Anglican Resurgence under W. F. Hook in Early Victorian Leeds:
Church Life in a Nonconformist Town: 1836-1851
by Dr H W Dalton. 
Dr Dalton's book depicts reviving activity among Anglican clergy and parishioners in Leeds from 1836.
At that time Dissenters had, since 1800, far surpassed Anglicans in spiritual provision for the town's
rapidly rising population. The advent of W.F. Hook as High Church Vicar from 1837 increased the momentum.
Leeds speedily became recognised as probably the most effective English parish. This work examines the
varied activities of clergy and parishioners at a time when the parish was alive with initiatives; and
offers a reassessment of Hook who in his years at Leeds developed into possibly the most effective
Anglican parish priest of his time. Topics also covered include church building, parish division,
and relationships with Evangelicals, Tractarians and Dissenters. The account represents a significant
addition to the limited number of studies of early Victorian Anglicanism in the provinces.
Dr Harry Dalton holds a BA (1st Class Hons) from the Open University, and an MA and PhD from the
University of Leeds. His previous work, Walter Farquhar Hook; Vicar of Leeds: his work for the
Church and the Town, 1837-1848 was published by The Thoresby Society in 1990.
pp158
ISBN 0 900 741 60 0
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