Browse People
- Arkwright, Sir Richard
- Bage, Charles
- Bage, Robert
- Baskerville, John
- Beddoes, Thomas
- Boothby, Brooke
- Boulton, Matthew
- Brindley, James
- Darwin, Erasmus
- Day, Thomas
- Dudley, Dud
- Edgeworth, Maria
- Edgeworth, Richard Lovell
- Galton Jnr, Samuel
- Hutton, William
- Johnson, Samuel
- Keir, James
- Lombe, John
- Lombe, Thomas
- Murdock, William
- Priestley, Joseph
- Russell, William
- Seward, Anna
- Shenstone, William
- Small, William
- Strutt, Jedediah
- Telford, Thomas
- Watt, James
- Wedgwood, Josiah
- Wedgwood, Ralph
- Wedgwood, Thomas
- Whitehurst, John
- Wilkinson, John
- Withering, William
- Wright, Joseph
- Wyatt, James
- Wyatt, Samuel
Darwin, Erasmus
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A Portrait of Dr. Erasmus Darwin
Erasmus Darwin: Doctor, Inventor, Poet and Educationalist Erasmus Darwin was born at Elston, near Nottingham, in 1731… read more »
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An “ever-open door”: Erasmus Darwin and Lichfield
Samuel Johnson described Lichfield as a “city of philosophers” where Erasmus Darwinwas the most prominent of an outstanding group of… read more »
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Anna Seward and Erasmus Darwin
Image: Engraving of Erasmus Darwin M.D. Birmingham Central Library 3. Anna Seward and Erasmus Darwin 1756 saw the… read more »
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Artificial bird. P.32, 38.
Photograph: David Remes (2003) Darwin’s drawing of 1777 represents an artificial bird (a goose) with flapping wings Let… read more »
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Bigrapher. P.53.
Photograph: David Remes (2003) Sketches of a mechanical copying machine, or ‘bigrapher’, from 1777. The writing is done… read more »
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Biological Evolution
Image: Image of Erasmus Darwin’s bookplate. Darwin added a Latin motto to the family arms of three… read more »
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Both Sides of the Moon: Erasmus Darwin, Joseph Priestley and the West Midlands’ Enlightenment
A Philosopher lecturing on the Orrery (1766), Joseph Wright (1734-1797), Oil on Canvas, Derby Museum & Art Gallery. Image: Wright’s… read more »
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Canal lift. P.58-9.
Photograph: David Remes (2003) In 1760s, Darwin was deeply involved in a major enterprise – the building of… read more »
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Darwin and Education
Image: A textbook belonging to Mary Parker with her signature and date, 1797 (Title page of G… read more »
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Darwin’s Daughters
Image: View in the Grounds of Ashbourne Hall, Derbyshire (Frontispiece of Erasmus Darwin, A Plan for the… read more »
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Darwin’s Home
Image: The front of Erasmus Darwin House, Beacon Street, Lichfield, showing the neo-classical façade which Darwin created on… read more »
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Darwin’s Legacy
Image: Bust of Erasmus Darwin. Image from: Erasmus Darwin House, Lichfield. Photograph: David Remes (2003) A new… read more »
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Darwin’s Medical Practice
Image: Page from Erasmus Darwin’s Prescription Book, showing a prescription for Brooke Boothby. Image from: Erasmus Darwin House, Lichfield.… read more »
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Darwin’s Sons
Image: Silhouette of Erasmus Darwin (right), playing chess with his son Erasmus (left). Image from: Erasmus Darwin… read more »
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Diving bell with washed air, pneumatic. P.61.
Photograph: David Remes (2003) Many of Joseph Priestley’s experiments with air of the mid 1770s were discussed at… read more »
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Electrical doubler. P.79.
