Charles Darwin

1809	(February) Born into privileged, upper-class medical family at Shrewsbury.
1817	Mother dies. Father, Robert, strict disciplinarian. Charles fascinated by natural history, particularly beetles.
1825	After private schooling Charles follows older brother Erasmus to Edinburgh to study medicine.
1828	Leaves Edinburgh. Studies divinity at Cambridge. Ambition to enter church.
1831	Leaves Cambridge with good degree, never to take Holy Orders.
1831	(December) Leaves England on HMS Beagle.
1836	(October) Returns from Beagle voyage.
1837	Begins writing ‘transmutation’ notebooks.
1839	Publishes Journal of the Beagle Voyage in Admiralty trilogy.
1842	Sketches out species ideas in 30 pages.
1844	Writes out 230-page Essay recording his theoretical ideas.
1845	Re-publishes Journal of the Beagle Voyage.
1846	Begins barnacle research.
1854	Completes barnacle studies in two volumes.
1857	Receives first letter from Alfred Russel Wallace.
1857	Writes letter to Asa Gray outlining new theoretical ideas.
1857	(December) Receives second letter from Wallace.
1858	(June) Receives third letter from Wallace.
1858	(July) Awarded priority for work on evolution over previous 20 years.
1859	Publication of On the Origin of Species.
1882	Dies in London

27th January 2009
meet the author @ Natural History Society, Northampton

February 2009 – 200th anniversary of birth of Charles Darwin

2nd February 2009
meet the author @ Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, Bath

12th February 2009
meet the author @ Richmond Library, Richmond, London

30th March 2009
meet the author @ London Welsh Centre, London

November 2009 – 150th anniversary of publication of On the Origin of Species in London