conrad martens – The Friends of Charles Darwin

Newsletter No. 3: Knee-deep in barnacles

Our third newsletter marks Charles Darwin’s 210th birthday.

Read article →

25-Dec-1833: The HMS Beagle Olympics

Slinging the Monkey

On Christmas Day 1831, the crew of HMS Beagle held their own ’Olympic Games’ at Port Desire in Patagonia.

Read article →

16-Apr-1834: Inspecting the Beagle’s bottom (‘a rather ticklish operation’)

On 16th April 1834, HMS Beagle was laid ashore on the banks of the Santa Cruz River to allow her keel to be inspected. The event resulted in one of the most iconic images of the famous ship. Read the story of the operation.

Read article →

The Darwin bicentennial oak, 10 years on
Ten years ago today, I planted the Darwin Bicentennial Oak in my garden.
Hello, Azerbaijan!
I am delighted to announce that the Friends of Charles Darwin have their first member from Azerbaijan.
A cat among the pigeons
Could Charles Darwin really have been a moggy murderer?
Maureen Brian, FCD (12 June 1942 – 31 July 2018)
I was sad to learn via Facebook that Maureen Brian died earlier today.
The problem writing a book about Charles Darwin
…there are so damn many of the things already, how do you make your book different?

03-Dec-1831: Darwin’s first night aboard HMS Beagle
Darwin records his experimentations with a hammock.
29-Jan-1839: Charles Darwin marries Emma Wedgwood
On 29th January 1839, after a short courtship and engagement, Charles Darwin married his cousin Emma Wedgwood at St Peter's Church, Maer, Staffordshire.
14-May-1856: Darwin starts writing his ‘big species book’
On 14 May 1856, Charles Darwin recorded in his journal that, on the advice of his friend Charles Lyell, after almost 20 years exploring the subject, he had finally begun writing a ‘sketch’ of his ideas on species.
If humans evolved from monkeys, how come there are still monkeys?
This is a question frequently posed by creationists—and quite often by perfectly rational people…
13-Jan-1833: The day HMS Beagle nearly sank
Charles Darwin’s closest brush with death during the Beagle voyage came on Sunday 13th January 1833, near that most infamous of nautical perils, Cape Horn.