Robert Darwin

Robert Darwin

Dr Robert Waring Darwin, F.R.S. (30 May, 1766 - 13 November, 1848) was a Shrewsbury-based medical doctor, today best known as the father of the naturalist Charles Darwin.

Biography

Darwin was born in Lichfield in 1766, the son of Erasmus Darwin and his first wife Mary Howard. He was named after his uncle, Robert Waring Darwin of Elston (1724-1816), a bachelor. His mother died in 1770 and Mary Parker, the governess hired to look after him became his father's mistress and bore Erasmus two illegitimate daughters.

Darwin studied medicine at the University of Leiden, and took his MD from the University of Edinburgh in 1786, when he was only 20. In Edinburgh he studied under several leading scholars, including John Walker. He held his experience in Edinburgh in such high regard that he sent his son Charles to study there.

Family

On 18 April 1796 he married Susannah Wedgwood, daughter of the potter Josiah Wedgwood at in St Marylebone, Middlesex, and they had six children:

* Marianne Darwin (1798-1858), married Henry Parker (1788–1858) in 1824.
* Caroline Sarah Darwin (1800-1888) married her cousin Josiah Wedgwood III (grandson of Josiah Wedgwood)
* Susan Elizabeth Darwin (1803-1866)
* Erasmus Alvey Darwin (1804-1881)
* Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882)
* Emily Catherine Darwin (1810-1866)

He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society on 21 February 1788.

Advice

He cautioned his son against voyaging on the Beagle, but was persuaded otherwise. A large man of 6'2", he reportedly stopped weighing himself when he weighed 24 stone (336 lbs). He required his coachman to test the floorboards of houses he was visiting, and had to have special stone steps made for him to enter his carriage.

External links

* http://darwin.baruch.cuny.edu/biography/shrewsbury/rdarwin.html


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Robert Darwin — Ölgemälde von James Pardon Robert Waring Darwin (* 30. Mai 1766 in Lichfield; † 13. November 1848 in Shrewsbury) war ein englischer Arzt. Er war der Sohn von Erasmus Darwin und der Vater von Charles Darwin …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Robert Darwin — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Robert Darwin, según el óleo de James Pardon (1811 1829). El doctor Robert Waring Darwin, F.R.S., (30 de mayo de 1766 13 de noviembre de 1848) fue un doctor inglés, más conocido por ser el padre del eminente… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Robert Darwin — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Darwin (homonymie). Robert Darwin, peinture à l huile de James Pardon (1811 1829) Dr Robert Waring Darwin, membre de la …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Robert Darwin (disambiguation) — Robert Darwin may refer to:* Robert Darwin of Elston (1682–1754), lawyer father of Erasmus Darwin * Robert Alvey Darwin (1826–1847) * Robert Waring Darwin of Elston (1724 1816) * Robert Waring Darwin, FRS (1766 1848), physician son of Erasmus… …   Wikipedia

  • Charles Robert Darwin — Darwin im Alter von 51 Jahren, als er seine Evolutionstheorie veröffentlichte Charles Robert Darwin (* 12. Februar 1809 in Shrewsbury; † 19. April 1882 in Downe) war ein britischer Naturforscher. Er gilt wegen seiner we …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Charles Robert Darwin — Charles Darwin « Darwin » redirige ici. Pour les autres significations, voir Darwin (homonymie). Charles Darwin …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Robert Waring Darwin — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Robert Waring Darwin Nacimiento 17 de octubre 1724 Newark, Lincolnshire …   Wikipedia Español

  • Robert Waring Darwin of Elston — Robert Waring Darwin (1724–1816) of Elston Hall.He was the son of Robert Darwin of Elston (1682 1754), a lawyer, and his wife Elizabeth Hill (1702 1797). His brothers were William Alvey Darwin (1726 1783), Erasmus Darwin (1731 1802), the poet,… …   Wikipedia

  • Darwin — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Charles Darwin (1809–1882), Begründer der modernen Evolutionstheorie Bernard Darwin (1876–1961), Enkel von Charles Darwin; britischer Jurist, Sportjournalist und Schriftsteller Charles Galton Darwin… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Darwin — may refer to: Contents 1 People 2 Places 2.1 In Africa 2.2 …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”