It has been revealed that British scientist Charles Darwin, the father of evolution, spent more money on shoes than books whilst at university.
He even paid people to carry out tasks such as stoking his fire and polishing his fancy new footwear.
Darwin's college bills amounted to £636.0s.91/2d over three years (it is 12 pennies to a shilling, 20 shillings to a pound and 240 pennies [d] to a pound). £636.0s.91/2d works out at £46,000 in today's money.
Darwin studied at Christ's College, Cambridge between 1828 and 1831 where he lived the life of a 19th century English gentleman. Whilst there, he paid for, amongst others, a barber, chimney-sweep, pharmacist, porter, brazier, glazier, hatter, laundress, linen-draper and painter. He also bought his own vegetables.
However, this did not include the £14 he paid for his BA degree in 1831 and the £12 he spent collecting an MA in 1836.
This year marks the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his landmark work On the Origin of Species.
Since the year 2000, Darwin has appeared on the back of the £10 note.
Charles Darwin spent more on shoes than books while at university, archives reveal
23rd March 2009
Daily Mail
Charles Darwin spent more money on shoes than books while studying at university, newly-discovered records show.
The renowned naturalist lived the life of a ‘19th century gentleman’ while at Cambridge and even paid people to carry out tasks such as stoking his fire and polishing his fancy new footwear.
Historians unearthed a series of six financial record books which reveal intriguing insights into his day-to-day life as a student.
Big spender: Charles Darwin, as a young man in 1838 (above) and as the older father of evolution in 1879 (below), lived the life of a '19th century gentleman' while at Cambridge
They contain accounts for the barber, chimney-sweep, pharmacist, porter, brazier, glazier, hatter, laundress, linen-draper and painter, among others.
They also show that Darwin, who studied at Christ’s College between 1828 and 1831, also paid extra to buy vegetables to supplement his college meals, the records show.
Darwin's college bills amounted to £636.0s.91/2d over three years – worth about £46,000 in today's money.
However, this did not include the £14 he paid for his BA degree in 1831 and the £12 he spent collecting an MA in 1836.
This year marks the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his landmark work On the Origin of Species.
‘Together, they fill many gaps in our knowledge of Darwin’s student days,’ said a university spokesman.
Enlarge
On the origin of spending: Archives show what Darwin (whose name is circled above and magnified below) spent along with other students at Christ's College
‘The time he spent at Cambridge from 1828 to 1831 was one of the most
significant periods of his life, but also one for which there is a comparative shortage of information.
‘Thanks to the discovery, historians now have the exact date of Darwin’s arrival at the university - January 26th, 1828 - as well as a huge assortment of details which will enable them to reconstruct his undergraduate life as never before.
‘The books show how Darwin enjoyed all the trappings one would expect of a 19th century gentleman, paying service-people to carry out tasks such as stoking his fire and polishing his shoes.
‘They even reveal that he was a stickler for his five-a-day, paying extra for vegetables at college meals.’
He said records showed that Darwin’s College bills amounted to £636.0s.91/2d over three years - not including £14 he paid for his BA degree in 1831 and £12 he spent collecting an MA in 1836.
‘The books appear to have been overlooked as dull administrative records of little historical importance until they were spotted by Professor Geoffrey Thorndike Martin in a pile of other old College papers and documents,’ added the spokesman.
Alma mater: Darwin was at Christ's College, Cambridge, between 1828 and 1831
‘In fact, they provide a detailed record of Darwin’s movements and how he spent his money.
‘Students of the day did not pay cash for many services, instead paying local tradesmen by account. The individual bills would have been reported to the college, which then charged Darwin and his fellow-students on a quarterly basis.’
The spokesman said Darwin, said his years in Cambridge were ‘the most joyful of my happy life’ lived the life of a ‘a well-to-do young gentleman’.
‘He clearly enjoyed a privileged existence,’ added the spokesman.
‘The accounts reveal that he paid a bed-maker, a shoe-black to polish his footwear, and even someone to bring in the coal that kept his fire going.
‘The newly-uncovered record books also contain accounts for the barber, grocer, tailor, chimney-sweep, apothecary, porter, brazier, scullion, glazier, hatter, smith, laundress, linen-draper and painter, among others.
‘His rooms at Christ’s, recently restored and opened to the public, appear to have been some of the best or, at least, the most expensive available to undergraduates of his rank at the time.
Cashing in: Darwin, who features on the back of the £10 note, received college bills for £636.0s.91/2d over three years - worth about £46,000 in today's money (click to enlarge)
‘Predictably, there are very few entries which suggest he bought many books, or anything else to aid his studies.
‘Darwin famously spent little of his time at Cambridge studying or in lectures, preferring to shoot, ride and collect beetles.
‘The records also suggest that the young Charles was a stickler for eating his greens.
‘Students eating dinner in college were given a basic ration of a joint of meat and a glass of beer, but Darwin was apparently quite fastidious about forking out a further 51/2d per day for vegetables.
‘Other optional extras on the menu included pies and cheese.’
University officials said some details of Darwin’s life - including how much he spent on alcohol or on having his horse stabled remained unknown.
