William Hincks

Early life and ministries Hincks was born on 16 April 1794 in Cork, Ireland, the son of Thomas Dix Hincks, an orientalist and naturalist, and Anne Boult. One of eight siblings, Hincks was the brother of Francis Hincks and Edward Hincks. His father was one of the founders of the Belfast Natural History and Philosophical Society.

He was educated in Belfast and trained as a minister in Manchester College, York from 1810 to 1815. He served in Cork from 1815 to 1818, then moved to Exeter where he ministered from 1818 to 1822.

In 1853 he travelled to Canada, where he became the first professor of natural history at University College, Toronto. This was a somewhat controversial appointment as he was chosen over Thomas Henry Huxley who had the backing of a number of well respected botanists including Charles Darwin. It was suspected that his success over Huxley was due to the influence of his brother Francis Hincks, who was Premier of the Province of Canada at the time. He was strongly opposed to Darwinism, preferring the Quinarian taxonomic system.

While teaching and serving as a clergyman, Hincks also carried out editing and publishing work. He was the first editor of the Unitarian magazine The Inquirer from 1842 to 1847 during his time in London. His work there was influenced by his interest in education and his desire for an end to slavery and the death penalty. One of their sons Thomas Hincks (1818–1899) followed in his fathers footsteps and also became a minister and naturalist. Yandell died in 1849 and Hincks remarried Sarah Maria sometime before leaving England, her maiden name is not known. William Hincks died in Toronto on 10 September 1871 at the age of 77.