Charles Darwin's Biography

Charles Darwin was born on February 12, 1809 in Shrewsbury, England. His grandfather Erasmus Darwin was a physician scientist and poet. He was a founder-member of the Lunar Club at Birmingham, members of which met to discuss science and art. He became an amateur botanist. He published two books explaining his scientific views.

Charles’s father, Robert Darwin followed in his fathers profession of medicine, he moved his practice and became the foremost doctor in the town of Shrewsbury.

Charles was the fifth child of Susannah and Robert Darwin. Had three sisters and a brother. His mother Susannah died when he was eight years old. From then on he was brought up by his elder sisters. Up to the age of eight his education was carried out at home by his sister. At the age of nine he went to Dr Butler’s school were he remained for the next seven years. Already at this age he showed a passion for natural history by collecting all sorts of things, shells, coins, franks, and minerals. He later said “The passion for collecting…was clearly innate, as none of my sisters or brother ever had the taste” (Charles Darwin and his world, Julian Huxley and H.B.D. Kettlewel, 1965). At The age of sixteen he began the study of medicine at the University of Edinburgh, after only two years there, repelled by the sight of surgery performed without anesthesia he decided that medical profession was not for him, and he went to Cambridge College to Cambridge Univeristy to prepare to become a clergyman in the Church of England. His love to collect plants, insects and other specimens was noted by his botany professor Henslow. Henslow arranged a place on the expedition of H.M.S. Beagle to Patagonia. Charles wanted to go very much, he had already been influenced by the narratives of Alexander von Humboldt, a German naturalist whose accounts of his travels in South America were famous. Charles was not employed as a naturalist, he was a gentleman companion to Captain Fitzroy, and paid for his...