Loved this, thank you. Have read on Darwin here and there, and yet all of this was new -- I've only seen his mother mentioned as the link with the Wedgwoods, as you have in in a quote in here.
May I use this as an occasion to mention a Darwin-related book that I loved, and don't see mentioned so often? It's the poet Ruth Padel's "Darwin, A Life in Poems," which takes bits of his prose, including letters, and turns them into prose poems. One of those books that's so enjoyable that you try to get everyone to read it when you first encounter it.
What a wonderful glimpse into a lost world. Your piece gives us a route to reconnect to this delightful woman. I love the idea of Darwin's recreation of his own garden modelled on elements of his childhood home.
Thoughts of his visits around South America and his homesickness from Buenos Aires triggered a memory. My mother first came to this country at the age of 7 in the spring of 1926, from her childhood home in the arid Atacama Desert in Chile. She could not believe the green countryside. She told me that the bright new green leaves every spring brought her great joy for the rest of her life - she lived to 100 years and was a keen gardener from the first days of her married life until her late 80s. Perhaps her mother too, had been a stimulus. Despite the arid climate up on the Pampa in Chile, my Chilean-born Scottish grandmother created a lush green bower, growing enormous geraniums up the trellises that edged the verandas of their house.
I enjoyed this piece so much, Ann! She's so often overlooked in the family tree. Great to see Jude Piesse's book mentioned too - it's a lovely, thoughtful book.
Nicely done, Ann! These are good additions to the recent work on Susannah as well as Charles. She continues to be an inspiration, and I'm happy to see her receiving the attention she deserves.
I enjoyed reading this, Ann. Thank you so much for sharing it.
At first I wondered whether it wasn’t all a bit of a stretch; the influence, the connections.
Then it dawned on me(duh) that Charles could've become a doctor like his dad. I think it's telling that he went on to become a naturalist, a bit more like mum.
But also that one of the standout behaviour from both my sons in their early years (even now as they get into their teens) has been a desire to please or show off to me.
I wish, though, that she’d lived longer and done so much more with her abilities and inclinations. And made a thing of it, in her own right.
what a delight to discover she was a pigeon fancier!
Loved this, thank you. Have read on Darwin here and there, and yet all of this was new -- I've only seen his mother mentioned as the link with the Wedgwoods, as you have in in a quote in here.
May I use this as an occasion to mention a Darwin-related book that I loved, and don't see mentioned so often? It's the poet Ruth Padel's "Darwin, A Life in Poems," which takes bits of his prose, including letters, and turns them into prose poems. One of those books that's so enjoyable that you try to get everyone to read it when you first encounter it.
What a wonderful glimpse into a lost world. Your piece gives us a route to reconnect to this delightful woman. I love the idea of Darwin's recreation of his own garden modelled on elements of his childhood home.
Thoughts of his visits around South America and his homesickness from Buenos Aires triggered a memory. My mother first came to this country at the age of 7 in the spring of 1926, from her childhood home in the arid Atacama Desert in Chile. She could not believe the green countryside. She told me that the bright new green leaves every spring brought her great joy for the rest of her life - she lived to 100 years and was a keen gardener from the first days of her married life until her late 80s. Perhaps her mother too, had been a stimulus. Despite the arid climate up on the Pampa in Chile, my Chilean-born Scottish grandmother created a lush green bower, growing enormous geraniums up the trellises that edged the verandas of their house.
So fascinating!
I enjoyed this piece so much, Ann! She's so often overlooked in the family tree. Great to see Jude Piesse's book mentioned too - it's a lovely, thoughtful book.
This is as beautiful as it is instructive. I especially loved that story about Darwin and his mother's beautiful miniature portrait. Thank you!
Just fascinating Ann! Thank you so much for sharing.
Nicely done, Ann! These are good additions to the recent work on Susannah as well as Charles. She continues to be an inspiration, and I'm happy to see her receiving the attention she deserves.
What a lovely tribute! Mothers are usually blamed for everything, this is giving credit where it's due...
Scientific appreciation ran in that family.
Amazing story of the Darwin family and of the matriarch who influenced the world through her children.
Thansk for this piece. I didn't know a thing about Susannah Wedgwood Darwin before reading it. Subscribed!
I enjoyed reading this, Ann. Thank you so much for sharing it.
At first I wondered whether it wasn’t all a bit of a stretch; the influence, the connections.
Then it dawned on me(duh) that Charles could've become a doctor like his dad. I think it's telling that he went on to become a naturalist, a bit more like mum.
But also that one of the standout behaviour from both my sons in their early years (even now as they get into their teens) has been a desire to please or show off to me.
I wish, though, that she’d lived longer and done so much more with her abilities and inclinations. And made a thing of it, in her own right.
Poignant to read just now - my mother died peacefully a few days ago; minutes after midnight; just after Mother’s Day drew to a close.