Darwin, Wallace and the Linnean Society

Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin was elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London on 7th March 1854, nominated for Fellowship by Thomas Bell, Sylvester Hanley, Edward Forbes, Robert Brown, John S. Henslow, James J. Bennett  and A. White.  He remained an active Fellow throughout his life, using the Library as a resource and reviewing papers submitted to the Society.  We also received from him copies of his publications which now are a treasured part of the Library.  He died on 19th April 1882 and is buried in Westminster Abbey.

Alfred Russel Wallace

Alfred Russel Wallace was elected to Fellowship of the Society somewhat later, on 18th January 1871 and remained a Fellow until his death on 7th November 1913.  He was nominated for Fellowship by George Bentham, H.T.Stainton, J.D.Hooker, A.W.Bennett, S. Stevens, A. Muller, E.W.H. Holdsworth, A. Newton, W.H. Flower, J.W. Dunning, G.R.Gray, and E. Sheppard.  By that time he was well established figure in natural history.  The Society is lucky to hold a number of his manuscripts, as well as much of his biological library, often with interesting marginal annotations.

The opportunity to present the joint papers outlining evolutionary theory, with papers by both Darwin and Wallace, on 1st July 1858, arose because of the death of the Vice President, Robert Brown, on 10th June 1858.  The General Meeting scheduled for June was cancelled in honour of Robert Brown but a new Vice President needed to be elected before the autumn session, so an additional General meeting was organised for 1st July 1858.

The meeting included the reading of the papers which were due to be read in November, except for one from J.D. Hooker, which was withdrawn to make way for those by Darwin and Wallace.  None of those attending that night, apart from the Officers of the Society, knew of the changes to the programme and those papers, read by the Secretary of the Society, came at the end of a long session.  It is doubtful that many in the audience were able to take in the full import of the message they contained. 

'The reading of the Darwin and Wallace papers: an historical "non-event"' By J. W. T. MOODY, F.L.S., J. Soc. Biblphy nat. Hist. (1971) 5 (6): 474-476 

About the Darwin-Wallace Paper

The Darwin-Wallace Paper (complete)

The Meeting Room, with a raised oak dais engraved with Linnaeus’ signature flower Linnaea borealis was recently refurbished in its original period style, much effort has been made to retain its historical atmosphere. John Collier’s original painting of Charles Darwin hangs on the wall, partnered by a specially commissioned posthumous portrait of Alfred Russel Wallace. The Meeting Room is in frequent use both for Society meetings or conferences, and also by a number of other biological societies not having their own premises.  Tours of the Society can be arranged, by appointment only, through the Librarian, Lynda Brooks.

At the time of the reading of the Darwin-Wallace papers, the Society was housed in Old Burlington House, now the home of the Royal Academy.  The Reynolds Room has a plaque to mark the event and is accessible on weekday afternoons from Tuesday onwards and whenever the Academy is open at weekends.