Gosse at Ilfracombe - painting by Peter Stiles

Our early summer contributions include the potent Beagle Cocktail courtesy of Dr Dean Madden. Kevin Dixon writes about radical agitators in Darwin, the Reverend Taylor & Ashburton’s Richard Carlile whilst by contrast Peter Stiles’ character is an utopian Christian Socialist and naturalist – his essay is titled Darwin and Philip Henry Gosse.

On June 13th, North Devon Humanists in conjunction with The Museum of Barnstaple present Barnstaple Darwin Day. There will be a series of talks in The Henry Williamson Room, 2nd Floor, Barnstaple Library & Record Office, Tuly Street, Barnstaple and the Desperate Men will perform ‘Darwin & the Dodo’ on the Square outside the Museum.

The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon is holding an exhibition from 2nd May to 28th June – Cartooned 3: Evolution which looks at how cartoonists dealt with evolution in the 19th century and how the concept of evolution has influenced political cartooning over the past 150 years.

Blue plaque at 2 Hesketh Crescent, Torquay

Our latest contribution is from Gordon Peckham whose article details Charles Darwin’s connections with Devon.

BBC Devon website has a feature on Darwin in Devon 200

HMS Beagle near the Galapagos Islands

Our new website launches today with an initial collection of articles by Kevin Dixon who has contributed Darwin & Marx, Darwin’s Religious Beliefs, Darwin and Kinship with Non-human Animals, Darwin and Victorian Society, Adaptation & Conflict in Early Modern Devon and Pat Grant. who has contributed The Evolution of Humans.

We are seeking further contributions with a view to establishing a permanent online resource after 2009. Please see the box on the right for information on how to contribute.

H.M.S. Beagle sailed from Plymouth harbour on 27 December 1831 with Charles Darwin aboard to begin her ground breaking second survey voyage.