Wednesday 27th January
Graham Anthony
“Sorely Tried”- the story of HMS Beagle, Fitzroy and Darwin
Britain developed techniques that would keep our sailors healthy and our ships at sea for long periods. With Napoleon defeated and the Industrial Revolution in full swing, the role of the Royal Navy was changing rapidly when ‘Beagle’ was launched at Woolwich in 1820. The focus had moved from making war to suppressing piracy, discouraging the slave trade, and charting the oceans. Beagle’s most famous voyage brought together Robert Fitzroy (a brilliant sailor and pioneering meteorologist) and Charles Darwin, who was to stagger the world with his book on Natural Selection. Graham Anthony will show us how these events contributed to a nautical infrastructure that allows us to roam the seas happily and safely.