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Charles Darwin

He was one of the most brilliant and, at the same time, controversial scientists of all time, but Charles Darwin had strong connections with Southampton that reveal his more personal, family life.

During his life it is said that he wrote more than 2,000 letters, which are an invaluable insight to not only the development of Victorian science but also the society in which he lived.

Born on February 12, 1809 in Shrewsbury, Charles Robert Darwin was the fifth child and second son of Robert Darwin and Susannah Wedgwood. He would go on to become a great naturalist who became famous for his theories of evolution and natural selection.

Like several scientists before him, Darwin believed that all life on earth evolved over millions of years from a few common ancestors.

"I have called this principle, by which each slight variation, if useful, is preserved, by the term natural selection,'' said Darwin.

By 1846 Darwin had returned from his famous voyage aboard HMS Beagle, on which he had visited the Galapagos Islands, and was formulating his theory.

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But he also found time to visit Southampton to attend a meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. Although, it seems, he found the conference not to his liking, he did enjoy visiting Hampshire.

He wrote to Joseph Dalton Hooker, a botanist, who the following year would set sail from Southampton on the steamship Sidon for Egypt: "I have told you nothing about Southampton. We (wife and self) enjoyed our week beyond measure. The papers were all dull, but I met so many friends, and made so many new acquaintances and took so many pleasant excursions.

"I wish you had been there. On Sunday we had so pleasant an excursion to Winchester with Falconer, Col Sabine and D Robinson, Dean of Armagh and others. I never enjoyed a day more in my life."

To John Henslow, a clergyman and keen botanist and mineralogist, who was Darwin's teacher and friend, the naturalist wrote: "I was at Southampton and saw there L Jenyns. I did not think he was looking at all well - sadly too thin. I was very glad to hear from him that Mrs Henslow was a little better.

"I wish you had been at Southampton, there was a capital congregation of naturalists. All together we enjoyed (for my wife was with me) our week exceedingly."

To Leonard Jenyns, a naturalist and also a clergyman, who was Henslow's brother-in-law, Darwin wrote: "I hope you are none the worse for Southampton. I wish I had seen you looking fatter. I enjoyed my week and it did me good. I missed you the few last days and we never managed to see much of each other, but there were so many people there that I for one hardly saw anything of anyone."

In 1861 the naturalist heard from a friend that there might be employment for his son, William Erasmus Darwin, with a bank in Southampton.

He wrote to William: "John Lubbock called here today and told me that lately a gentleman had applied to him to recommend some young man, who had not been in business, as a partner in a Bank in some seaport town in the South of England.

"He said that you had just occurred to him as perhaps liking the offer. It is, however, very probable that the place may be filled up. I am astounded that such a place should go begging for a week.

"The old partner wants to retire this summer, and J Lubbock's friend (about 35 years old) does not want to have the whole business on his shoulders and therefore wants a partner.'' In fact the position, with what turned out to be the Southampton and Hampshire Bank, was still on offer and William was given the position.

Next year is the bicentenary of Darwin's birth and plans are under way for a sailing replica of HMS Beagle to circumnavigate the globe in the wake of the naturalist.

12:05pm Thursday 1st May 2008

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