Photograph: David Remes (2003) Some of Darwin’s inventions were inspired by his medical practice. He experimented with various… read more »
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Elizabeth Pole
Image: Silhouette of Elizabeth Pole with a dog. Image from: Erasmus Darwin House, Lichfield (By kind permission… read more »
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Erasmus Darwin’s Commonplace Book
Image: Joseph Wright (1734-1797), Portrait of Erasmus Darwin (1792). Oil on Canvas. Wolverhampton Art Gallery Text: Olga Baird Summary Darwin’s Commonplace Book… read more »
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![Erasmus Darwin, At the Heart of the Lichfield Enlightenment](http://img.youtube.com/vi/79FMXRNnvsk/0.jpg)
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Erasmus Darwin, At the Heart of the Lichfield Enlightenment
Dr Erasmus Darwin was at the heart of Lichfield’s rise as a centre of Enlightenment thought. Dr… read more »
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![Erasmus Darwin, the Scientist](http://img.youtube.com/vi/h46ZHjkwGTo/0.jpg)
![Erasmus Darwin, the Scientist](http://img.youtube.com/vi/h46ZHjkwGTo/0.jpg)
Erasmus Darwin, the Scientist
Dr Erasmus Darwin’s Commonplace Book details his many and varied interests. This film looks at some of… read more »
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Floyer and Erasmus Darwin
Image: Joseph Wright (1734-1797), Portrait of Erasmus Darwin (1792). Oil on Canvas. Image from: Wolverhampton Art Gallery Erasmus Darwin, who started… read more »
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Home Life
Image: The hallway of Erasmus Darwin House, Lichfield (reconstruction). Photograph: David Remes (2003). Despite Erasmus Darwin’s busy… read more »
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Inventions, the Commonplace Book and the Lunar Society
Image: Title page of Erasmus Darwin’s Commonplace Book. Image from: Erasmus Darwin House, Lichfield. (By kind permission… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to Ann Watt, 1794/03/12
Ann Watt was James Watt’s second wife and mother to Jessy. Dr. Darwin treated Jessy during her… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1767/08/18
Darwin writes to Watt about his ideas for improving carriages and commenting on Watt’s developing theories for… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1775/03/29
Boulton and Watt were now in partnership and Boulton was attempting to have a Private Bill passed… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1788/11/18
Darwin writes to Watt concerning Watt’s health, with advice on treatments and remedies and various theories of… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1789/11/20
Darwin writes to Watt to request some details of the Boulton and Watt steam engine for his… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1790/01/19
Darwin thanks Watt for information about steam engines for The Economy of Vegetationand attempts to rouse Watt from… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1793/12/13
Darwin writes to Watt concerning the care of Jessy Watt, encouraging her to exercise and play sports.… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1794/01/01
Darwin’s recommendations for the treatment of Watt’s daughter, Jessy, who was suffering from tuberculosis. —————————————- Dear Sir,… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1794/04/25
Darwin writes to Watt with more suggestions for the treatment of his daughter, Jessy, including advice on… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1794/05/25
Darwin writes to Watt outlining a range of treatments for Watt’s daughter, Jessy. This letter includes details… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1794/05/29
Darwin’s advice to Watt for the continued treatment of Jessy. —————————————- Derby May 29-94 Dear Sir All… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1794/06/06
Increasingly unable to help Jessy Watt as she continues to suffer from tuberculosis, Darwin writes to Watt… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1794/06/11
Darwin writes to Watt after the death of his daughter, Jessy who died in early June, 1794.… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1794/07/03
Darwin writes to Watt to encourage him in his scientific experiments, especially Watt’s experiments with “inflammable air”.… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1794/08/17
Darwin writes to Watt to thank him for sending the scientific apparatus, previously requested for obtaining gases.… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1794/09/01
Darwin writes to Watt concerning their experiments into the use of gases in medicine. Darwin also mention… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1794/11/17
Darwin writes to Watt concerning their efforts to raise money for Dr. Beddoes’ Pneumatic Institute. Darwin also… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1794/11/17
Darwin writes to Watt concerning their efforts to raise money for Dr. Beddoes’ Pneumatic Institute. Darwin also… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1794/11/30
Darwin’s second letter to Watt concerning raising funds for Dr. Beddoes’ pneumatic institute. Nov. 30-94 Derby Dear… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1795/04/02
Darwin writes to Watt about his continuing experiments with the use of gases in medicine. Darwin mentions… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1795/04/28
Darwin writes to Watt of his experiments with gases and now seems to be treating patients with… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1795/07/09
Darwin writes to Watt about one of the various law suits over the patents of Watt’s steam… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1795/11/21
Darwin writes to Watt concerning the health of Darwin’s daughter, Emma and various scientific matters. Derby Nov.… read more »
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Letter from Erasmus Darwin to James Watt, 1795/12/28
Darwin writes to Watt on behalf of a patient requesting apparatus for making oxygen gas. —————————————- Derby… read more »