admired and will be greatly missed.