17 Facts About Robert Darwin

Robert Waring Darwin was an English medical doctor who is today best known as the father of naturalist Charles Darwin.

Robert Darwin was named after his uncle, Robert Waring Darwin of Elston, a bachelor.

In 1783, Robert Darwin began his studies of medicine at the University of Edinburgh, where he apparently took lodgings with the chemistry professor Joseph Black.

In Edinburgh Robert Darwin had studied under several leading scholars, including John Walker.

In 1787, when he was still under 21 years old, Robert Darwin set up practice in Shrewsbury, the county town of Shropshire.

Robert Darwin was called in, and as the apothecary would give no information, had to decide on treatment himself.

Robert Darwin died, and there was a controversy about which doctor was to blame.

Robert Darwin hastily published a pamphlet showing that the other doctor had been treating her for a disease which she did not have, and while his reputation was gained, the other doctor moved elsewhere.

For years afterwards Robert Darwin, regretting the hasty way the pamphlet had been written, bought up all copies and burnt them.

Robert Darwin became a major stockholder in the Trent and Mersey Canal, and an investor in the London to Holyhead road built by Thomas Telford as another part of the infrastructure of the Industrial Revolution.

Erasmus Darwin reached an understanding with his close friend Josiah Wedgwood that his son Robert would marry Wedgwood's favourite daughter, Susannah, when able to support her.

Robert Darwin purchased land overlooking the River Severn and had a large red-brick house built there around 1800 which was named The Mount, where all their other children were born.

Robert Darwin took great pleasure in the large garden, and had it planted out with ornamental trees and shrubs as well as having particular success in growing fruit-trees.

Robert Darwin required his coachman to test the floorboards of houses he was visiting, and had to have special stone steps made for him to enter his carriage.

Robert Darwin held his experience in Edinburgh in such high regard that he sent his son Charles to study there.

Robert Darwin provided the first empirical evidence that small eye movements are made even when people attempt to keep them fixed.

Robert Darwin concluded "as by the unsteadiness of the eye a part of the fatigued retina falls on the white paper".