John Blackwall

Blackwell lived from 1833 until his death in Llanrwst in North Wales. From a young age he was interested in nature; first his interest to the birds, and later the spiders. His first article on spiders, he published in 1827.

He published " A History of the Spiders of Great Britain and Ireland ( 2 vols., 1861-1864 )" ( History of the Spiders of Great Britain and Ireland). It included 340 species and was the first adequate description of the British spider fauna. 10 of the panels were created by Octavius ​​Pickard - Cambridge and twelve more of the Irish naturalist Robert Templeton.

Black Walls work revealed the significant gaps of scientific research in this field and clarified the research needs of Arachnology. In particular, his interest was the very small species, such as the canopy spiders Neriene and Walckenaera.