Photographed by Charles Darwin, Naturalist (1809-1882).
Charles Robert Darwin, fifth child of well-connected and wealthy parents, was born in Shrewsbury (Shropshire).
One of his grandfathers was Erasmus Darwin, a doctor whose book ‘Zoonomia’ had set out a radical and highly controversial idea, that one species could ‘transmute’ into another. Evolution was known then as transmutation.
Charles Darwin, a British scientist, studied at Edinburgh University from 1825 to 1825.
The movement attracted radical free-thinkers and those with theories about transmutation, as well as other ideas.
After abandoning plans to become an obstetrician, Darwin was trained in Cambridge to be a priest in 1827. However, he continued to love biology.
In 1831, Charles’ tutor recommended he go on a voyage around the world on HMS Beagle.
Darwin traveled five continents over the following five years to collect samples and specimens, while also studying the geology of the area.
He was unable to read or reflect for long periods of time, so he began Charles Lyell’s Principles of Geology. This had an enormous impact on his life.
He also experienced terrible sea sickness and began to suffer from illness during his trip.
In 1835, HMS Beagle made a five-week stop at the Galapágos Islands, 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador.
There, he studied finches, tortoises and mockingbirds although not in enough detail to come to any great conclusions.
However, he began to collect observations and was quickly building them up.
Darwin returned home in 1838 and showed the specimens to other biologists. He then began to write about his experiences.
Then he began to notice how transformation happened.
His research showed that animals who are more in tune with their surroundings have a greater chance of surviving and being able to reproduce later.
Evolution took place through a process called Natural Selection, but he was uncomfortable with it because it clashed with his Christian world view.
Darwin was a victim of his grandfather’s exclusion for his ideas. He collected more evidence while documenting his travels up to 1851.
He decided to publish his theory after he began to suffer long bouts of sickness.
While some historians believe he contracted a tropical infection, others feel that his symptoms are largely psychological and were caused by anxiety.
In 1858, Darwin received a letter from Alfred Russel Wallace, an admirer of Darwin’s from reading about his Beagle Voyage.
Some members of the Press and the Church criticised Darwin for suggesting that people descended from apes.
Wallace independently came up with the theory of natural Selection and asked Darwin for advice about publishing.
Darwin made the decision to publish his ideas in 1858. Wallace was also given credit.
The Linnean Society, Britain’s top Natural History organization, received Darwin’s ideas.
He published his theory about evolution in 1859. This would be one of the greatest books ever published.
The Church and some members of the media criticized Darwin. Although Darwin did not explicitly state it, many people felt shaken by Darwin’s central implication that humans descended from apes.
Darwin, in 1862 wrote an advisory about the possibility of close relatives having children. He was already concerned about his own marital situation, having lost his three children to illness and having been married to Emma.
Darwin recognized that orchids are less healthy when self-fertilized and was concerned that his family might have inbreed him.
He continued to work until his death, 1882. He realized that his abilities were diminishing and described the local cemetery as “the sweetest spot on Earth”.
He was buried in Westminster Abbey.