But they said it was known that a friend made a ‘joke coat of arms’ for Darwin making ‘drinking and smoking’ the naturalist’s trademarks.
dailymail.co.uk
He even paid people to carry out tasks such as stoking his fire and polishing his fancy new footwear.
Darwin's college bills amounted to £636.0s.91/2d over three years (it is 12 pennies to a shilling, 20 shillings
Darwin studied at Christ's College, Cambridge between 1828 and 1831 where he lived the life of a 19th century English gentleman. Whilst there, he paid for, amongst others, a barber, chimney-sweep, pharmacist, porter, brazier, glazier, hatter, laundress, linen-draper and painter. He also bought his own vegetables.
However, this did not include the £14 he paid for his BA degree in 1831 and the £12 he spent collecting an MA in 1836.
This year marks the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his landmark work On the Origin of Species.
Since the year 2000, Darwin has appeared on the back of the £10 note.
Charles Darwin spent more on shoes than books while at university, archives reveal
23rd March 2009
Daily Mail
Charles Darwin spent more money on shoes than books while studying at university, newly-discovered records show.
The renowned naturalist lived the life of a ‘19th century gentleman’ while at Cambridge and even paid people to carry out tasks such as stoking his fire and polishing his fancy new footwear.
Historians unearthed a series of six financial record books which reveal intriguing insights into his day-to-day life as a student.
Big spender: Charles Darwin, as a young man in 1838 (above) and as the older father of evolution in 1879 (below), lived the life of a '19th century gentleman' while at Cambridge
They contain accounts for the barber, chimney-sweep, pharmacist, porter, brazier, glazier, hatter, laundress, linen-draper and painter, among others.
They also show that Darwin, who studied at Christ’s College between 1828 and 1831, also paid extra to buy vegetables to supplement his college meals, the records show.
Darwin's college bills amounted to £636.0s.91/2d over three years – worth about £46,000 in today's money.
However, this did not include the £14 he paid for his BA degree in 1831 and the £12 he spent collecting an MA in 1836.
This year marks the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his landmark work On the Origin of Species.
‘Together, they fill many gaps in our knowledge of Darwin’s student days,’ said a university spokesman.
Enlarge
On the origin of spending: Archives show what Darwin (whose name is circled above and magnified below) spent along with other students at Christ's College
‘The time he spent at Cambridge from 1828 to 1831 was one of the most
significant periods of his life, but also one for which there is a comparative shortage of information.
‘Thanks to the discovery, historians now have the exact date of Darwin’s arrival at the university - January 26th, 1828 - as well as a huge assortment of details which will enable them to reconstruct his undergraduate life as never before.
‘The books show how Darwin enjoyed all the trappings one would expect of a 19th century gentleman, paying service-people to carry out tasks such as stoking his fire and polishing his shoes.
‘They even reveal that he was a stickler for his five-a-day, paying extra for vegetables at college meals.’
He said records showed that Darwin’s College bills amounted to £636.0s.91/2d over three years - not including £14 he paid for his BA degree in 1831 and £12 he spent collecting an MA in 1836.
‘The books appear to have been overlooked as dull administrative records of little historical importance until they were spotted by Professor Geoffrey Thorndike Martin in a pile of other old College papers and documents,’ added the spokesman.
Alma mater: Darwin was at Christ's College, Cambridge, between 1828 and 1831
‘In fact, they provide a detailed record of Darwin’s movements and how he spent his money.
‘Students of the day did not pay cash for many services, instead paying local tradesmen by account. The individual bills would have been reported to the college, which then charged Darwin and his fellow-students on a quarterly basis.’
The spokesman said Darwin, said his years in Cambridge were ‘the most joyful of my happy life’ lived the life of a ‘a well-to-do young gentleman’.
‘He clearly enjoyed a privileged existence,’ added the spokesman.
‘The accounts reveal that he paid a bed-maker, a shoe-black to polish his footwear, and even someone to bring in the coal that kept his fire going.
‘The newly-uncovered record books also contain accounts for the barber, grocer, tailor, chimney-sweep, apothecary, porter, brazier, scullion, glazier, hatter, smith, laundress, linen-draper and painter, among others.
‘His rooms at Christ’s, recently restored and opened to the public, appear to have been some of the best or, at least, the most expensive available to undergraduates of his rank at the time.
Cashing in: Darwin, who features on the back of the £10 note, received college bills for £636.0s.91/2d over three years - worth about £46,000 in today's money (click to enlarge)
‘Predictably, there are very few entries which suggest he bought many books, or anything else to aid his studies.
‘Darwin famously spent little of his time at Cambridge studying or in lectures, preferring to shoot, ride and collect beetles.
‘The records also suggest that the young Charles was a stickler for eating his greens.
‘Students eating dinner in college were given a basic ration of a joint of meat and a glass of beer, but Darwin was apparently quite fastidious about forking out a further 51/2d per day for vegetables.
‘Other optional extras on the menu included pies and cheese.’
University officials said some details of Darwin’s life - including how much he spent on alcohol or on having his horse stabled remained unknown.
But they said it was known that a friend made a ‘joke coat of arms’ for Darwin making ‘drinking and smoking’ the naturalist’s trademarks.
dailymail.co.uk
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