When an Apollo 15 US astronaut who walked on moon visited Bradford

Standing before worshippers on May 16, 1982, Jim Irwin shared what it was really like during the Apollo 15 mission to the Moon and being the first one to drive the lunar rover on its surface.

After his talk, members of the Cathedral debated the ethics of space travel in a world of competing needs.

Damon Butler with Jim Irwin following the debate, and where it was taken, outside the de Lacy now (then the Parish Room). Picture: Jennifer Butler.

But what brought the eighth man on the moon to Bradford? Was there a local connection? Was Jim Irwin's talk part of a larger UK tour?

Those are the questions raised by Reverend Katherine Pate and Damon Butler, a former Cathedral choirboy from Bingley who attended his talk all those years ago.

Now living in Oregon, USA, Butler is an artist. The pair are working on a story about a boy who loved space and his encounter with a real-life astronaut.

Damon’s mother, the late Jennifer Butler, was an active member of the Cathedral and volunteered to be a debate participant - advocating for space exploration in honour of her son’s love for all things space.

One of the most iconic images of a man walking on the Moon. Irwin signed this photo for Butler when he spoke at Bradford Cathedral. Photo via Bradford Cathedral/Damon Butler.

“It meant so much to me that my mum supported my enthusiasm for the Space Programme,” Butler said.

“In those days, I was a paperboy in Eldwick. I was so into space I even asked people on my route for old newspapers if there was something about the Space Shuttle in them. Eventually, people began saving articles without me even having to ask.

“My mum asked for my help in writing her speech, which focused on space exploration as hope for the future.

“She believed that curiosity was a vital part of what it meant to be human.”

A concept sketch of an illustration from the book.

Irwin’s visit to the Moon changed the direction of his life entirely.

NASA recordings show he quoted Psalm 121 as he looked out to the Apennine Mountains on the Moon: “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help, but of course we get quite a bit from Houston too.”

As Irwin explored the Moon and conducted experiments, he reportedly felt a presence – something he later interpreted as God.

Part of Irwin’s mission was to search for some of the oldest rocks in the Solar System.

As he searched, Irwin felt the presence guide him to a pure white rock sitting atop a natural pedestal as if it was a museum display.

What they found is now known as the Genesis Rock, around four billion years old.

After Apollo 15, Irwin left NASA and began travelling the world with a new-found mission in life: sharing his belief that the beauty of Creation reflects the love and wisdom of the Creator.

Butler and Pate would like to hear from anyone with knowledge about the event via events@bradfordcathedral.org.

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